Violence in Medan exception to calm student protests
Violence in Medan exception to calm student protests
JAKARTA (JP): Student rallies protesting the dire economic
situation continued across the country yesterday, but yet more
violence in Medan, North Sumatra, was the lone blemish on the
otherwise peaceful protests.
The fracas near the North Sumatra University campus was tinged
with the odor of burning wheels as students pelted security
officers with rocks and Molotov cocktails.
Police launched tear gas canisters to disperse the students.
The students took two motorcycles belonging to police and set
them on fire.
The violence erupted as thousands of students, who had
gathered inside the campus grounds to stage a demonstration
protesting the government's handling of the economic crisis,
tried to march onto the streets.
Security officers had assembled in anticipation of the move
and blocked the students.
After a brief scuffle the demonstrators vented their
frustration by throwing rocks at the security officers.
There were no immediate reports of serious injuries.
North Sumatra's military chief of staff, Brig. Gen. Djibut
Hindartono, deplored the violence, particularly the behavior of
the students.
Medan was a stark contrast to calm protest rallies in other
cities such as Yogyakarta, Surabaya, Kudus, Surakarta,
Ujungpandang, Semarang and Surabaya.
Elsewhere
In Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi's capital, about 10,000
students from at least six universities in the city gathered at
the city council office on Jl. Urip Sumoharjo to stage a joint
free-speech forum on its grounds.
Student groups marched separately from their campuses through
city streets, carrying posters and banners with statements
critical of the government. Many even took public transportation
buses to the site.
On the city council grounds, student leaders took turns
addressing students, most of whom were clad in their respective
university jackets, with fiery antigovernment speeches.
Their demands included the lowering of prices of basic
commodities and the resignation of Minister of Education and
Culture Wiranto Arismunandar.
Students were from Hassanuddin University, Cokroaminoto
University, Muhammadiyah University, University '45, and the
economic and management institutes of STIEM-LPI and STIE-YPUP.
After about four hours, the students marched peacefully back
to their campuses. Security officials watched from a distance.
In Central Java, antigovernment protests occurred in Kudus,
Surakarta and Semarang. All proceeded without violence.
In Kudus, about 150 activists of the Indonesian Islamic
Students Association (PMII) staged a free-speech forum at the
town's square.
They shouted Allahuakbar, Allahuakbar (God is Great, God is
Great) and called for the eradication of corruption, collusion
and nepotism.
They tried to march to the nearby local council office, but
were prevented by police. They later dispersed peacefully.
In Semarang, dozens of students expressed their concern over
the people's suffering through a public song performance at the
city's Ciputra Mall.
Money generated from the performance, according to Diponegoro
University's student senate leader Tafrikhan Marzuki, will be
donated to cover tuition expenses for students whose parents have
been laid off.
In Surakarta, about 100 students from the Indonesian Moslem
Students Association (HMI) also took to the streets to protest.
They marched to the city square about one kilometer from their
office, shouting "Long live students. Long live the people" and
"Lower prices".
In East Java's capital of Surabaya, another peaceful student
rally was also reported.
About 500 students gathered near the entrance gate of the
Sunan Ampel Islamic Institute campus, calling for the speaker of
the People's Consultative Assembly, Harmoko, to convene an
extraordinary session to ask for President Soeharto's
accountability in bringing the country into the crisis.
In Yogyakarta, thousands of students from at least 25 nearby
universities staged a joint free-speech forum at the campus of
IKIP Karangmalang.
The university's deputy rector in charge of student affairs,
Shodiq A. Kuntoro, attended the protest, lending his support to
the on-campus protest.
The demonstration also proceeded without violence.
(21/23/44/30/nur/har/aan)