Students vow to take to the streets again

JAKARTA (JP): With outraged students threatening to begin a new round of protests after Friday's shooting death of a colleague, human rights activists, student organizations and university administrators condemned the government and military on Sunday for the bloodshed from two days of mass street protests.

The groups demanded that President B.J. Habibie, Minister of Security and Defense/Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Gen. Wiranto and legislators who ended their term of office on Friday be held responsible for the deaths of the student, five other civilians and a police officer. Demonstrators clashed with police after the House of Representatives approved the state security bill on Thursday.

The University of Indonesia alumni association, Iluni-UI Jakarta, said Habibie and Wiranto should be held accountable for the deaths, which included University of Indonesia student Yap Yun Hap.

"We call for all people to fight against the tyranny of the Habibie-Wiranto regime and fly their flags at half-staff to express their condolences over the incident," Budi Arie Setiadi, Iluni chairman, said.

Iluni demanded that TNI and the National Police be held responsible for the unrest.

"We also strongly protest the security forces' brutal attack on the university campus in Salemba (on Saturday evening)," Budi added.

The University of Indonesia called for the authorities to find and prosecute the perpetrators of the shooting in accordance with the law.

"Our deepest condolences go to all the relatives of the victims," the university's administrators said in a release.

"We deeply regret the incident. Let's remember that violence will not solve anything. We urge all related parties to restrain themselves and not be easily provoked by anyone."

The Advocation Team of the Student Movement (Takwa) said the military committed "repressive actions" against the thousands of protesters who took to the streets of Jl. Gatot Subroto and Jl. Sudirman in Central Jakarta through "butchering, shooting and beating".

"We therefore demand that all legislators and 'reform' government of B.J. Habibie be held accountable for the shootings," Takwa said in a statement.

Takwa is a loose alliance of three groups -- the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Foundation, National Solidarity and the advocation team of Indonesia Christian University .

"The incidents of Sept. 23 to Sept. 24 illustrate that militarism is still dominant in this country. Either consciously or not, the legislators and Habibie's administration have let the Indonesian Military invade the public sphere and paralyzed the civilian movement," the group said.

Takwa demanded the complete revocation of the bill.

Students across the country protested the bill, which they charge provides the military with excessive powers, in the last three weeks before the House's scheduled approval on Thursday.

Students increased their protests, with the support of many members of the public, after it became clear that the bill would be passed by the House.

Clashes which began after the bill was passed on Thursday lasted until midnight. They resumed the next morning and continued Friday evening. The military announced on Friday night that enactment of the bill would be postponed.

Over 100 protesters required hospital treatment for their injuries, with about 40 remaining in police custody.

Apart from Yap Yun Hap, the civilians shot dead were Fadly, 20, an employee of Surveyor Research Indonesia; Zainal, also 20, a resident of Subang, West Java; Jumadi, 12, a street child; Salim, 28, a resident of Bendungan Hilir, Central Jakarta; and Denny Yulian, a 1998 graduate of Satya Wacana University in Surakarta, Central Java.

The policeman was killed after being struck by a speeding van.

Police have said the unrest was masterminded by several groups and individuals, all of whom have denied the accusations.

The Democratic People's Party (PRD) said: "PRD rejects the allegation of masterminding the protests against the state security bill. This accusation is merely the old rhetoric of the regime in looking for a scapegoat."

City Forum (Forkot) also attributed the accusation to a government effort to shift blame.

Meanwhile, students have asked for classes to be suspended on Monday, apparently to allow them to resume their protests about the bloodshed and to call for the revocation of the bill.

Joko Harpanto, dean of the University of Indonesia's School of Technology, was quoted by AP on Sunday as saying that the school would be sympathetic to the students' demands.

"We have announced three days of mourning. We will have a class, but if they want to have a gathering, that's OK," he said.

"I have to accommodate their emotions." (edt/bsr)