Students demand legal action

UJUNGPANDANG, South Sulawesi: Around 500 students yesterday demonstrated at the governor's office, demanding that the government and the military complete planned legal action against soldiers allegedly responsible for the death of three friends of theirs.

The demonstration was held to coincide with the 90th day anniversary of the death of Syaiful Bya, M. Tasyrif and Andi Sultan during a student protest which ended in a clash with security forces in April.

The students visited the grave of Tasyrif, prayed there and marched carrying banners emblazoned with criticism of the government and the military. "We're tired of promises," read one. "Our friends' blood can never be repaid," said another.

The chief of the Wirabuana regional military command, Maj. Gen. Sulatin, had promised to summon to a military tribunal 12 soldiers accused of "responding excessively" to the student protests against public transport fare hikes in April.

It was during one of these protests that the students died.

One of the demonstrating students, Bachtiar, accused the government and the military of trying to backtrack by not bringing the soldiers to court after all.

"Unless the case is handled transparently, the people here will no longer trust the government and the military," Yahya Mustafa, an activist of a local non-governmental organization, said. (20/swe)