Neli Agustina, Medan – Hundreds of students from the Anti-Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Student Alliance held an action rejecting pornographic content at the University of North Sumatra (USU) in Medan on the afternoon of March 29.

The action was accompanied with a joint afternoon prayer. The protesters demanded that USU Rector Professor Runtung Sitepu take a firm stand against rogue students who make and disseminate content that contains elements of pornography or LGBT, which is not in accordance with [religious] morals.

“We’re ready to bring about a student order that is moral and ethical. We’re ready to go into society to bring about a better social order”, screamed one of the students through a megaphone.

The peaceful protest action was held following the publication of a short story titled When Everyone Refuses My Presence Near Her (Ketika Semua Menolak Kehadiran Diriku di Dekatnya) written by Suara USU (Voice of USU) chief editor Yael Stefani Sinaga which was seen [by some] as vulgar and promoting LGBT.

“We demand that the rectorate guide our sisters and brothers (Yael Stefani Sinaga and friends) and resolve the problem properly”, said the protesters.

Meanwhile the head of the Anti-LGBT Student Alliance, Surya Darma, said that they strongly reject LGBT ideas and demanded that the USU rector as the highest authority at the university safeguard the morals and ethics of all USU activities.

“We think that that it is important to articulate this as an effort to improve [campus] ethics and morals”, Darma told journalists at the USU campus.

Darma explained that the protest action was not just focusing on the short story but that they were conveying many different things to the rector because following LGBT ideas will do great damage to social morals.

“Many studies say that it is indeed better if such ideas don’t develop. Moreover Indonesia has an eastern culture and the development of these ideas in Indonesia is inappropriate”, said Darma.

He added that they would continue to challenge any kind of content which does not hold ethics and morality in the highest esteem. In order for this to happen, the USU rector must make firm and appropriate policy decisions.

“But [with regard to] people who have already been affected by the impact of these ideas. We don’t want to shy away from them but advocate and improve their morals. [After all] we’re part of the USU student alliance against LGBT?”, he said accusingly.

The groups protest was welcomed by USU Rector Runtung Sitepu and all of the student’s demands and wishes were accepted by the USU rectorate and officials. (Inc-04)

[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was “Buntut Cerpen di Suara USU, Mahasiswa Demo Tolak LGBT”.]

Source: https://intainews.com/uncategorized/27486/buntut-cerpen-di-suara-usu-mahasiswa-demo-tolak-lgbt/