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Public chants revolution, marches for the KPK
Eleven years have passed since thousands of people roamed the country’s streets while chanting the revolution cry: “revolution, revolution, revolution to the death”, on the eve of Soeharto’s fall from power
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leven years have passed since thousands of people roamed the country’s streets while chanting the revolution cry: “revolution, revolution, revolution to the death”, on the eve of Soeharto’s fall from power.
On Monday, the song was heard once again.
Supporters of the Corruption Eradication Commission's (KPK) suspended deputies, Bibit Samad Rianto and Chandra Hamzah, marched from the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle to the Presidential Palace to voice their demands for the release of the two.
Although the number of protesters was far less than in 1998, many said the rally was just the beginning.
“If the President won’t heed to our demands, we are ready to come back again tomorrow in even larger numbers," said political observer Sukardi Rinakit, who joined the rally in the scorching heat.
University of Indonesia law professor Hikmahanto Juwana had said earlier the mounting public support had the potential to grow into another people power movement.
The protesters comprised student organizations, youth groups, NGOs, members of Cicak (Love Indonesia, Love KPK) and public figures, including former KPK deputy Erry Riyana Hardjapamekas, political analyst Eep Saefulloh Fatah, and political communication observer Effendi Ghazali. They demanded President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono take political action to release Bibit and Chandra, who have been detained since Oct. 29.
The protest also called for the establishment of an independent team to evaluate the criminal allegations against the two and to investigate the people mentioned in the wiretapped recordings at the center of suspicions that the two men may have been falsely detained.
Their other demand was for Yudhoyono to sack National Police chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri and chief of detectives Comr. Gen. Susno Duadji from their posts — as their names were reportedly mentioned in the recordings allegedly containing conversations between the police and the Attorney General’s Office plotting the fabrication of evidence to frame the KPK leaders.
An interfaith council demanded that Yudhoyono replace both the police chief and Attorney General Hendarman Supandji. Other groups including the Islamic Student Organization (HMI) and the UI alumni, staged rallies in front of the National Police headquarters to show their support for the KPK leaders.
Meanwhile, the Alliance of People Against Corruption supported the police in their handling of the investigation.
Deputy detective chief Insp. Gen. Dikdik M. Arif Mansur said the police had no problem with the protests. However, “Please understand that the police will not just bow to the people’s aspirations."
Protests supporting Bibit and Chandra also took place in Yogyakarta, Surakarta, Medan and Bogor. (adh)
