Students observe Semanggi tragedy

JAKARTA (JP): At least 1,000 students from various universities gathered at the Atma Jaya University campus on Jl. Sudirman in Central Jakarta on Saturday, commemorating the Nov. 13 shooting incident at the nearby Semanggi cloverleaf, which killed 14 people including eight university students.

Saturday's commemoration was part of a three-day program, organized by the Presidium of the Atma Jaya University students in cooperation with Visi Mahasiswa tabloid, which started on Thursday. Other programs included a photo exhibition of last year's violence and a seminar on politics.

Students, in groups, poured onto the university compound located at the tip of the city's main thoroughfare Jl. Sudirman from midday on Saturday and traveled either by bus or by marching from their own campuses. They carried their student groupings' flags, but no posters and placards were seen.

The committee established a makeshift stage in the university compound, where students from various groupings sang songs and read poems, mostly criticizing the military's violence during last year's incident. Saturday's commemoration started at 4 p.m, immediately after heavy rainfalls which had showered the city for three hours stopped.

Harry Rusli, a noted musician, contributed to the commemoration by reading a poem urging the government and military police to soon announce the results of the investigation into the incident and to bring the responsible parties to court.

"Where is the justice after one year has passed since the shooting incident!" he shouted, winning applause from the students.

The shooting occurred when thousands of students staged rallies in front of Atma Jaya University protesting against the Special Session of the People's Consultative Assembly from Nov. 10 to 13, 1998. They clashed with security personnel blocking their way to the legislative compound in Senayan, about 300 meters west of the cloverleaf.

The students demanded the government and the military police reveal the truth behind the incident and sentence the parties responsible for the killing of the protesters.

"The real human tragedy occurred today, as no satisfying results of the investigation have been revealed so far," said a statement, read by Hengky, an activist of Famred.

The students also demanded the government disclose the investigation results on human atrocities in Aceh and other provinces. (asa/01)