Student group keeps on protesting attack

While an official investigation takes place following a riot involving civilians and police officers in Makassar, South Sulawesi, the Association of Islamic Students (HMI) pledged Saturday it would continue rallies all over the country to protest the incident.

HMI secretary-general Ahmad Nasir Siregar said the organization had considered the Makassar attack as a serious insult to the organization’s honor.

“Almost all HMI branches reported they were all ready to set up a massive rally to protest the attack,” Ahmad said Saturday.

Saturday also saw solidarity rallies of HMI members in several cities, like Surabaya, Makassar, Yogyakarta, and Medan, requesting the removal of South Sulawesi Police Chief Insp. Gen. Adang Rochjana following the Makassar attack.

The rallies, which occurred in several regions since Thursday, continued although the Makassar Police detained four officers who were allegedly responsible in the attack and mediation between the student association, the local police and the administration took place in Makassar.

The mediation has resulted in the establishment of a fact-finding team — consisting of police officers, HMI members, representatives from HMI alumnae organization, and administration officials — to probe the case.

National Police Chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri had also stated that he would resolve the case and would apologize to HMI for the incident if the alleged officials were found guilty for the attack.   

The chairman of the association’s Makassar branch, Amal Sakti, said the rallies would be carried out
until the National Police chief, the South Sulawesi police chief and Makassar Police Chief Sr. Comr. Gatta Khaeruddin were replaced from their positions.

“Instead of protecting the residents, they failed to control their officers so that the attack happened.”
Amal claimed all of the rallies would be peaceful.

The Makassar riot took place Wednesday, when hundreds of HMI members from several campuses clashed with police during a rally held in the wake of the House of Representatives’ plenary session on Bank Century bailout case in Jakarta.

The clashes left at least a police officer injured. In retaliation, several members of the National Police’s 88 Special Detachment and a group of residents ambushed the secretariat’s office of HMI in Makassar.

A similar incident happened in one of the solidarity rallies in Cikini, Central Jakarta, on Friday, after dozens of HMI members fought with police officers who guarded a solidarity rally for the Makassar attack.

The clash left five students injured after being reportedly hit by the police officers.   

City police spokesman Sr. Comr. Boy Rafli Amar, insisted that the police’s decision to “control” the students was right.

“The students didn’t report  their [Cikini] rally and they had violated the law by blocking a street.”
HMI members in Jakarta said they were preparing for a bigger rally on Monday.

“We will invite HMI members from our several branches in Greater Jakarta area,” said Fahmi Dzikrillah, HMI’s South Jakarta chapter chief.