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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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