The lighter side of the ardent student protests

Student demonstrations have broken into riots in several cities over the past few months. However, the protests have had their humorous and peaceful moments as seen in these pictures.

Photo A: DPR

JP/msa

A student of the Muhammadiyah Student Association (above) holds up a poster spoofing a popular TV commercial for a spacious family van. It says, "The House of Representatives has big brother, big sister, nephew/niece, son/daughter, in-laws, etc..."

Photo B/C: Flowers

JP/bay, JP/msa

In a gesture of peace, students hand out orchids to riot police (above) on the campus of the Foreign Language Academy in Cikini, Central Jakarta. The students were involved in a demonstration with their peers from other campuses on May 6. Students of the Jakarta Teachers' Training Institute (right photo) carry a cardboard version of riot police shields which offer their own "plea" to police of "Please don't stand in front of me".

Photo D/E: Lecturer

JP/arh, JP/21

A sea of students at the University of Indonesia campus (left photo) listen to their respected lecturer and sociologist, Selo Soemardjan. Meanwhile (above photo), students in a rally at the Sumatra Utara University in Medan chat with their rector Chairuddin P. Lubis.

Photo F/G: UGM

JP/23, JP/23

Protesters (right photo) use performance art to express their demands on the median of Gajah Mada University, Yogyakarta. They claimed to represent the Students' Solidarity for People's Sovereignty. On the same campus on April 24, these pedicabs (above photo) were covered with a banner stating, "Sorry we're not taking passengers today. Attending a meeting". Organizers represented the Coalition of Indonesian Moslem Students' Movement (KAMMI).