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Indonesia protests flare on eve of assembly

Source
Reuters - September 30, 1999

Claudia Gazzini, Jakarta – Protests broke out across Indonesia on Thursday over grievances ranging from the UN-backed intervention in East Timor to the pace of democratic reform.

Students threw three molotov cocktails and some rocks at the Australian Embassy in protest against Camberra's involvement in East Timor. One molotov cocktail entered the grounds of the building. A window of an embassy security post was also broken.

The protests flared as US Defence Secretary William Cohen held talks with officials in Jakarta and came a day before the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) convenes. The MPR is to elect a new president within a few weeks.

At least 2,000 protesters took to the streets in several parts of the capital and at least three major regional cities.

About 500 students were involved at the Australian embassy protest, burning Australian flags and set fire to rubbish outside.

They were protesting Canberra's leadership of the UN force in East Timor, where thousands of people are believed to have been killed since the former Portuguese colony voted overwhelmingly on August 30 for independence from Indonesia.

"Australia has to apologise to Indonesia," read one banner. Another called Indonesia's southern neighbour "neo-imperialist".

Cohen talks with Habibie, Wiranto

About 50 protesters also rallied at the US embassy as Cohen met President B.J. Habibie and military chief General Wiranto.

Wearing uniforms and white veils, some 500 Moslem students chanted prayers from the Koran and demanded effective reforms outside a Jakarta hotel where members of the new parliament are staying, calling this "the will of the Indonesian people". In the Sumatran city of Medan, about 500 students demanded the government allow neighbouring Aceh province a referendum on its future status like the East Timor ballot. "In order to end the troubles of Aceh, the government has to allow a referendum for the people of Aceh," a student said.

Protests also broke out in Pontianak on Borneo island as the local parliament for West Kalimantan province was being sworn in.

Anger directed at Australia">

In the far eastern Moluccas, some 150 students demanded that Australians leave the province's north, including missionaries, mine workers and tourists, the official Antara news agency said.

In recent weeks, Australian flags have been burnt, several Australian firms have evacuated their staff and Canberra's diplomatic presence has been reduced in parts of Indonesia.

Australia's embassy grounds in Jakarta also have been broken into during past protests and the building has been shot at.

Two days of clashes last week between security forces and students protesting against a new internal security bill left at least seven people dead. One person also was killed this week in a protest against the security law in southern Sumatra.

The law was rushed through the outgoing parliament last week, but the government bowed to the protests and suspended its implementation. Students have vowed to hold more protests until the law is revoked.

Opposition figure Megawati Sukarnoputri called on students to stop protesting and put their faith in the MPR, which on Thursday held a rehearsal for Friday's opening ceremony. The body consists mainly of MPs elected in June.

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