Students continue with demonstrations for reform
Students continue with demonstrations for reform
JAKARTA (JP): Students in many cities continued rallying for
reform yesterday, with most demanding a fresh presidential
election through a special session of the People's Consultative
Assembly (MPR) and the trial of former president Soeharto for
alleged abuses of power.
In Yogyakarta, thousands of students held separate rallies in
university campuses, expressing gratitude for Soeharto's
resignation but calling for an investigation into the alleged
wealth of the former president. "Reveal, in a transparent manner,
how Soeharto amassed his wealth," said one student in a rally at
Indonesian Islamic University.
The same call was made separately by a group of 300 students
who called themselves the People's Committee for Reform at Gadjah
Mada University campus. The students said Soeharto must not be
allowed to wash his hands of the policies which brought about the
crisis now facing Indonesia.
"Don't let him go without facing the law," said one student in
the demonstration that ended peacefully after two and half hours.
Also in the city, a group of 1,000 members of Yogyakarta
Moslem Students League held a rally calling for an extraordinary
session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) to demand
Soeharto account for his leadership and his alleged wealth.
The group also demanded that the "transitional administration"
under President B.J. Habibie hold general elections within three
months. They said the current MPR was a product of political
engineering, and that a fresh election was needed to establish a
better government.
In Surabaya, East Java, 200 students from four universities
marched to the local legislative council to demand a special MPR
session and legal action against Soeharto.
Calling themselves "Children of Reform", the activists said
their fight had not ended with Soeharto's resignation and
Habibie's appointment. They said they would continue to press for
a special session and "total reform."
"A special session would be the constitutional way to transfer
power, because Soeharto would then have to account for his work
during his time in office," said one of the students.
In Semarang, the capital of Central Java, hundreds of female
students from various universities gathered at Simpanglima Square
to express gratitude for "national unity, and the peaceful and
orderly transfer of the national leadership."
The students, Moslem girls wearing green veils and headbands
emblazoned with "KAMMI" (Association of Moslem Students Action
Front), began their rally at 11 a.m., chanting Allahuakbar (Allah
the Greatest) and shalawat (praises for Prophet Muhammad).
They brought posters and banners which read: "Praise be to
Allah, Soeharto resigns." The students dispersed peacefully an
hour later.
In Medan, the capital of North Sumatra, around 5,000 members
of the Nationalist Students Movement (GMNI) and 35 non-
governmental organizations grouped in an alliance called Pro-
Democracy Solidarity, held a rally at the provincial legislative
council.
Orating speeches and waving banners, the youths demanded that
an extraordinary session of the MPR be convened as soon as
possible. Habibie's government was transitional in nature, born
in an emergency, and was not in line with the Constitution.
The students also demanded that Soeharto be held accountable
for mistakes made during his administration, and that the MPR
investigate his alleged wealth.
The students then called on the MPR to initiate total reform
in political, economic, legal, and social and culture fields.
The protesters made legislators Hazrul Azwar, Leo Sukardi and
Aminullah Purba join their demonstration, then chased them when
they attempted to leave to say their Friday prayers at the
mosque.
One of the student leaders and lecturers from St. Thomas
Catholic University later apologized to the Moslem legislators.
(23/44/21/nur/swe)