Bagus Kurniawan/BI & LM, Jakarta – Approximately 80 students from Gajah Mada University in Yogyakarta under the auspices of Student's Solidarity for Pagilaran Peasants (SMUPP) have staged a protest against their own University. The group has demanded the University resolve the prolonged land dispute between local peasants and PT Pagilaran and that it deal with human rights abuses and intimidation towards the peasants during the dispute.

SMUPP believe the University, which is the commissioner for PT Pagilaran, is directly involved with the case which involves land now used for tea production. The students marched from the University grounds to the PT Pagilaran offices today carrying large banners reading: "Give Back Peasant's Stolen Rights", "Provide Proper Compensation", "Stop Military Involvement", Stop Violence" and more.

The protests organised around the issue so far have lead to the arrest of 19 people who are being held at the local Batang police station. The charges against them range from damage to property and mass provocation. Family members of the jailed peasants are afraid to return to their homes and anticipate intimidation.

The marching students demanded those detained be set free, claiming the charges were bogus. They further demanded that military involvement in the dispute be ended and that the University & PT Pagalaran give the peasants appropriate compensation.