Makassar, Kompas – On Tuesday May 5, massive demonstrations and rallies by thousands of students from almost all schools of higher education in the South Sulawesi provincial capital of Makassar brought activities in the city to a stand still for the entire day.

Almost all major roads to and from the city were blockaded by students. It was not until late afternoon that activities returned to normal when students began to clear the blockades.

The demonstrations by thousands of students were related to the bloody incident at the Indonesian Muslim University (UMI) last Saturday [when police stormed the UMI campus and scores of students were wounded]. Similar actions were held by students in Palembang and Jakarta.

Meanwhile, Commission VI of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) plans to call in the heads of police training institutes following the attack by police on the UMI campus. Commission VI said that if felt it was necessary to get some clarification on police training curriculums and paradigms in the era of civil supremacy.

“The police attack on the campus was able to happen because police training at this time still does not teach that campuses are a part of civilized society which should not be touched by violence”, said the deputy chairperson of Commission VI, Anwar Arifin on Tuesday in Jakarta.

Separately, National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) member M. Billah said they will soon leave for Makassar to find out what actually happened on the UMI campus. He regretted the harsh actions by police which resulted in scores of UMI students being wounded.

Blockades

Yesterday in Makassar, every single road in front of schools of higher education was certain to be closed by student blockades erected in the middle of roads. Generally students blockaded roads with wood, girders or large boards and set fire to tyres. The fires resulted in plumbs of black in a number of places.

In their demands, the students called on all members of police who committed acts of violence on the UMI campus to be immediately taken to court. In addition to this, they also demanded that the Indonesian police chief, Da’i Bachtiar, be removed from his post. If this demands are not fulfilled immediately, the students threatened to again paralyze Makassar with even bigger actions.

The action did not fail to reap criticism from the public and road users. “Actually we are not disturbed by their actions, if they want to light fires, overturn [things], or whatever. But please don’t close roads arbitrarily. These roads are not the property of students or campuses. We also have rights and need to use these roads”, said Mariwn (35) who [Kompas] came across while trapped in traffic at the AP Pettarani and Landak Baru intersection near the Makassar Statue University campus (UNM).

In relation to the student demonstrations, Inspector General Jusuf Manggabarani, who was recently removed from his post as the South Sulawesi chief of police, said that police will tolerate the student demonstrations as long as they ensure that they do not create disorder. According to Manggabarani, as long a they are in accordance with laws and regulations which are in force, police will not set a time limit on the demonstrations.

“So far we can still tolerate the student demonstrations because they are in accordance with the law, [which states] demonstrations [are allowed to be held] until 5pm. So we have not set a time limit, but will watch developments on the ground. If [they] exceed this, we will take action in accordance with the stipulations which are in force”, said Manggabarani after holding a closed meeting with members of government and the South Sulawesi MPR at the parliament on Tuesday afternoon.

During the Tuesday actions, a number of roads were grid-locked including Jalan Perintis Kemerdekaan in front of the Hasanuddin University campus, the Dipanegara Computer and Information Technology Institute (STMIK) and UMI. Jalan Perintis Kemerdekaan is the main road in and out of Makassar city.

Around six kilometers from Jalan Perintis Kemerdekaan on Jalan Urip Sumoharjo in front of the UMI and 45 University campuses, roads were totally closed for at least two kilometres. Work at offices along these roads was paralyzed.

In the southern part of the city, vehicles from the Gowa, Takalar and other regencies were unable to enter Makassar. This was because for the length of Jalan Sultan Alauddin, starting in front of the campuses of the Muhammadiyah University and the Alauddin State Institute of Islamic Studies, roads were totally closed. Moreover, the road connecting to Jalan Sultan Alauddin, Jalan Andi Tonro, was also closed off by students from STIEM YPUP. Not far from Jalan Andi Tonro, STIEM Bungaya students closed off Jalan Mappaoudang.

Students also closed off the intersection of the Reformasi toll road on Jalan AP Pettarani in front of the University of Makassar campus and Jalan Rappocini in front of the East Indonesia University campus.

In Jakarta, the interim coordinating minister of politics and security, Hari Sabarno, said the attack by police on the UMI campus was excessive, disproportionate and wrong. Sabarno asked that in the future police control themselves better because it is the nation itself, which should be protected, safeguarded and served, that will be hurt. (ren/dot/inu/tri/ win/nar/lok)

[Translated by James Balowski.]