Students have reached point of no return: Amien

JAKARTA (JP): Calls for students to return to their classrooms and warnings of repressive measures against unruly protests will fall on deaf ears as students have reached "the point of no return", according to Amien Rais.

"The students are not afraid of such warnings," the politician and Moslem leader said.

Speaking at a discussion on the anthology Critical Voices of the Intellectuals Demanding Reforms here Saturday, the leader of the 28-million-strong Muhammadiyah Moslem organization said students would not back down since they are convinced that economic and political reforms are the only way to help the country out of the crisis.

President Soeharto gave clear-cut guidelines Thursday to security officials when dealing with student demonstrations, including the use of repressive measures in emergency situations.

In a written address for the 46th anniversary celebrations of the Army's special force (Kopassus), the President said the security forces could use repressive measures if peaceful persuasion failed to calm vociferous students.

The following day Soeharto again was quoted as saying that students should return to their classrooms as on-campus rallies were disrupting their learning process.

Amien said yesterday that instead of threatening the students, the Armed Forces should side with them and support their demands for reforms.

Amien reiterated his support for the recent call by Nahdlatul Ulama, the country's largest Moslem organization, for the Armed Forces to support the people and students.

Amien said that it was now time for the Armed Forces to prove that its loyalty was really to the nation and the people.

Amien also criticized official statements accusing the student protests of being infiltrated or masterminded by certain "adverse" parties.

"Please, stop making those haphazard statements. It does not make any sense at all," Amien said, expressing the belief that all the student protests throughout the country were genuine.

Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin has warned certain groups against pushing their own agendas by exploiting the student rallies. He identified the groups only as "Indonesia's opposition movement network".

Amien encouraged students yesterday to keep up their campaign momentum.

"The government must face the reality that the country is in a dire condition and reforms are really needed."

He called on the academics and students to maintain their pressure even though the government has shown some commitment toward reform.

"The pressure should not cease although there has been appeasement from the government," added Amien.

After two months of enthusiastic protests, the students have shown signs of becoming bolder and better coordinated in their protests.

While the persistent demands of students across the country have focused on the general theme of political and economic reform, many have also voiced the need for a change in the cabinet lineup or national leadership.

Protests have generally been peaceful, due mainly to the students' restraint in not spilling out into the streets. Clashes have usually occurred when students tried to take their protests beyond the campus boundaries.

While backing the students' commitment, Amien also urged them to maintain the peaceful stance they had adopted so far and refrain from any acts of violence.

Separately in Bandung, West Java, renown talk show host and political commentator Wimar Witoelar claimed that the government has become increasingly "worried" by the incessant student protests.

Speaking at a public meeting held by the students of the Bandung Institute of Technology, Wimar said that the student protests had been very effective in airing the people's grievances over the severe economic crisis.

He also said that the recent statement from Minister of Education and Culture Wiranto Arismunandar banning students from engaging in political activities on campus, has actually strengthened the impression that the government is uneasy over the wave of student protests of the past two months.

Wimar further called on students to remain vigilant against the possibility of repressive measures which could be taken by the authorities.

Wimar however said that the general public and the international community would not tolerate harsh actions by the military against the students. (43/byg)