Jakarta – The announcement of the Supreme Court verdict on Thursday in the graft case involving House of Representatives speaker Akbar Tandjung was marred by violent protests nationwide, with at least 60 protesting students in Jakarta injured in an ugly melee with riot police.
At least 45 students were taken to state-run Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital while 15 others were sent to Gatot Subroto Army Hospital, most suffering from severe head injuries, presumably caused by police batons. At least one student reportedly had a fractured skull, while several others suffered broken arms and legs.
National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Basyir Ahmad Barmawi made a public apology, but then claimed only 17 students were injured while 10 police officers were also wounded. "[The protesters] provoked [the police] to attack them by hurling stones at the riot police who were just guarding the event."
The rally initially was peaceful with thousands of students from 30 student groups in Greater Jakarta and Bandung making speeches about 200 meters away from the Supreme Court building, barricaded by perhaps 100 police armed with batons and girded in riot gear.
The clash erupted at about 3 p.m. when the students were trying to get closer to the court compound. The officers charged the students who were kicked and smashed by the batons as well as some bamboo flag poles which the police managed to seize. The policemen were also seen hurling drink bottles at the students, which they had just snatched away from nearby street vendors. The students, apparently undeterred, charged back a few hours later as the justices read out the decision to let Akbar walk.
"We predicted this ... we had never believed the Supreme Court would be able to uphold the supremacy of law over political interests," said Ali Abel of the National University.
The students then issued a joint statement condemning the acquittal and demanded that the five justices be investigated.
Just 50 meters away from the students – separated by police and barbed wire – a large group of Akbar's supporters from the Golkar security wing (AMPG) and Betawi Brotherhood Forum (FBR) cheered the verdict with religious fervor. Among the crowd, a circle of AMPG commanders, including rock singer Renny Djayusman, were seen kissing the Court's front steps.
Meanwhile, in Yogyakarta, several students were also injured in a clash between the police and Poor Yogyakartans Movement (FPRMY) as the latter tried to enter the Sheraton Mustika Hotel compound where politicians Amien Rais, Wiranto and Rahmawati Sukarnoputri were scheduled to meet. Separately, the Communication Forum of Yogyakartan Students (FKMJ) held a rally outside the office of the provincial election commission, urging them to disqualify Golkar.
In Bandung, hundreds of enraged students swarmed into the streets, distributing pamphlets and mobilizing the people to rise up and reject the Court's verdict.
In Semarang, people grouped in the Front for People Safeguarding the Transition to Democracy (Fortrad) held a long march in the city, carrying banners that had such things as, "Supreme Court, please side with Indonesian people". The protesters also performed some street theater mocking the judges, while others played the role of politicians donating "presents" to the judges.
In Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi, students grouped in the Front of Democratic Opponents (FOD) and the region's Front of Indonesian Muslim Students Movement (KAMMI) demanded that Akbar be imprisoned. Surabaya branches of KAMMI and the Association of Muslim Students (HMI), and three other groups joined hands to reject the acquittal of Akbar. In their act they burned an effigy of Akbar. Some of them also visited the state radio station RRI for a five-minute on-air speech.