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Trisakti University students demand Jokowi to resolve 1998 shootings
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Thousands of Trisakti University students congregated at the National Monument (Monas) to march toward the State Palace in commemoration of the 18th anniversary of the May 12th Incident. (tempo.co)
S
tudents from Trisakti University in Jakarta have held a peaceful rally in commemoration of the 1998 shootings, urging the government to settle the unresolved case soon.
Aside from demanding that President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo issue a decree to set up a special tribunal on the incident, the students wanted the government to impart the title of "Reformation Heroes" on the four victims, who were shot dead on campus on May 12, 1998.
The rallying students also demanded the government show concern for the wellbeing of the victims' families and refused any form of reconciliation until officials reveal the identities of the perpetrators.
"We need to find the parties that carry responsibility for the tragedy," Trisakti University student body chairman Abdul Kader said.
The government might apologize, Abdul said, but he added that the law should be enforced against the human rights offenders through the tribunal. Only then can the rights of the victims and their families be met.
About 3,500 students of Trisakti University gathered in front of the State Palace on Thursday to remind President Jokowi about his pledge to resolve the tragedy, made during his presidential election campaign in 2014.
More than 80 minibuses and hundreds of motorcycles carried the college students from the campus to the palace, where about 200 police officers were deployed to ensure security.
Meanwhile, Trisakti University student body deputy chairman Reza Rahman said government officials seemed to keep referring the case to each other. The President once said the case had been handed over to the Attorney General's Office, but then it was referred again and its fate remains uncertain.
The government also had yet to provide compensation to the victims' families, Reza asserted, adding that there was one widow among them, who lived alone since his husband had died and her son had been killed in the shootings.
"We hope the 18th year of commemoration of the tragedy will not amount to a mere ceremony, but instead we demand government action in resolving the Trisakti tragedy," Reza said.
On May 12, 1998, four Trisakti University students, Elang Mulya Lesmana, Hery Hartanto, Hendriawan Sie and Hafidhin Royan, were reportedly shot dead by the military during protests to demand political and economic reforms of the New Order regime and that Suharto step down. The incident took place at the height of an economic crisis that had struck the entire Southeast Asian region.
Low-ranking police personnel were convicted over the shootings, but no one has been brought to trial yet. (afr/dmr)
