Suwarjono, Jakarta – Although [President] Megawati's supporters have come out into the streets, students are not trembling with fear. This afternoon (Monday), 1000 students from 12 organisations will be calling for the "Tritura" (*) at the presidential palace. Tritura is the three demands of the people (*), reduce prices, try the corrupters and build a self-reliant nation. The Tritura will be called for by 12 student organisations in their action in front of the presidential palace this afternoon.

The 12 student groups have come together under the banner of the Youth and Student Opposition Front (Barisan Oposisi Kaum Muda Mahasiswa, BOKMM). This group is made of "the most right-wing" groups such as KAMMI (Islamic Students Action Front, (Kesatuan Aksi Mahsiswa Muslim Indonesia) and the "most left-wing" groups such as LMND (National Students League for Democracy (Liga Nasional Mahasiswa Demokrat).

As well as KAMMI and LMND, BOKMM includes the Muhammadiyah Student Association (Ikatan Mahasiswa Muhammadiyah, IMM), the Indonesian Muslim Student Movement (Pergerakan Mahasiswa Islam Indonesia, PMII), the Islamic Student Association (Himpunan Mahasiswa Islam, HMI), HMI MPO (a splinter group of HMI), the Indonesian National Student Movement (Gerakan Mahasiswa Nasional Indonesia, GMNI), the Indonesian Catholic Students Movement (Pergerakan Mahasiswa Katolik Indonesia, PMKRI), the Indonesian Christian Students Movement (Gerakan Mahasiswa Kristen Indonesia, GMKI), Forkot (City Forum) and other groups. According to the public relations coordinator of KAMMI, Novri Hermawan, the action will be joined by around 1000 students. "We are not mobilising all of the potential masses today. What is important is that we can safeguard the consistency of the movement", he told Detikcom on Monday morning.

Today's action will begin at the University of Indonesia Salemba campus at 11am where speeches will be held explaining the student's demands on the Mega-Hamzah government. From Salemba the students will move off towards the presidential palace via Jl Kramat Raya, Jl Kwitang, Jl Medan Merdeka Timur and Jl Medan Merdeka Utara, where the palace is located.

Before reaching their goal, the students will stop at Jl Kwitang in the Senin area where they will hold speeches for around one hour which will then be followed by more speeches in front of the Gambir train station.

"At Senen and Gambir, we intend to hold speeches because we want to involved the people in strengthening our demands. These two places are busy central locations, so the people will know what we are doing", said Novri.

* Tritura" (Tri Tuntutan Rakyak, Three Demands of the People). A political slogan of 1960s which called for the banning the Indonesian Communist party, the purging communist elements from the Dwikora cabinet and the lowering of prices of basic commodities.

[Translated by James Balowski.]