Yogya sultan urges dialog

Yogya sultan urges dialog

YOGYAKARTA: Sultan Hamengkubuwono X suggested yesterday that
officials open their door to students wishing to discuss various
issues of public concern.

The sultan said he believed this would minimize student
demonstrations against policies they considered detrimental to
the public interest.

"Past experiences show demonstrations recede after officials
that have been criticized by students have talked the problem
over," Hamengkubuwono told Antara.

Students of various universities in Yogyakarta, known as one
of Indonesia's centers of education, have demonstrated their
disgust with several government policies.

Last week, students of the Indonesian Islamic University
demonstrated their anger at Supreme Advisory Council chief Sudomo
for alleging Moslem fundamentalists were behind the
religiously and ethnically motivated Dec. 26 riots in
Tasikmalaya, West Java. (pan)