Students take Golkar protest to the zoo

Students take Golkar protest to the zoo

JAKARTA (JP): Dozens of students headed to Gembira Loka Zoo in Yogyakarta on Saturday to voice their grievances against the Golkar Party, following the Supreme Court's rejection of a suit against the party.

The students, grouped in the Communication Institution Forum of Yogyakarta Students (FKLMY), walked a distance of four kilometers from the Village Community Development Institute (STPMD) campus in Timoho, Yogyakarta.

On the way to the zoo, they staged a free speech forum for several minutes in front of the Yogyakarta Legislative Council, reiterating their demand for the dissolution of Golkar, which, they said, allegedly committed violations in the past general election and other misconducts during the New Order government.

The Supreme Court Justice banged the gavel on Tuesday, disallowing a suit to dissolve the party, saying in the verdict that there was a lack of legitimate evidence to support the suit filed by several non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

A five-member panel of justices, presided over by Asma Samik Ibrahim, said the plaintiffs had failed to provide legitimate evidence.

"The evidence submitted were photocopies of references and articles clipped from newspapers and magazines, reporting the alleged violations committed by the party. Such evidence is not acceptable," Asma said.

Several banners unfurled by the students during Saturday's protest read "Dissolve Golkar, Bring Soeharto to Court", "Cooperating with Golkar is the People's Enemy" and "Hold a Snap Election." Besides the banners, the students also staged an art protest depicting the sins of Golkar and the New Order, which they said had burdened the people, detikcom reported on Sunday.

The art protest showed two men in underwear with their arms tied with rope being tortured by two officials wearing yellow clothes bearing the name Golkar on their back.

Accompanied by security officers, the students went straight to the gate at the orangutan exhibit, where they read their demands, which included the issuance of a nonconfidence motion against the current political elite and the necessity for a snap election.

They also demanded the dissolution of Golkar and trials of those implicated in past economic, political and human rights violations. (hhr)