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.