Students have reached point of no return: Amien

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)