Indonesia in revolt
By James Balowski
Just six months ago, publicly burning a photograph of the Indonesian dictator Suharto would have meant tempting arrest and a lengthy jail sentence. But over the last week, such scenes have occurred almost daily as student demonstrators — their ranks now bolstered by workers and people angered by steep price increases — call for Suharto's resignation and thorough political reform.
Student demonstrations escalated after Suharto's announcement that there would be no political reform for at least five years.
On May 1, Suharto met urgently with representatives of the three state-sanctioned political parties. The minister of home affairs, Hartono, quoted Suharto as saying: "If there is any intention for political reform, it should be prepared for the year 2003, after the present government finishes its term".
Repeating earlier threats, Suharto said, "Any attempts to disrupt the interests of national development and stability should be countered".
Students responded with even more widespread protests. According to a May 3 report by Reuters, the next day — Indonesia's National Education Day — demonstrations were held on campuses across the country, students chanting "Reforms now, not 2003".
Demands popularised by the outlawed People's Democratic Party (PRD), such as the abolition of repressive political laws and the political role of the military, are also being taken up at the demonstrations.
Rama Pratama, head of the students council at the University of Indonesia (UI) in Jakarta, told Reuters, "Basically the student protests will not stop until the government implements concrete reform". Yaury Gautama Putra, of the students council of Gajah Mada University in Yogyakarta, said, "Reform means Suharto has to step down".
Scores of students were wounded at campuses in Jakarta when security forces used tear gas and rubber bullets to stop demonstrators from taking their protests into the streets.
On May 2, a Tempo Interactive report said that around 7000 students from several universities had a joint demonstration at the UI Salemba campus in central Jakarta. As well as students and academics, workers wearing red armbands addressed the rally.
Abdul Kadir told the May 3 Straits Times that he and 300 factory workers from Tanggerang in east Jakarta joined the Salemba demonstration at the invitation of student leaders. "More and more of us will be joining the students' cause", he said.
Clashes with the security forces at Salemba broke out when students tried to rally to a nearby campus where three students had been wounded by rubber bullets. By early afternoon, thousands of students from the Indonesian Christian University and members of the public had gathered in front of the campus.
Tempo said that traffic in the area was gridlocked, and public transport passengers joined the demonstration, which lasted six hours. Police were forced to cordon off roads up to two kilometres away.
Clashes also broke out at Teachers' University in east Jakarta, where 33 students and 28 police officers were reported injured. Forty-nine police and 30 students were injured at the National Institute of Technology in Malang, East Java. Protests also occurred in Yogyakarta, Solo, Surabaya and Bandung.
In Medan, North Sumatra — scene of some of the most militant protests — students from the Nommansen University in the city centre blockaded the road in front of the campus with burning tyres and attacked a showroom displaying a car produced by a firm controlled by Suharto's son.
Price increases
After a short lull, a fresh outbreak of student demonstrations and rioting erupted in response to price increases announced by the government on May 4. The rises are required under the IMF US$43 billion bailout package.
From May 6, the price of petrol jumped by 71% and kerosene — used for cooking by the majority of Indonesians — by 25%. Electricity prices are to be increased by 60% in three stages. Public transport fares were increased by an average of 66%.
The Jakarta Post reported that on the day of the announcement, security forces used tear gas and rubber bullets to force students from the Medan Teachers' Training Institute back to their campus. Five students were arrested and at least 20 security officers and 59 others injured.
In Palu, Central Sulawesi, 1000 students from the Tadulako University organised a motorcade of 80 minibuses, five trucks and dozens of motorcycles that was able to get 300 metres from the campus before they were driven back. Thirty students and four police were injured.
In Bandung, West Java, two were hospitalised and 16 injured at the Pasundan University when students tried to march to the Bandung Institute of Technology.
In Yogyakarta, 200 students from Cokroaminoto University clashed with security forces; eight were injured. In two separate incidents in Malang, 11 students and 45 police were hurt at the Merdeka University and the National Institute of Technology. Four students were arrested.
Thousands of demonstrators gathered at the Nusantara Muslim Institute and other universities in Surabaya. Witnesses said the students there were joined by workers and jobless labourers.
Medan
Demonstrations and rioting by up to 5000 in Medan — shortly after the price rises were announced — continued for three days and were brought under control only after five companies of the army's strategic command from Jakarta were deployed in the city.
Angry mobs attacked the homes, shops and warehouses of ethnic Chinese, whose control of business and visible wealth makes them frequent targets. At least 100 homes and 100 shops were destroyed, as well as scores of cars and motorcycles. Looters also broke into car and motorcycle showrooms, dragging vehicles out and burning them on the street.
According to Reuters, by May 8 the authorities had arrested 148 people, and troops were patrolling the streets with orders to shoot rioters on sight.
On the same day, witnesses told Agence France Presse (AFP) that they saw two boys on a motorcycle shot by a plainclothed man with a pistol as he chased them down an alley.
According to Reuters, at least six people have now been killed, either trapped in burning buildings or shot by security forces, which are now using live ammo.
The Jakarta Post said that on May 6, rioting and looting had spread to nearby towns in North Sumatra. In Padang, West Sumatra, thousand looted shops and attacked banks and government buildings.
Linking up
Student protests also continued, an increasing number linking up with workers and the general population.
In Jakarta students joined minibus drivers at a demonstration in front of parliament.
After being forced back to their campuses by troops, 20,000 students from three universities in Surabaya made their way separately to the East Java legislative building, where they were joined by members of the public in a mass protest over prices.
In Yogyakarta, thousands of residents joined students occupying a five-kilometre stretch of main road. The occupation was maintained until the next morning, when it was broken up by troops with tear gas and batons. Witnesses said only about 40% were students.
On May 8 in Solo, Central Java, 5000 university and high school students were joined by labourers in a running battle with security forces that left at least 130 people injured.
The news service Deutsche Presse-Agentur said that on the same day in Jakarta, around 500 students staged a rally at the Teachers Training Institute. They burnt an effigy of Suharto and staged a mock trial in which an "extraordinary people's court" accused Suharto of mass murder and corruption.
Students charged Suharto with killing as many as 1.5 million people when he seized power in 1965, invading East Timor in 1975, the "petrus" killings of "petty-criminals" in 1983 and the shooting of protesters in Tanjung Priok in 1984. The students pronounced Suharto guilty and sentenced him to death.
Growing support
On May 3, alumni from 48 leading universities and institutions threw their weight behind the students. According to the May 5 Jakarta Post, the group believed that students had the backing of the public, and they urged people join with students "to force the government to initiate total reform and eliminate the causes of the crisis".
In the face of such unprecedented defiance, government ministers scrabbled to "clarify" what Suharto had really meant. A May 3 report by Reuters quoted ministers as saying that Suharto's statement that there would be no reform for five years meant political reform could start immediately.
They said the country could also expect electoral reforms before the next elections, which would include representatives being elected directly and an end to the appointment of military personnel to parliament.
The IMF, however, has continued to justify the austerity measures and urged the government to continue to implement the "reform" package.
AFP said on May 7 that the Association of Indonesian Muslim Intellectuals — traditionally pro-Suharto — has called for a special session of the People's Consultative Assembly (which reappointed Suharto in March) to initiate sweeping reforms.
Church leaders, who represent as many as 15 million Protestants, have pledged support for student protesters. On May 8, Joseph Marcus Pattiasina, general secretary of the Indonesian Communion of Churches, issued a statement which said the churches support "the reform movement that is being voiced by students and other groups in the society, and encourage all members of society to actively support this movement".
Even the military are saying they support "gradual change". The May 8 Sydney Morning Herald reported that at a media conference in Jakarta, armed forces chief General Wiranto announced the formation of a team of serving and retired military officers to study fundamental reforms.
Wiranto asserted that "... various parties such as the armed forces, students, scholars and political organisations have essentially agreed on reforms", but stopped short of saying what the military would do if the protests continued.