Students lash out at Megawati over Maluku
Students lash out at Megawati over Maluku
JAKARTA (JP): Some 600 students grouped in the Indonesian
Muslim Student Action Union (KAMMI) protested outside the vice
presidential palace on Wednesday, demanding Megawati
Soekarnoputri be held responsible for the prolonged sectarian
unrest in Maluku.
They accused the Vice President of being sluggish in her
attempts to solve the strife which began a year ago.
They also urged President Abdurrahman Wahid to revoke his
mandate, entrusted to Megawati last October, to solve ethnic and
sectarian violence and threats of separation in the eastern part
of Indonesia, including the archipelagic province of Maluku.
"The Vice President has proven unable to solve the conflicts
in Maluku. The President, therefore, must withdraw his mandate
from Megawati and give it to competent figures," coordinator of
the protesters M. Najib said in reading from a KAMMI statement.
Najib did not identify the competent figures.
Abdurrahman announced in October a list of Megawati's
responsibilities, including dealing with unrest in Irian Jaya
(now Papua), Maluku and Riau, and human rights and environmental
matters. The President said he would focus on troubled Aceh and
the country's economic recovery.
Megawati was heavily criticized after she and her family went
on a year-end trip to Hong Kong. Critics said the timing of the
trip was improper as unrest continued in Maluku and Aceh.
Official estimates put the number of deaths at about 450 in
North and Central Maluku. However, unconfirmed sources claim a
much higher death toll.
Student protesters arrived in front of the vice presidential
palace on Jl. Medan Merdeka Selatan in Central Jakarta at about
10 a.m.
Attired in Muslim apparel and with white headbands stating the
organization's name in capital letters, they repeatedly chanted
"Allahu Akbar !!" (Allah is Great).
They unfurled banners and posters with messages including
"Mega's tears cannot be compared with the blood of Ambon's
Muslims".
The students demanded the Indonesia Military (TNI) remain
neutral in handling the sectarian conflicts.
"The military must provide impartial protection to all people
in Ambon. The military must settle the conflicts quickly to
prevent them from spreading to other areas," said Najib.
They also demanded replacement of the local military
commander, who they said was biased.
After a two-hour peaceful protest, the students marched to the
Ministry of Defense to air the same demand. They continued to the
nearby Istiqlal Grand Mosque, where they dispersed peacefully.
Dozens of Police Mobile Brigade personnel guarded the protest.
(asa)