Students demand answers in beatings

Students demand answers in beatings

Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Dozens of student representatives from various universities
reported the Jakarta Police force to the National Commission on
Human Rights (Komnas HAM) on Saturday after the beating they
suffered at the hands of baton-wielding riot policemen as the
students gathered in front of the Supreme Court building on
Thursday.

The incident took place around 3 p.m. on the day the Court
overturned Golkar Party chairman and House of Representatives
Speaker Akbar Tandjung's corruption conviction. At least 73
students were hospitalized, with at least one was known to have
suffered a severe skull fracture.

The Student Executive Body of the University of Indonesia
(BEM-UI) chairman Ahmad Nur Hidayat demanded an inquiry into the
violence, which was shown live by nearly all local television
stations.

"It was not a clash between students and police officers. It
was an attack by the police against us ... we did not attack
them," he told Komnas HAM members Muhammad Billah and Taheri Noor
who met with the students.

Thursday's rally initially was peaceful with thousands of
students making speeches about 200 meters away from the Court
building, surrounded by hundreds of police.

The police earlier claimed that it started with the students
pushing through the police line, but on Friday their commander
said it began when an unidentified person tossed a bottle in the
police officers' general direction, which caused the cops to run
amok. Television footage showed the officers charging into the
student section indiscriminately bludgeoning any student within
reach for several minutes as the students were fleeing.

The policemen were also seen hurling bottles at the retreating
students, after they confiscated them from nearby street vendors.

Ahmad added that the students had a proper police permit for
the rally and did not clash with Akbar's supporters.

"The incident seemed to start with objects being thrown at
us," he reckoned.

Maksum Jatmiko, another UI student, added that a number of
seemingly very young police officers attacked the students.
"Obviously, as a large number of us were wounded, that indicates
that we were attacked," he added.

The police claimed that there were 10 of their own hurt, but
no further details have been revealed.

Febi Duratman, who was nearly maimed in the melee, asserted
that a group of policemen continued to club and kick him as he
was lying on the ground dazed and confused. "I don't recall
anything after the first eight or so blows were delivered," said
Febi, who has a nasty gash above his left eye.

Billah, meanwhile, promised to carry out an inquiry, and he
instructed the students to help the rights body by supplying
clear, concise information. "Accurate information from all of you
will help us in investigating this case," he said, adding that
Komnas HAM had already begun collecting some information from
media reports.