Yogyakarta's new students get 'lessons' in politics

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."