Andi Hajramurni, Makassar – It is alleged that Makassar and East Makassar Police chiefs are being transferred from their posts for their involvement in uncontrolled clashes between students and police in the South Sulawesi capital last week.

When the transfers were confirmed on Wednesday, South Sulawesi Police chief Insp. Gen. Adang Rochjana said he had no idea whether the move was related to last week's violent clashes.

"I don't know whether the rotation is related [to the incident] or not. It not only affect chiefs from Makassar and East Makassar Police, but 33 officers across the country," he said.

"Besides, they are being promoted, not demoted. So it seems the changes are related to the National Police's streamlining policy," he said.

In the province, the transfers will affect Makassar Police chief Sr. Comr. Gatta Khaeruddin, who will become chief of the partnership supervision bureau at the West Java Police.

Gatta will be replaced by Sr. Comr. Chaerul Anwar, who previously worked at the National Police's criminal and detective division.

East Makassar Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Mansjur, will became head of the technical and planning subdivision at the National Police. He will be replaced by Sr. Comr. Totok Lisdiarto, the former head of South Sulawesi Police's mobile brigade.

The changes will also affect the director of security and intelligence at South Sulawesi Police, Sr. Comr. Sugi Pamili and the head of the Bhayangkara Police hospital.

Following last week's clashes, students from the Association of Muslim Students (HMI) have called for the replacement of the Makassar, South Sulawesi and National Police chiefs, accusing them of failing to control their personnel, which they claim caused the conflict.

Four police personnel were detained following the attack against the secretariat and assaults against activists who wanted to report the attack to the police.

Three policemen proven guilty in the assaults have been sentenced to 21 days detention, following disciplinary court proceeding.

Investigations are continuing into whether police officer Adj. Insp. Sutriman, a member of the national counterterrorism squad, was responsible for the attack.

The police are still questioning witnesses, including student Ashari Setyawan, a.k.a. Kama Cappi, who allegedly clashed with Sutriman and triggered the attack against the HMI secretariat.

Meanwhile, former vice president Jusuf Kalla, who is also a former South Sulawesi HMI member, visited the secretariat on Wednesday.

Kalla said he regretted the attacks and the damage suffered by the police and public facilities.

"The police were wrong to damage the students' facility, but the students are also guilty of damaging public facilities," he said.

He said protesting was permissible, but must not spark violent rioting or disrupt public activities.