Three injured in students clash

MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi: A clash broke out among students at Hasanuddin University in Makassar on Wednesday at noon, following a predawn attack on the university's School of Social and Political Sciences building.

In the predawn attack at 2 a.m., several offices were set on fire and windows were smashed. A sociology student, Ashari, reportedly suffered a head injury from an arrow and two others -- a police officer and a university employee -- were also injured.

Police immediately secured the area and confiscated dozens of arrows as well as two motorcycles and several empty bottles.

According to the head of the school's student consultative council, Syahrul, the predawn attack was conducted by a group of around 50 to 70 people carrying sharp weapons, arrows and Molotov cocktails. Students inside the secretariat building immediately fought back but were outnumbered by the attackers.

The incident triggered the clash at noon, with students from the school's two different departments attacking each other by throwing rocks.

Ambo Ala, a university official, said the university had asked the police to investigate the incident while the campus has assigned a team to find those involved in the attacks. "Whoever did this, whether it's students or outsiders, we have to find it out. If any students were involved in this, we'll impose sanctions," Ambo said. -- JP