Jakarta braces for more protests

Hospital officials said the latest two victims were suffering from gunshot wounds, one of them struck in the head.

Meanwhile, militant student groups began marching on parliament here Saturday, continuing demonstrations against a new Security Bill which had already left at least six dead over the previous two days.

The students, who had gathered at the Atma Jaya University for a vigil in memory of those killed, set off for the parliament about a kilometre away at around 4:00 pm.

8220;Revolution until we die,8221; they chanted. However, there was no sign of police or soldiers who typically block protesters8217; pathat a safe distance from the legislature.

About 500 people had gathered at the university, singing songs of lament and strewing flower petals on the street outside the campus where one of the victims was gunned down. Yap Yun Hap, an electrical engineering student from the University of Indonesia, was shot dead by riot police there late Friday, the state Antara news agency said. The protesters waved posters slamming President B J Habibie and military Chief General Wiranto.

8220;Wiranto you are scum,8221; they read. 8220;We are people and not targets for shooting.8221;

The Forum Kota City Forum students, prominent in organising the bloody protests of the last two days, joined with two other reform groups to march on parliament to protest the new Army-backed security Bill.

Running battles on Thursday and Friday between Indonesian security forces and opponents of the Bill, which critics say will give the Army even more power, were the most serious unrest seen here this year.

Up to 10,000 demonstrators took to thestreets Thursday at the height of the trouble. There were wild scenes in the capital as police and soldiers fired tear gas and bullets into the crowds in running battles.

The security forces were pelted with fuel bombs and attacked by demonstrators wielding long canes and anything they could find to throw. City hotels and offices barricaded their glass fronts and sent staff home.Reports said Indonesian police shot and killed a nine-year-old boy on Friday. Hospitals confirmed six deaths, including a policeman, but not that of the boy.

The Jakarta Post said the boy and another protester were killed and two people wounded when truckloads of anti-riot troops shot at a crowd gathering at a shopping plaza in downtown Jakarta Friday evening.

Habibie on Friday suspended ratification of the newly-passed state security lawas the massive street protests showed no sign of abating.

The President said he was giving the people more time to understand the Bill, which reformists charge gives sweeping powers to themilitary. Habibie gave no indication of when he would ratify the Bill.

Parliament, which passed the law early Thursday in a move which students and reformists charged was rushed, was dissolved Friday.

A new parliament, whose members were elected in June 7 polls, will start sittingon October 1.