Yogya students condemn Supreme Court decision

Detik.com – February 13, 2004
Students set fire to tyres during protest action (Pos Kota)
Students set fire to tyres during protest action (Pos Kota)

Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta – Demands can be put forward though a demonstration, they can also be sent by letter. That was what was done by demonstrators who were holding a demonstration at the central post office on Jalan Senapati in Yogyakarta on Friday February 13. They were protesting the Supreme Court’s decision to release [Golkar Party chief] Akbar Tanjung.

Around 500 students from a number of different groups condemning the release of Tanjung shouted slogans, unfurled posters and set fire to Golkar flags. In addition to this they also went to the post office to send a letter to the Attorney General.

In the letter, as related by action coordinator Amin Fahrudin, they stated their rejection of the Supreme Court’s decision to release Tanjung. “We urge the Attorney General to take extraordinary legal measures in presenting a review to the Supreme Court”, he said.

As well as this, according to Fahrudin, they also urged the Constitutional Court to immediately take the Supreme Court judges to court because they have defiled and violated the principles of the country’s laws as stated in the constitution.

The posters brought by the demonstrators included ones which read “The Supreme Court is powerless, it has no guts”, “Akbar is free, the people are oppressed” and “Disband the Golkar party”.

The demonstrators, who came from a number of groups including the United Indonesian Muslim Student Front (KAMMI), the Poor People’s Struggle Front (Front Perjuangan Rakyat Miskin, FPRM), the National Student League for Democracy (Liga Mahasiswa Nasional Demokrasi, LMND) and the Greater Yogyakarta Student Executive Council, began their action at around 9.30am at the University of Gajah Mada roundabout in Bulaksumur.

The demonstrators then held a long-march to the intersection in front of the central post office some four kilometers away. During the action they formed a line 150 meters long causing a traffic jam which extended from the Tugu intersection on Jalan Sudirman to Jalan Malioboro. (gtp)

[Translated by James Balowski.]