Students take hostage academic staff

TANGERANG: Hundreds of computer college students in Tangerang agreed on Thursday morning to release 25 academic staff held hostage for more than 10 hours following the suspension of two student activists.

Raharja Academy of Computer Information Management (AMIK/STMIK) staff, comprising the deputy directors, lecturers and administrative staff members, were forced to spend the night at the school after the students prevented them from leaving the campus in Cikokol.

They were finally allowed to leave at 2:30 a.m. after the police negotiated their release.

Students Executive Body (BEM) chairman Rendri said the students had demanded that college director Untung Rahardja revoke his decision to suspend Jazuli Adnan and Achmad Sanjaya.

The pair were suspended for one semester, starting Feb. 26, for losing the college flag during a rally outside the House of Representatives in Jakarta on Feb. 8.

"No one is allowed to take the flag from the campus, but the students lost the flag and never showed up when we repeatedly summoned them to explain their actions," Rahardja said.--JP