Students condemn brutality

JAKARTA (JP): Students lodged a complaint concerning the excessive use of force by security personnel at a demonstration on Jl. Proklamasi in Central Jakarta on Thursday.

Carrying a banner which read "Stop Military Violence", the 50 students grouped under the Collective Forum (Forbes), visited the National Commission on Human Rights on Monday to request a thorough investigation of the incident.

"Our friends were beaten and kicked and some of them were even stabbed by soldiers. The soldiers also destroyed windows at the ABA-ABI Foreign Language and Banking College," student spokesman Choki said.

The soldiers pursued the demonstrators, who thought they would be safe on campus, he said.

"They also beat our friends in the musholla and smashed its windows."

Students eating in the canteen were also beaten by soldiers, he said.

Rizal, another student, said the students threw stones at the soldiers after they were provoked by security officers, who kicked and beat their friends at about 3 p.m.

"The soldiers beat us when we were still negotiating with them at the rally. They continued (their brutality) as they pursued us onto the campus."

According to Choki, 31 students were arrested on Thursday, but 17 of them were released on Friday, after the Central Jakarta District Court fined them Rp 2,000 (22 US cents) each for participating in the illegal demonstration.

He said the students demanded the release of 11 students detained at city police headquarters.

Nine of the 11 students were charged with violating Article 170 of the Criminal Code on vandalism, while the remaining two students were charged with violating Article 160 of the Criminal Code on slandering government officials.

The articles carry maximum sentences of jail terms of five and a half years and six years respectively.

Commission member Benyamin Mangkoedilaga promised to investigate the case.

"We will send a letter to the Jakarta Military Commander concerning the matter."

He said that, as a former judge, he was ready to provide legal advice to student lawyers if the case was brought to court.

Dozens of students, three photographers and one journalist were injured in the violent clash between protesting students and security personnel.

The journalists beaten by security personnel included reporter Toto Irianto from Pos Kota daily, Jawa Pos daily's photographer Agus Wahyudi and Detak tabloid's photographer Rusman. (jun)