Five more killed in police crackdown

JAKARTA, Nov 14: Elite Indonesian police units opened fire here early Saturday, wounding a marine, as more than 1,000 students gathered to m...

JAKARTA, Nov 14: Elite Indonesian police units opened fire here early Saturday, wounding a marine, as more than 1,000 students gathered to march to the parliament. The battles with security forces has left at least 11 dead so far, up five from yesterdays six.

The police, guarding an overpass, accidentally shot the marine when they opened fire to disperse a growing crowd of students and onlookers, witnesses said. A policeman was also beaten up by a mob of youths. The intersection was the scene of bloody fighting which began late on Friday and continued into the early hours of Saturday.

The marine, second sergeant Iwan Yudi, was hit in the leg and rushed to a nearby navy hospital, a staff member at the hospital said.

Outside the nearby Atma Jaya private university, members of the military police rescued an officer who was being beaten by a mob of civilian youths. The extent of the policeman’s injuries was not immediately known.

As student numbers swelled outside the university, a group of 300 marched onthe parliament, breaking through one security cordon before being blocked by police and an army rapid reaction unit about 200 metres from the complex. “Yes we are heading for the parliament. We are just waiting for the others to come,” said a student leader who identified himself as Ucha.

At least 11 people were killed and more than 250 injured when troops opened fire on protesters in violent clashes which began on Friday and continued until early Saturday, hospital and legal aid sources said.

Thousands of students armed with stones, sticks and petrol bombs battled with police firing shots, tear gas and water jets in front of the Atma Jaya University.

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As the students headed towards parliament on Saturday they shouted “on to the MPR”, referring to the parliament complex where the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR), the nation’s highest legislative body, on Friday wound up a four-day special session to map up the country’s political future.

The students say the MPR is only an appendage of theregime of former president Suharto, who stepped down amid mounting public pressure and widespread rioting in May, and would ignore demands for reforms.While the protesters jeered and threw stones at police and soldiers they welcomed the marines who were seen guarding the student column that headed towards the parliament.

Security forces, faced with a new demonstration, appealed for order on all sides.

“I hope that we can all be orderly. I guarantee that my underlings will also be orderly,” army major Wachyu from the MPR security task force told the students.

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Police Lieutenant Colonel Anang who commanded a blockade said: “Iam a security personnel and there are laws,” referring to a law on public expression of opinion that was passed in October.

Under that the law, the national parliament building was on a list of "strategic" locations that also include the state palace, where no demonstrations could be held within a radius of 500 metres.

But Anang said he would seek the permission of hissuperiors for the students to be allowed to proceed. “We are all in a difficult condition. Me and my men have only been able to snatch a few hours sleep a night for the past three months,” he said. “We are also touched, and concerned, this did not need to happen.”

At least six students, 2 civilians and 3 unidentified people were killed in Friday’s violence. “This is proof that Wiranto has failed again, first at Trisakti and again (on Friday). It would be a mistake a third time to stop the students reaching parliament,” Ucha said. On May 12 at the Trisakti private university in West Jakarta security forces shot four students dead during a peaceful protest against then president Suharto.