Yogyakarta's new students get 'lessons' in politics

By Tedy Novan

YOGYAKARTA (JP): This decade has ushered in a hotbed of political activism among Yogyakarta university students.

Political themes have found their way into orientation programs, which were originally aimed at preparing new students for the mental stress of academic life. But ones in several Yogyakarta universities have become arenas for political exercises in the past seven years.

It was evident this August at the Islamic University of Indonesia (UII), where the orientation was not much different from a demonstration. Students voiced their dissatisfaction with injustice in society.

"The government has been unfair because its development programs have only benefited certain groups," new student Muhammad Rizki cried out before 3,100 of his peers. The students took turns at the podium, just like a typical student demonstration.

Posters screamed for justice: "Eradicate corruption and collusion", "Do not step on the people", "Take legal action against corruptors", "Do not evict your own people from their homes" and "Eradicate monopolies".

Several students read protest poems by W.S. Rendra, Wiji Tukul and A. Mustofa Bisri.

The major difference from actual demonstrations was that the new students, as is customary for the orientations, had name tags around their necks.

They were not only instructed on how to carry out demonstrations but also informed on social and political problems, and invited to discuss religious, academic and cultural affairs.

"We want new students to be aware of, and critical of, social problems," said Ahmad Afifi, chairman of UII's student council, which is responsible for the orientation program.

Widihasto Putra, a student activist at Atmajaya University in Yogyakarta, said his school had similar orientation programs.

"New students need to nurture and have this moral (political) commitment," he said.

"If they choose to be articulate in their own ways, in having a sidewalk parliament, for example, it is their choice."

He also said the programs were not only aimed at identifying prospective student activists, but also for nurturing advocates of society.

Orientation programs have also been adopted by the Muhammadiyah University, Janabadra University, Gadjah Mada University and Sunan Kalijaga Institute of Islam (IAIN).

In 1995, new students at Gadjah Mada got a crash course in demonstrations. They were told to surround the campus and hold up placards bearing messages critical of the government.

It is no surprise that campus administrations are wary of the orientations as fronts for politicization.

The rector of IAIN forbade the college's student council from holding an orientation this year because he suspected that several of its officers had been involved in a campaign to boycott the general election in May.

"The rector was worried that any orientation program would become a medium for fomenting politics among new students," said the chairman of IAIN's student council, Abdur Rojaki.

The institute is considered one of the unruliest campuses in Yogyakarta and is often the site of demonstrations which escalate into clashes with security officers.

On the Janabadra University campus, the chairman of the United Development Party's (PPP) Solo branch, Mudrick Sangidu, did not attend the orientation program because its rector refused to give permission. The program, which ended on Sept. 20, was used to promote political awareness among new students and to train them in demonstrations.

Despite Sangidu's absence, students were fired up by the presence of the widow of local journalist Fuad Muhammad Syafruddin. The investigative reporter, better known as Udin, was murdered last year after he wrote several exposes on corruption.

"Udin was a sacrifice to greed. I want new students, along with us, to fight this greed together," Marsiyem said to a greeting of yells and screams.

The administration's resentment of the politicization of campus orientation activities is exemplified by the stance taken by IKIP Yogyakarta's rector, Professor Djohar M.S., who said: "Students belong to academic society, not the political society. The orientation program is a means for new students to understand campus life, not politics."

He said orientation programs should not be used for practicing nonacademic activities, particularly those that were political. Students are free to speak of poverty, social and economic gaps and injustice, he said, but they should discuss them in the academic context.

"They (students) should remember that the campus environment is not a political arena," he said.

But a sociologist from Gadjah Mada University, Heru Nugroho, views the politicization of orientation programs as positive. "This phenomenon reflects the awareness of students about real problems in the society."

He added that campus administrators should not be overly worried because the student movements were reflections of the improvement of the public's awareness of political affairs.

"However, just holding protests is stupid," he said. "Students should be able to have the political consciousness ingrained within them, and enforce it as an education and through educational means."