Students demand constitutional reforms

Kurniawan Hari and Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

As the Annual Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) entered its sixth day, thousands of student protesters staged a rally outside the Assembly building here on Tuesday demanding that the lawmakers proceed with and endorse crucial amendments to the 1945 Constitution.

The students, grouped under the student executive bodies from a number of universities and loose student groupings in the Greater Jakarta area, started the rally at about 8:30 a.m. by unfurling posters and banners which read, among other things, "Anti-amendment equals anti-reform," and "Amendment is needed for a clean and legitimate government."

"Continue the amendment process, safeguard the reforms!", the students shouted.

Among the students participating in the rally were groups from the University of Indonesia (UI), University of Jakarta (UNJ), Trisakti University and the Indonesian Muslim Students Action Front (KAMMI).

As the situation became tense, security personnel stayed alert with at least three armored vehicles parked near the front gate. Barbed wire was also rolled out to prevent protesters from entering the MPR compound.

Later in the day, as the protesters proceeded to the building's main front entrance and tried to break through in an effort to enter the legislative compound, police personnel used water cannon to drive the protesters back. No injuries or arrests were reported.

The Assembly is holding its 10-day Annual Session during which it is to decide on the amendment of several crucial articles of the Constitution with a view to, among other things, instituting direct presidential elections and changing the make-up of the Assembly itself.

Also on the agenda is the proposal by several Islamic-based political parties that the seven words of the Jakarta Charter be inserted into the Constitution, thereby accommodating the demand from some quarters for sharia.

As reported earlier, more than a hundred legislators have signed a petition asking for a halt to the amendment process and for a return to the unamended 1945 Constitution.

Fifteen students representing the protesters eventually entered the Assembly building at 12 midday, and asked the legislators to meet the protesters outside the compound.

The students asked for the politicians' assurances that they would complete the amendment process and remain committed to the reform agenda.

"You (legislators) must put your signatures to a document guaranteeing continued constitutional reform. Its signing must be witnessed by the protesting students," said Marbun, an activist from the University of Indonesia (UI).

Ten legislators agreed to meet the students' demands and left the Assembly building escorted by the student activists. They were Jakob Tobing of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction; Fahmi Idris, Theo L. Sambuaga and Andi Mattalata of the Golkar Party faction; Ali Masykur Musa of the National Awakening Party (PKB) faction; Zein Badjeber of the United Development Party (PPP) faction; Asnawi Latif of the People's Sovereignty Party (PDU) faction; Harun Kamil of the Interest Groups faction; Ahmad Sumargono of the Crescent Star Party (PBB) faction; and Oesman Sapta Odang of the Regional Representatives faction.

Upon their arrival at the front gate of the Assembly compound, no cheers greeted the legislators. Instead, the students turned their backs and jeered them.

One of the protest leaders attempted to calm down the protesters and asked Jakob Tobing, who chairs Commission A on the amendment of the Constitution, to deliver a speech.

"The PDI Perjuangan will unite to press ahead with constitutional reform," Jakob said.

As the rally in Jakarta ended in a minor clash between student protesters and security officers, members of the student executive body from the Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (BEM-ITS) voiced their demands for the continuation of the amendment process to the East Java Provincial Legislative Council in Surabaya on Tuesday.

"The amendment of the 1945 Constitution is mandated by the reform movement for a just and egalitarian Indonesia," said BEM- ITS president Nugroho Fredivianus during a meeting with three East Java provincial councillors as quoted by Antara.