Students rally to deny communist accusations

Students rally to deny communist accusations

JAKARTA (JP): A huge number of students staged massive rallies
in Jakarta on Wednesday, apparently to reject accusations leveled
by various parties that their actions were being exploited by
those who followed the communist ideology.

"We want to announce here that our actions are not being
exploited by communism," Ardian, an action coordinator from the
Indonesian Christian University, said.

The Indonesian Christian University students were among around
1,000 members of the Forum Kota, an association of students from
37 universities in Greater Jakarta, who rallied in front of the
House of Representatives (DPR) on Jl. Gatot Subroto in Central
Jakarta. During the rally the students demanded a reduction in
the price of basic commodities.

"We want the government to take drastic measures to lower the
price of basic foods because the people are under severe strain,"
Ardian was quoted by Antara as saying.

He said the government under President B.J. Habibie could go
on for no longer and should hand over power to a transitional
committee consisting of "clean" figures.

About six hundred members of the security forces, including
armed soldiers and police officers, formed a heavy cordon outside
the building to prevent students from approaching the main gate.

The rally created heavy traffic jams when security officers
blocked the main road and tollway in front of the House and
diverted traffic onto the nearby Jl. Gerbang Pemuda.

The students later demonstrated on the tollway, waving
national flags and distributing leaflets entitled "Transitional
Power for Economic Recovery" to passing vehicles.

The leaflets said that the students rejected the extraordinary
session scheduled to be held by the People's Consultative
Assembly (MPR) in November.

The students also invited people to support their plan to
establish the Indonesian People's Committee (KRI) as a
transitional government that would prepare for the general
election.

They held up placards reading: "Reject Habibie, Bring Soeharto
to Court", "Habibie: Soeharto's Puppet", "Extraordinary Session =
Idiot Episode", "Lower the Prices now", "Bring back People's
Sovereignty", "Return ABRI (the Armed Forces)'s role as soldiers
of the people" and "Forum Kota is not Communist but a Group of
Virtuous Students".

After about four hours of making speeches and singing on the
road, the students dispersed peacefully and pledged to return
until their demands were met.

Meanwhile, around 100 other people staged a protest on the
University of Indonesia's central campus on Wednesday to demand
lower prices of basic commodities.

Members of the university's alumni association along with a
number of alumni from other universities called on the government
to take the necessary measures to cope with the impending food
crisis.

"Just tell people the truth if the government really does not
have money to buy food," Meilono Siswondo, a representative of
the Bandung Institute of Technology, said.

Sri Edi Swasono, a University of Indonesia lecturer, told the
crowd that Wednesday's protest was a preliminary step toward
consolidating campuses throughout the country and launching a
peaceful struggle for thorough reform.

The two hour protest ended without disruption. Dozens of riot
police stood guard outside the campus.

The University of Indonesia's student senate in Depok also
issued its own stance.

"We hope that the students remain independent in playing their
role as a major pressure group and that they convey their demands
maturely and with the people's welfare in mind. They must guard
against anarchist influences," the senate said in a statement.

"We also remind students to continue with their struggle
consistently and on moral and intellectual grounds alone," the
statement said.

A 65-year-old man making his way along Jl. Gatot Subroto
toward Slipi in West Jakarta said that he had no objection to the
students' rally.

Dodi, a 27-year-old lawyer who missed his flight to Manado in
North Sulawesi on Wednesday afternoon as a result of the
demonstration, said he still supported the student movement.
(byg/ivy)