Students reject 'Gatra' magazine

YOGYAKARTA (JP): About 100 Gadjah Mada University students burned Gatra magazines yesterday to protest the weekly magazine's co-sponsorship of a scheduled poetry reading at the university.

Dozens of posters advertising the poetry reading by well-known poet W.S. Rendra were displayed by the committee of the art show on campus.

The silent banner-waving protesters criticized their university for collaborating with Gatra magazine, which they charged has been co-opted by the government to convey its propaganda.

"We want to remind the public of the undemocratic process of Gatra's birth," said Yasadana, a spokesman for the demonstrators.

Gatra was founded last year following the government's much criticized closure of three periodicals, Tempo, DeTIK and Editor in 1994.

Now employing senior journalists from Tempo, the Gatra news magazine is largely controlled by tycoon Bob Hasan, who is understood to have close relations with the government.

The government refuses to issue permits for rival journalists who want to set up their own magazines with their own capital.

The poetry reading went on despite the protest. (02/pan)