Students continue hunger strike

Agus Maryono, The Jakarta Post, Purwokerto, Central Java

Seventeen students of the Jendral Soedirman University (Unsoed) continued with their hunger strike on Monday. They are protesting an additional fee imposed on them by the university last year.

The strike started on Thursday last week, with 19 students fasting. Two have already stopped due to the deterioration of their health.

"We will continue the hunger strike until our demand is met. We are already poor, and we are overburdened by the extra fee," said protest coordinator M. Latief, referring to the imposition of the Institution Development Fee, which amounts to Rp 150,000 per student per semester.

The students have been living in tents in front of the rector's office since the hunger strike began. They have staged several rallies on campus also.

Separately, Komari, the deputy rector of student affairs, said that the decision to introduce the fee had been made together with the university's board.

"The board will meet straightaway. After the meeting, we hope that we can provide a solution," he said.