Denpasar – Some 150 students from various groups staged a peaceful demonstration here on Tuesday at the Bali Legislative Council, protested what they called the continuing state-sponsored violence against civil society.
Six student groups from Udayana University, Warmadewa University, and Denpasar College of the Arts joined forces under the Bali Students Alliance (AMB) in the demonstration that lasted for at least three hours.
The protest was triggered by last week's violent incident, when Denpasar riot police attacked dozens of protesting students, who were commemorating the 1998 fatal shooting at Jakarta's Trisakti University. Eight students sustained minor injuries during the attack.
"The attack is a blatant example that the politic of power and the paradigm of violence still prevail among our state apparatus," Tuesday's demonstration field coordinator Wayan Gendo Suardana said.
During the protest the students repeatedly provoked the riot officers with verbal assaults. Fortunately, the 50-men strong riot squad was able to maintain its composure, and, in stark contrast to what they did last week, the officers chose to keep alow profile during Tuesday's protest.
In their written statement the protesters demanded the government stop state oppression against society, investigate and prosecute those who involved in state-sponsored violence, dissolve the Golkar Party and clean up state institutions from any element of the New Order regime.
The chairman of the Bali Legislative Council, IB Wesnawa, agreed to meet the protesters at around 3:45 p.m., during which he read the Council's written statement. In the statement, the Council conveyed its condolences over the Trisakti's shooting, and expressed it's support for firm legal action against those responsible for the shooting. Wesnawa also apologized for the last week's violent incident.
Later on, the Council's statement was also sent to, among others, the President, chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly, speaker of the House of Representatives, the Attorney General, the National Police chief and TNI commander.