Ahead Of Iftar, Students Start Going Home

JAKARTA - A group of students began to disperse in an orderly manner after demonstrating in the National Monument-Horse Statue (Monas) area, Central Jakarta.

The students from a number of universities in the Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi (Jabodetabek) areas gradually left the Monas area starting at 4:45 pm, Thursday.

They delivered speeches in front of the Horse Statue, Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat or in front of the Sapta Pesona Building since 14.30 WIB.

In turn, representatives from each campus delivered speeches or demands using loudspeakers from the top of a pickup truck.

A number of demands were submitted, including the Student Executive Board (BEM) of the University of Indonesia (UI) which submitted seven demands, including refusing to extend the presidential term.

In addition, the issue of rising prices of basic commodities and economic inequality are issues that will be addressed in the demonstration. For almost 2.5 hours they conveyed their aspirations in an orderly manner.

The students then gradually left the Horse Statue through Jalan Medan Merdeka Selatan while singing the national anthem.

The student action to disperse was also escorted by a number of police officers to make it more orderly.

Meanwhile, the traffic flow from Jalan Thamrin to Jalan Budi Kemuliaan was smooth but congested.

Likewise, vehicular traffic from Jalan Budi Kemuliaan to Jalan Thamrin began to run smoothly.

Meanwhile, some of the lanes on Jalan Medan Merdeka Selatan to Jalan Thamrin and Jalan Budi Kemuliaan are temporarily diverted via Jalan Agus Salim.