Students told to stay on campuses

JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin has reiterated that students, who have held demonstrations demanding political and economic reforms in recent weeks, should stay on their campuses.

Sjafrie said last week that the student demonstrations constituted a kind of moral movement which could be voiced on campuses without spilling onto the streets.

"I believe that there is no need for the students, with their intellectuality and scientific nature, to go to the streets in delivering their aspirations," he said.

If students insisted on turning their demonstrations into street rallies, he said the consequence would be that security officers would take stern action against them according to existing regulations.

Asked about reports that thousands of students planned to hold street demonstrations, Sjafrie said: "What kind of demonstration? When? Where does the information come from?

"We will take action if they really go to the streets and disturb public activities."

Meanwhile, the military command spokesman, Lt. Col. DJ. Nachrowi, confirmed that the military had heard rumors about large-scale demonstrations to be staged by students from several universities in the city.

"We have heard this information. But it may possibly be just a rumor," Nachrowi said.

Sjafrie said there were indications that other parties had influenced the students in their actions.

"Who are the other parties? They include people who have been arrested in Klender," he said.

On March 14, military officers arrested three men in a low- cost apartment in Klender, East Jakarta, for allegedly assembling bombs in a political conspiracy.

The military said the men were members of the banned People's Democratic Party. (jun)