Sympathy for detained students

Sympathy for detained students

PURWOKERTO, Central Java: Messages of sympathy are streaming
in to four students arrested on charges of distributing leaflets
encouraging people to boycott the May 29 general election.

Five student organizations in the town issued a statement
which regretted the arrest of the four students, Ecep Sumardi
Yasa, Chalid Mawardi, Oru Wulandari and Abu Hassan.

In the joint statement, the student activists said that not to
participate in a general election is every citizen's basic right
and therefore people could not be prosecuted for not exercising
their rights.

They also urged the police to free the four students because
arresting people on the wrong legal basis would only be
detrimental to political stability.

They described as "normal" the heightening political climate
in the run-up to the general election, saying the authorities
should not look for scapegoats for rising unrest. (wah)