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Indonesian student protests continu
Thursday, February 26, 1998 Published at 12:36 GMT
World: Asia-Pacific
Indonesian student protests
continue
University students demand reform
More than 1,000 students have demonstrated for a
second consecutive day in the Indonesian capital,
Jakarta, calling for economic and political reform.
The students, from the University of Indonesia which has
close links with the government, marched through their
campus in the east of the city.
Some carried banners describing the forthcoming
presidential election as a comedy.
The demonstrations proceeded without any interference
from police or security forces.
It is the latest in a series of protests across wide
areas
of Indonesia, as the economic crisis worsens in the
wake of the collapse of the currency, the rupiah.
All public gatherings have been banned in Jakarta in the
run-up to next week's meeting of the country's top
policy
making body, the People's Consultative Assembly. At
the end of the meeting, President Suharto - who has
held office for the past 30 years - will be re-elected
unopposed for a seventh five-year term.
The assembly meets only once every five years and is
the keystone of Indonesia's policy structure. The
1,000-member body, which includes 425 elected
members of parliament and nominated civilians and
military officers, elects the country's president and
vice-president and sets state policy.
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