Students condemn brutality

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)