Two thousand students clashed with anti-riot troops in the central Javanese city of Yogyakarta on May 14. The students, mobilised by SMID (Students in Solidarity with Democracy in Indonesia), were marching in protest against the killing of 26 students during demonstrations that occurred in the city of Ujung Padang on the island of Sulawesi on April 23 and 24.
The Ujung Padang demonstrations were protesting against a 70% increase in public transport costs, which were later rescinded. Three students died on the first day of the demonstrations, and 200 more thrown onto trucks, many wounded, and detained. Lecturers leaving classrooms were also attacked as the military chased students into the streets.
The following day, hundreds of students rallied, demanding the release of the detained 200. Again the demonstration was attacked. Student organisations estimate another 23 people were killed.
At the May 14 solidarity demonstrations, nine students were severely injured, some with head injuries. The clashes occurred when the military attempted to block the road leading to the local parliament.
SMID speakers at the rally called for an end of the regime's policy of dwifungsi (dual function), which grants a political role for the armed forces. SMID has also called on the National Human Rights Commission to release all information it has collected on the killings in Ujung Padang.
SMID had organised parallel demonstrations in other cities on the same day, with SMID students in Jakarta carrying out a solidarity hunger strike. Hundreds of students have been visiting the hunger strikers, who have been based in the Legal Aid Institute (LBH) in Jakarta.
Solidarity demonstrations have also occurred in the cities of Surabaya, Purwokerto, Solo, Palu and Menado.
The protest activity at LBH has also been used to launch discussions about the need for new political parties in Indonesia. Two new parties have been founded in recent weeks.
In mid-April, activists from SMID, the Indonesian Centre for Labour Struggles (PPBI) and the National Peasants Union (STN) recently held a congress to transform the People's Democratic Union into the People's Democratic Party (PRD), the only party which includes formal support for a self-determination referendum in East Timor in its program. The current president of the PRD is Budiman Sujatmiko.
A few weeks later, dissident former parliamentarian Sri Bintang Pamungkas announced the formation of the Democratic Unity Party. Sri Bintang has been an outspoke critic of the Suharto regime's repressive policies and a supporter of self-determination rights for the East Timorese.
Both Budiman Sujatmiko and Sri Bintang have participated in discussions at the LBH during the hunger strike about the need for new political parties. Both are members of the newly formed free elections group, KIPP — Independent Election Watch Committee.