Four die in clash between protesters and security September 24, 1999 - 14:55
JAKARTA (JP): At least three civilians and one police officer died and over 100 others were wounded in a massive student protest here over the past two days, hospital sources and police said on Friday.
A staff member at Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital said one of the victims was shot in the forehead on Friday morning by security personnel, while it is likely that the other two, sent there by another hospital, were beaten to death during the protest, which turned violent on Thursday afternoon and resumed on Friday.
City police spokesman Lt. Col. Zainuri Lubis said a member of the police Mobile Brigade, Pvt. I Ketut Arman, was killed in a hit-and-run accident during the protest late Thursday. Police said they had detained 42 people involved in clashes.
Meanwhile, the situation around Atma Jaya University in Central Jakarta remained tense on Friday afternoon. Some of the protesting students continued to gather at the university. The area has been sealed off by the police.
Civilians and nearby residents joined the student rally on Thursday evening, pelting stones and other debris at the security personnel. They burned at least one car on Friday morning. Police and troops fired shots and tear gas at the crowd.
Many shops, offices and banks closed early in anticipation of further violence, and automatic teller machines discontinued services. Jakarta saw less cars on the streets as people chose to stay off the road.
The protest started on Thursday after the House of Representatives approved the controversial state security bill, which is feared to give sweeping powers to the military. (04/ylt/ind/03/asa) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Friday, 24 September 1999
House Members' Ignorance Leads to Bloody Clash in Jakarta Streets http://www.kompas.com/kompas-cetak/9909/24/ENGLISH/hous.htm
Jakarta, Kompas Online
Only seconds after the outgoing House Representatives of the New Order knocked its hammer to endorse the draft law of state of emergency, thousands of students, political party activists and members of non-governmental and professional organizations took to the streets Thursday to protest the law.
Clashes between demonstrators and security forces injured tens of people. Some of them had to be treated in emergency rooms. There is no exact figure of victims since incidents occured at several different places.
Until 23.00 P.M., students still gathered inside campus of Atmajaya University in Jakarta's downtown as security forces fired tear gas into the campus compound.
The students hit back by throwing molotov cocktails. The Jl. Sudirman thoroughfare was closed as crowds watched the event from nearby Bank Danamon building area. Some people felled traffic lights and fences.
At 23.30 P.M., several students went out of the university compound and threw molotov cocktails. One of the anti-riot troops was fired on his back. Only a few minutes later, the troops stormed toward the students, firing shots and beating them up.
The anti-riot troops tried to break through the main gate of the campus. But rock-throwing students withheld them. The troops fired for a few minutes amid thick smoke and tear gas.
At midnight, security forces forcefully dispersed people who watched the incident from near Bank Danamon. That was reminiscent of the Semanggi tragedy in November last year that occurred at the same place. At least 11 students or demonstrators were killed in the incident.
Security forces had been mobilized since in the morning, not only at roads leading to the House of Representatives (DPR) building but also on places near university campuses.
A group of activists who gathered near a housing area at Pejompongon were dispersed forcefully by security forces. But they later could not be stopped from taking part in the protest against the newly passed state of emergency law.
The crowds that had been pushed back and dispersed gathered again near the Semanggi fly-over in Jakarta's downtown. The number of people taking part increased, snarling the toll road next the fly-over. The protesters marched in high tone of enthusiasm.
They chanted and yelled anti-military slogans. They also carried posters scolding the military.
The group of Student Action Front for Reforms and Democracy led the march from the direction of semanggi carrying a coffin attached with a banner that read "Our Condolence for the Death of Human Rights" and another poster that read "Habibie-Wiranto Crimes Against Humanity."
They were followed by supporters of the independent All-Indonesia Labor Union, Pancasila Student Movement and Pancasila Student for Reforms, Muhammadiyah students and activists of the Association of Independent Journalists and other non-governmental organizations.
Earlier in the morning, a small group of supporters of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle held a demonstration near the housing complex of DPR in Kalibata, south Jakarta, in an attempt to stop House members from going to DPR building.
But House members had been provided with rooms at Hotel Mulia near the DPR building. A number of top officials of the National Mandate Party including Faisal Basri and Bara Hasibuan joined the demonstrators.
Basri said the reasoning given by DPR members that the state of emergency law is lighter than the government 1959 regulation on similar subject does not make sense. He said DPR simply has to abolish the law.
He said the next move would be to ask political parties with big votes in this year's elections to quickly abolish the state of emergency law.
While students and protesters were marching from Semanggi direction to DPR building, another 700 students and people were ready to try to break through the security forces' barricades near the intersection between JL Palmerah Barat street and Slipi.
The demonstration grew tense after rocks were thrown to security forces. They started to fire tear gas as soon as demonstrators threw molotov cocktails.
The demonstrators were dispersed but they were trying to fight back by throwing rocks. The security forces moved on and chased away the demonstrators. More than 10 people were wounded in that incident including two heavy injuries. Several students were hauled to a minivan and were driven away.
When the situation calmed as students and masses dispersed, 23 students were found by the security forces to be hiding in an empty house near BII bank building on JL Palmerah Utara street. They were hauled onto a police truck. The students were from Universitas Nasional and Universitas Widuri. Enggar, a female student, cried hysterically in shock when security forces stormed into the house.(*)
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