URGENT APPEAL TO ALL DEMOCRACY FIGHTERS, HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS
AND SUPPORTERS
Dear Friends and ASA members,
The Asian Students Association is hereby furnishing you with some
updates regarding the conditions in Indonesia now. Our members in
Indonesia -
SMID or Students for Solidarity and Democracy in Indonesia - are
appealing
for your support and solidarity for the brutal attacks on the
demcratic
movement of workers, students and youth in Indonesia. May we suggest
that:
1. you may organize solidarity days of action on between May 20 or 28?
2. you may send protest letters directly to the emabassies and
consulates of Indonesia in your respective countries
3. you may send solidarity messages to the struggling peoples of
Indonesia against the fascist regime of General Suharto
Please inform us of whatever you may be able to contribute to support
the resistance in Indonesia. Let not the deaths of the young martyrs
of
their struggle be wasted by our inaction!
ASIAN STUDENTS ASSOCIATION
*******************************
Indonesia is like time bomb, sooner or later it will exploded. The
challenge
is how can the progressive movement take the leadership. I'll keep you
now the update about the recent turmoil in Indonesia. On May 20 we are
planning for nation wide student protest, in Jakarta around 40 campus
will join
together for the national protest followed by the students around the
region. In the same time, comrades are spending a lot of energy to
organise the massive strike. Meanwhile, the bourgeise opposition and
liberaldemocrat also try to play their own scenario build ties with US
imperalism and
reactionary group in order to seize the power.
Of course international solidarity is very important for our struggle.
I stil think what the best idea for this coming upheaval, so far we
have
an idea for international solidarity for Indonesia. How if 28-30 May
become a Solidarity weekend for Indonesia. I think it will be good if
ASA can
call for that to the entire member of ASA.
Andi Arief is fine now, he is in police custody. It's very bizarre, in
the beginning the Armed Forces Speakers strongly denied his
disapperarances. But suddenly on April 17, he was handed over by his
kidnapper to Jakarta
Distric Police Headquarters. Only his father and his lawyer are be
able to
meet him.
Comradely
Hendri
This is the english version of Kompas article May 9, 1998 about the
recent turmoil. Kompas is the borgoise media, belong to Catholic
groups.
More Victims Are Falling
Students of various Indonesian universities have started a
continuous wave of concern, Thursday (7/5), which broke out in fights
with
security forces and caused casualties on both sides. The total of
student victims,
however, have grown than in previous days as a result of rubber pellet
hits,
stone throwing and clubbings. The worst riots broke out at the General
Soedirmann
University (Unsoed) in Purwokerto, Jayabaya and Gunadharma
Universities in Jakarta and
Muhammadiyah University Surakarta.
At Unsoed Purwokerto, 65 students were injured, of whom 28 among
them had to be hospitalized according to the Assistent Rector of the
university. Those hospitalized were clubbed in the head and hit by
rubber pellets. Eight students entered hospital with broken limbs,
arms and another one, ended with a fractured hip. The guard post of
students recorded nine students missing.
The riots exploded when students tried to walk peacefully to the
Regional Parliament House and tried to break through the lines of
riot police. Waving clubs, security officers went after students who
fought back. Aside from clubs, security officers also resorted to tear
gas
in their efforts to disperse the crowd. The rector of Unsoed,
Professor Rubijanto Misman, voiced regrets over the incident.
In Solo, fights between students and security forces broke out in a
rain of stones and molotov bombs which resulted in many injured on
both sides. Eleven students were wounded, two among them had to
enter Yarsis Hospital (RS), while on the side of security forces 43
were
injured and two hospitalized.
The fight broke out when about 1.000 students moved away from their
campus. They thronged into the direction of the riot police who
forced the students back. It was then that the stone storm and molotov
bombs began to explode. One of the molotov bombs held by a student,
Ferry, suddenly went off before he could throw it away and caused
burns
over his body. Ferry had to enter RS Yarsis.
Officers resorted to tear gas spraying to disperse the masses. In
the melee 13 students succumbed because of breathlessnes and 40 others
ended with teary eyes. The demonstrators forced their way to jalan
raya Achmad Yani and sat down on the roadsides. Around 13.10 the
students went home.
In Riau, riots caused injuries to 10 students, one was taken to
hospital, on the opposite side one officer was injured. Car windows
were smashed in. Aside from that six students were arrested, but,
were freed when 8.000 students on the road demanded their freedom.
The action appeared the largest, and the longest in the students of
Riau history in the last 10 years. When they started to move to the
Governor's office, security officers immediately blocked their way.
Two blocked road locations were busted by students, but, some 20
meters from the Governor's office in Riau, they were held back by
hundreds of officers. Pushing and shoving began which forced
officers to release three police dogs who sent the students fleeing in
all
directions. Riot police used tear gas and went after students with
ratan sticks.
In Jakarta Student riots also happened at the Technical Faculty of
Jayabaya
University, Cimanggis, which injured at least 21 students who were
hospitalized in RS Tugu Ibu, Cimanggis. Two among them were hit in
the neck and in the right arm, while others were injured by ratan
sticks
and suffered from inflamed eyes.
After this incident, students managed to find 27 slugs and
fragments of tear gas containers. Two rubber pellets were also
distracted
from a victim. In an effort to restore calm in the situation, the dean
of
the Technical Faculty, Ir. Suyarto, announced the closure of the
university until Friday.
A similar incident happened at the Gunadarma University, Kelapa
Dua, when a combined student group from several universities in Depok
held a free forum on the Kelapa Dua Road. Unrest broke out when
Jayabaya
students liked to walk to the Gunadarma campus about four
kilometers away and were obstructed by security forces. The incident
in which,
at least 52 students were injured was reported to YLBHI.
Students of Sahid University repeated a show of concern. The action
started with Sahid students parading while carrying posters from
Pancoran, located some 500 meters south of their campus. Riot
police accompanied the parade into the campus. Inside, others were
waiting
to start a free forum.
Meanwhile, hundreds of AMI, ASMI and STIE students who at first
kept demonstrations inside campus, finally took to the main road,
jalan
raya Perintis Kemerdekaan, right in front of the university
grounds.
The action lasted 1,5 hours and was instrumental to closure of the
highway from Pulogadung to Cempaka Putih. Students occupied four
lanes of two roads on the northern side. The police tried to hold them
back from the north which ended in clashes.
Seven Missing In Yogya
After the riots in Yogyakarta that lasted through Tuesday and
Wednesday yesterday,
the chief of regional police Yogyakarta (DIY), Col. Drs. Bani Siswono,
issued a new
regulation that would restrict student demonstrations in the region
until 14.00 After
that time, actions will be dispersed by officers without warning, by
means of water
sprayings, shooting rubber pellets, and if necessary with bullets.
The police chief stressed this to the Advocacy Team of the Sanata
Darma University
(USD) Senate Yogyakarta who came to the Police Office to ask for
informations
about a number of persons who disappeared during the incident that
lasted from Tuesday
until Wednesday at dawn. The Advocacy Team was led by the Rector of
USD, Dr. Sastraprateja.
Until yesterday, seven persons, whose identities are known, could
not be accounted for after sweepings by security forces at IKIP
Yogyakarta campus and environment between 23.30 till 02.00. The
missing
persons are, Anggoro (UII), Roro Tarigan (Fisipol UGM), Andi Prasetyo
(resident of Wirobrajan), M Operasi (ISI), Muhammad Makruf
(Filsafat UGM), Syahirul (resident of Mrican).
At the Udayana University (Unud) Denpasar, thousands of students
from several universities in Bali, were joined by the population. The
action was highlighted by the presence of paranormal, Permadi,
and a member of faction KP in Denpasar's Parliament, Kusuma Wardana.
Students arrived in waves since the morning on foot from their
campuses. Riot Police watched the activities from a distance of
about 400 meters.
In Ujungpandang, students of several universities were still
active. Around the same time thousands of students riding on
motorbikes and
driving in open vans, rode in convoy to Karebosi Square, but were
turned away by security forces. Finally, they dispersed in various
directions and rode in convoy around the city.
Three students of the Christian University (UKI) Paulus in
Ujungpandang got shot in the action. They were, Elias Pareang (23),
a student of the Technical Faculty, Iwan (21) and Patra Patanduk
(23), both of the Faculty of Economy. Elias is still a patient of the
Emergency Ward of the Akademis Ujungpandang Hospital and will have
to undergo an operation, the two others have returned home. The
incident happened when riot police tried to disperse student actions
that
were still going on at 18.00.
In Banda Aceh, thousands of students walked from campus to District
Parliament House, but were split in their effort by security
forces. Riot police stood guard on several road joints to prevent them
from
entering Parliament and the city. But, a number of students broke
free and riding on motorbikes and in buses managed to arrive at Banda
Aceh's Parliament House. They were closely guarded on arrival.
Intervention
In Jember, actions of concern by students around the campus of
Tegalboto
University Jember (Unej), were intervened by an unidentified group of
persons.
They arrived in four pick-ups and started to rob right away while they
wielded knifes
and threatened demonstrating students. In the incident four students
were injured, a
student was hit by a motorbike, another was clubbed and a third one
was knifed.
In Palembang, about 200 students refused to used the buses made
available by police and preferred to walk to the office of the
Governor and the House of Parliament. While actions were going on,
shops along Jalan Sudirman stayed closed. In the yard of the
Governor's office, the group of students grew to about 1500 and
they managed to hold discussions with the Governor of South Sumatra,
Ramli Hasan Basri.
Uncovered
Tempers rose considerably at IKIP Jakarta campus when during
actions students caught someone in the intelligence service, TR (26),
who
was monitoring the activities of the students around 12.30. In his bag
they found two IKIP student cards, one was written out in his name
and an empty one, one pistol, a recorder and notes about his work.
After investigations in the rector's room, TR was delivered to
the Military Police by students. Before he was led away, TR had to
testify before numerous students who were holding a free forum.
The Regional Chief of Metro Jaya Police, Major General Hamami Nata,
told reporters at headoffice that he will put his job on the block
for the sake of the capital's security. "I don't want Jakarta to end
up
like Medan. I will put my job and all responsibility that goes with
it on the block for the sake of the capital's security," he said. At
the same opportunity, Hamami regretted the attitude of the National
Commission of Human Rights who, in his opinion, only accepted input
from students.