Students continue protest against soldiers' attack

JAKARTA (JP): Dozens of students from Indonesia Christian University staged a demonstration in front of the university rectorate building in Cawang, East Jakarta, yesterday in protest against an attack by soldiers.

Jakarta Military Command Spokesman Lt. Col. DJ. Nachrowi said Wednesday that the dispute began when a soldier saw a man extorting money from another man in front of the university campus on June 23.

He said the man became agitated when the soldier approached him. The man and his friends then mobbed the soldier, he said.

The soldier fled to a nearby police station because he was outnumbered, Nachrowi said. The man and his friends later mobbed another soldier as well.

Some other soldiers saw the mob and helped their friends, he said.

He said the mob fled and entered the university campus, resulting in the attack by soldiers on the campus.

At least five students were injured in the incident.

At least 350 students complained about the attack to the National Commission on Human Rights Thursday.

Yesterday's demonstration was held before university leaders at a press conference in the rectorate building.

The students carried banners and read a poem, demanding soldiers involved in attacking university students be taken to military court.

The students also demanded the military to repeal an accusation they made that a student was involved in the extortion.

University Rector K. Tunggul Sirait said yesterday that the university had set up a fact-finding team to investigate the incident.

"The team has yet to complete the investigation," Sirait said. "We should be patient."

However, he said, the university had agreed with the military to settle the matter amicably.

University deputy rector Adrianus Siregar read an agreement signed by him and the military command's territorial assistant Col. Prabowo.

Siregar said the university and the military agreed to solve the problem peacefully and to continue good relations between them.

He said they agreed to take action against military officers involved in the incident and to sanction, according to university rules, students involved in the incident.

Sirait was satisfied with Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen. Sutiyoso's statement that he would take stern action against the soldiers.

Sirait said some soldiers and leaders had been questioned at Jakarta Military Police Headquarters.

However, the students were still dissatisfied with the agreement, saying that they were not involved in the settlement.

"It's a dispute between students and military officers. So students should be involved," a student said.

He said he and his friends would continue to demonstrate until their demands were met. (jun)