The students' spirit

The authorities appear to stop at nothing in trying to break the spirit of university students who are calling for a speedier reform process. They have used bullets, deployed tanks, set up roadblocks, even launched a negative campaign to discredit the students as well as made intimidating threats. However, it appears that neither violence, intimidation nor persuasion can stop the students.

The use of force, like the shooting of students during the Nov. 13 Black Friday tragedy and the deployment of counterprotests, has clearly failed, and proved to be a very dangerous course to follow. Lives were tragically lost and, if anything, the tragedy made students even more resolute in their actions.

The power of persuasion, both of the subtle and intimidating kinds, have not fared any better. The government has gone over the students' heads by appealing to university rectors, prominent public figures and religious leaders, and even their moms and scavengers to prevail over the students. The fact that most of them refused to cooperate indicates the massive support the students have. The few that did try knew that their efforts were fruitless.

The roadblocks set up to stop students from reaching the House of Representatives (DPR) building have simply forced the students to march to other sites, including the Jl. Thamrin thoroughfare, the presidential palace, the residence of former president Soeharto and even the zoo. The government has used the daily massive traffic congestion created by the protests as part of its campaign to discredit the student movement.

The tug-of-war between the government and the students is looking more and more like a test of will and perseverance. Witnessing the various methods the government has used, one hates to think what other tricks it will come up with next, especially if it becomes desperate.

One would expect the government to have learned its lesson that nothing will break the students' spirit, certainly not when it comes to the question of reform that this country badly needs.

The government could claim that many of the students' demands have been incorporated into the national agenda by the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR). If students have continued their protests, this is because they deeply mistrust the MPR and the government of President B.J. Habibie, who are all products of that bygone repressive era called the New Order. They have every right to be distrustful because Habibie and the Golkar-dominated MPR and DPR are the ones who are calling the shots, determining the national agenda and the outcome of the new political laws.

In the absence of any real opposition force in the current formal political system, the only effective checks and balances on the government and Golkar have come from the students. The future of this nation, which will be more the future of the students than anybody else's, is too precious to be left entirely in the hands of the 1,000 MPR members who were mostly selected by Soeharto. Disruptive as the student protests may be, they provide the only checks and balances needed to ensure democracy.

These last few months have shown that many of the concessions for reform only come after massive student protests. A case in point is President Habibie's decree last week ordering the Attorney General's Office to investigate whether Soeharto was involved in corruption, collusion and nepotism during his 32-year rule. If all the reform initiatives and the pressure have to come from the streets, then this speaks volumes about the relevance of the voices from Jl. Thamrin, as Habibie referred to the students' actions, and the irrelevance of the MPR and DPR.

The bottom line is that this administration, given its weak legitimacy and popularity and the deep public mistrust, must contend with endless student demonstrations until it holds a general election next year. Rather than confronting them head-on, the government would be well-advised to be more accommodative.

Reopening the DPR gates to these students would ease the pressure on everyone, the students, the government, motorists and the security forces. Police and soldiers assigned to contain the students, for example, could be redeployed elsewhere to deal with the riots that are happening far too often. The students, after all, have as much right, if not more, to be there than the 500 DPR members who are now discussing the nation's agenda.

Sticks and stones won't break the students' bones. Guns and threats won't do the job either. They have certainly not broken their spirit, for theirs is the only genuine spirit of reform.