Trisakti shootings
Encyclopedia
The Trisakti shootings ( ˈtraɡədi triˈsaʔti, literally "Trisakti tragedy") occurred at Trisakti University
, Jakarta
, Indonesia on 12 May 1998. At a demonstration
asking for president Suharto's resignation, soldiers opened fire on unarmed protestors. Four students, Elang Mulia Lesmana, Heri Hertanto, Hafidin Royan, and Hendriawan Sie, were killed; dozens more were injured. The shootings caused riot
s to break out throughout Indonesia, eventually leading to President Suharto's resignation.
suffered in 1997 and 1998 due to the Asian financial crisis. The value of the Rupiah plummeted, with a record exchange rate of 2,682 rupiah per US$ by 13 August 1997 and continuing to free-fall.
By 1998, hundreds of students from universities across the country were demonstrating calling for President Suharto's resignation. A 16 May 1998 demonstration at the Bandung Institute of Technology
saw 500 demonstrators, and by March larger demonstrations had occurred at the University of Indonesia
and Gadjah Mada University
. On 9 May 1998, a police officer, Dadang Rusmana, was reported to have been killed at a demonstration at Djuanda University.
started at Trisakti University
on 12 May 1998. By 10:00 WIB
, over 6,000 students, lecturers, and staff had assembled in the university parking lot. The demonstrators started their protest by lowering the Indonesian flag to half mast.
As noon approached, the protestors prepared for a "long march" to the People's Representative Council Building
. A few hundred metres from the campus they were stopped by the Indonesian National Police
, in front of the West Jakarta
Mayor's Office. In response to being stopped, the protestors conducted a sit-in
, completely blocking S. Parman Street. Military reinforcements for the police arrived not long after. At 15:30 WIB, Dean of the Faculty of Law Adi Andojo convinced the demonstrators to return to the Trisakti campus.
By that time, the security forces on-site at the time were the Police Mobile Brigade, 9th Cavalry Battalion, 203rd Infantry Battalion, KOSTRAD
Air Defence Artillery, 202nd Infantry Battalion, Kodam Jaya
riot squad and a motorized brigade. They were equipped with riot shields, tear gas, Steyr AUG
s, and Pindad SS-1s.
By 17:00 WIB, most of the demonstrators had returned to the campus. At that time, insults were heard coming from the military and police. Not long afterwards, they opened fire. Hearing the gunshots, the protestors panicked and scattered. Two students, Elang Mulya Lesmana and Hendriawan Sie, were shot and killed while attempting to enter the rectorate in the Dr. Syarif Thayes building.
An hour later, students who had not taken refuge within the Trisakti buildings congregated in the open central plaza. Soldiers perched on the nearby rooftops continued shooting, wounding more students and killing two, Heri Hartanto and Hafidin Royan. At roughly 20:00 WIB, the shooting stopped and the wounded were rushed to nearby hospitals.
At 22:00 WIB, Adi Andojo announced at a press conference, broadcast live on the campus radio station MS3 FM, that four students had been killed, along with their names.
Although the military has denied using live ammunition, autopsy reports indicated that the students had been shot with live rounds from a distance.
.
1974 – 12 May 1998) was a student at the Faculty of Engineering of Trisakti University. He was not known to be politically active. He was shot in the plaza near the Dr. Syarif Thayes building, not far from Hafidin Royan. He was buried in Tanah Kusir Public Cemetery, South Jakarta
.
on 13 May 1998.
.
against Chinese-Indonesians, killing at least 1,200. As a result of the riots and similar riots throughout Indonesia, President Suharto resigned on 21 May 1998.
Suharto's successor, Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie, called Elang Mulia Lesmana, Heri Hertanto, Hafidin Royan, and Hendriawan Sie "reform heroes"
In November 2000, it was announced that the police would summon 11 policemen who were suspected of being involved for questioning by military police
. However, none of the 11 policemen had been questioned by year's end.
The Indonesian National Commission for Human Rights reopened the investigation into the Trisakti shootings in 2008 and submitted their findings to the Indonesian Attorney General's Office. The Attorney General's Office declared the investigation complete and returned all documentation.
As of May 2011, the Indonesian government has not closed the investigation into the events or punished any of those responsible, even though there have been demonstrations, rallies, and calls for expedition in 2008, 2010, and 2011. The Deputy Attorney General of Indonesia, Darmono, has promised to investigate the incident further.
Trisakti University
Trisakti University is a private university in Jakarta, Indonesia. Founded on 29 November 1965, the university has more than 30,000 students.It has several campuses and nine faculties:*Faculty of Law*Faculty of Medical Sciences*Faculty of Dentistry...
, Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
, Indonesia on 12 May 1998. At a demonstration
Demonstration (people)
A demonstration or street protest is action by a mass group or collection of groups of people in favor of a political or other cause; it normally consists of walking in a mass march formation and either beginning with or meeting at a designated endpoint, or rally, to hear speakers.Actions such as...
asking for president Suharto's resignation, soldiers opened fire on unarmed protestors. Four students, Elang Mulia Lesmana, Heri Hertanto, Hafidin Royan, and Hendriawan Sie, were killed; dozens more were injured. The shootings caused riot
Riot
A riot is a form of civil disorder characterized often by what is thought of as disorganized groups lashing out in a sudden and intense rash of violence against authority, property or people. While individuals may attempt to lead or control a riot, riots are thought to be typically chaotic and...
s to break out throughout Indonesia, eventually leading to President Suharto's resignation.
Background
The Indonesian economyEconomy of Indonesia
Indonesia is the largest economy in Southeast Asia and is one of the emerging market economies of the world. The country is also a member of G-20 major economies. It has a market economy in which the government plays a significant role by owning more than 164 enterprises and administers prices on...
suffered in 1997 and 1998 due to the Asian financial crisis. The value of the Rupiah plummeted, with a record exchange rate of 2,682 rupiah per US$ by 13 August 1997 and continuing to free-fall.
By 1998, hundreds of students from universities across the country were demonstrating calling for President Suharto's resignation. A 16 May 1998 demonstration at the Bandung Institute of Technology
Bandung Institute of Technology
The Bandung Institute of Technology or Institute of Technology, Bandung is a state, coeducational research university located in Bandung, Indonesia. Established in 1920, ITB is the oldest technology-oriented university in Indonesia....
saw 500 demonstrators, and by March larger demonstrations had occurred at the University of Indonesia
University of Indonesia
The Universitas Indonesia, is a state, comprehensive world class university located in Depok, West Java and Salemba, Jakarta, Indonesia. Universitas Indonesia is the oldest tertiary-level educational institution in Indonesia...
and Gadjah Mada University
Gadjah Mada University
The Gadjah Mada University is the largest and the oldest national university in Indonesia . founded on December 19, 1949; although the first lecture was given on 13 March 1946. The name was taken from the name of Majapahit's Prime Minister, Gajah Mada.UGM is located in Yogyakarta, Daerah Istimewa...
. On 9 May 1998, a police officer, Dadang Rusmana, was reported to have been killed at a demonstration at Djuanda University.
Trisakti demonstrations and shootings
A planned nonviolent protest against the Suharto governmentNew Order (Indonesia)
The New Order is the term coined by former Indonesian President Suharto to characterize his regime as he came to power in 1966. Suharto used this term to contrast his rule with that of his predecessor, Sukarno...
started at Trisakti University
Trisakti University
Trisakti University is a private university in Jakarta, Indonesia. Founded on 29 November 1965, the university has more than 30,000 students.It has several campuses and nine faculties:*Faculty of Law*Faculty of Medical Sciences*Faculty of Dentistry...
on 12 May 1998. By 10:00 WIB
Time in Indonesia
The Indonesian archipelago geographically stretches across four time zones from UTC+7 in Banda Aceh to UTC+9 in Western Papua. However, The Indonesian government only recognizes three time zones in its territory: Western Indonesian Time—seven hours in advance of Greenwich Mean Time ,...
, over 6,000 students, lecturers, and staff had assembled in the university parking lot. The demonstrators started their protest by lowering the Indonesian flag to half mast.
As noon approached, the protestors prepared for a "long march" to the People's Representative Council Building
DPR/MPR Building
The DPR/MPR Building is the seat of government for the Indonesian legislative, which comprises the People's Consultative Assembly the People's Representative Council and the Regional Representatives Council .-History:...
. A few hundred metres from the campus they were stopped by the Indonesian National Police
Indonesian National Police
The Indonesian National Police is the official police force for Indonesia. It had formerly been a part of the Tentara Nasional Indonesia. The police were formally separated from the military in April 1999, a process which was formally completed in July 2000. With 150,000 personnel, the police form...
, in front of the West Jakarta
West Jakarta
West Jakarta is a city within Jakarta Special District, Indonesia. It had a p[opulation of 2,278,825 at the 2010 Census; the administrative centre is at Puri Kembangan....
Mayor's Office. In response to being stopped, the protestors conducted a sit-in
Sit-in
A sit-in or sit-down is a form of protest that involves occupying seats or sitting down on the floor of an establishment.-Process:In a sit-in, protesters remain until they are evicted, usually by force, or arrested, or until their requests have been met...
, completely blocking S. Parman Street. Military reinforcements for the police arrived not long after. At 15:30 WIB, Dean of the Faculty of Law Adi Andojo convinced the demonstrators to return to the Trisakti campus.
By that time, the security forces on-site at the time were the Police Mobile Brigade, 9th Cavalry Battalion, 203rd Infantry Battalion, KOSTRAD
Kostrad
Kostrad is the Indonesian Army's Strategic Reserve Command. Kostrad is a Corps level command which has up to 35,000 troops...
Air Defence Artillery, 202nd Infantry Battalion, Kodam Jaya
Kodam Jaya
Kodam Jaya is a military command area of the Military of Indonesia. It oversees Jakarta, the capital city, as well as three regions outside of Jakarta: Bekasi and Depok, which are administratively in West Java province; and Tangerang, which is in Banten province.-History:On 1 September 1945, the...
riot squad and a motorized brigade. They were equipped with riot shields, tear gas, Steyr AUG
Steyr AUG
The AUG is an Austrian bullpup 5.56mm assault rifle, designed in the early 1970s by Steyr Mannlicher GmbH & Co KG . The AUG was adopted by the Austrian Army as the StG 77 in 1977, where it replaced the 7.62mm StG 58 automatic rifle...
s, and Pindad SS-1s.
By 17:00 WIB, most of the demonstrators had returned to the campus. At that time, insults were heard coming from the military and police. Not long afterwards, they opened fire. Hearing the gunshots, the protestors panicked and scattered. Two students, Elang Mulya Lesmana and Hendriawan Sie, were shot and killed while attempting to enter the rectorate in the Dr. Syarif Thayes building.
An hour later, students who had not taken refuge within the Trisakti buildings congregated in the open central plaza. Soldiers perched on the nearby rooftops continued shooting, wounding more students and killing two, Heri Hartanto and Hafidin Royan. At roughly 20:00 WIB, the shooting stopped and the wounded were rushed to nearby hospitals.
At 22:00 WIB, Adi Andojo announced at a press conference, broadcast live on the campus radio station MS3 FM, that four students had been killed, along with their names.
Although the military has denied using live ammunition, autopsy reports indicated that the students had been shot with live rounds from a distance.
Victims
Four Trisakti students were killed in the gunfire: Elang Mulia Lesmana, Heri Hertanto, Hafidin Royan, and Hendriawan Sie.Elang Mulia Lesmana
Elang Mulia Lesmana (5 July 1978 – 12 May 1998) was a student at the Faculty of Architecture of Trisakti University. On campus he was known for his humor and during the demonstration had been waving a sign reading "Lower the price of photocopies and perfume!" . He was shot outside the Dr. Syarif Thayes building and buried in Tanah Kusir Public Cemetery, South JakartaSouth Jakarta
South Jakarta is a city within Jakarta Special District, Indonesia. It had a population of 2,057,080 at the 2010 Census, and is the third most populous among the five cities of Jakarta, after East Jakarta and West Jakarta...
.
Heri Hertanto
Heri Hartanto (c.Circa
Circa , usually abbreviated c. or ca. , means "approximately" in the English language, usually referring to a date...
1974 – 12 May 1998) was a student at the Faculty of Engineering of Trisakti University. He was not known to be politically active. He was shot in the plaza near the Dr. Syarif Thayes building, not far from Hafidin Royan. He was buried in Tanah Kusir Public Cemetery, South Jakarta
South Jakarta
South Jakarta is a city within Jakarta Special District, Indonesia. It had a population of 2,057,080 at the 2010 Census, and is the third most populous among the five cities of Jakarta, after East Jakarta and West Jakarta...
.
Hafidin Royan
Hafidin Royan (28 September 1976 – 12 May 1998) was a student at the Faculty of Civil Engineering of Trisakti University. On campus he was known for being a devout Muslim. During the demonstration he had been standing in one of the back rows, clapping his hands. He was shot through the head in the plaza near the Dr. Syarif Thayes building, not far from Heri Hertanto. He was buried in Sinargalih Cemetery, BandungBandung
Bandung is the capital of West Java province in Indonesia, and the country's third largest city, and 2nd largest metropolitan area in Indonesia, with a population of 7.4 million in 2007. Located 768 metres above sea level, approximately 140 km southeast of Jakarta, Bandung has cooler...
on 13 May 1998.
Hendriawan Sie
Hendriawan Sie Lesmana (3 May 1978 – 12 May 1998) was a student at the Faculty of Economics of Trisakti University. He was shot outside the Dr. Syarif Thayes building and later buried in Al Kawal Public Cemetery, West JakartaWest Jakarta
West Jakarta is a city within Jakarta Special District, Indonesia. It had a p[opulation of 2,278,825 at the 2010 Census; the administrative centre is at Puri Kembangan....
.
Aftermath
General uproar against the shootings developed into riots throughout Indonesia. These riots eventually transformed into a pogromPogrom
A pogrom is a form of violent riot, a mob attack directed against a minority group, and characterized by killings and destruction of their homes and properties, businesses, and religious centres...
against Chinese-Indonesians, killing at least 1,200. As a result of the riots and similar riots throughout Indonesia, President Suharto resigned on 21 May 1998.
Suharto's successor, Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie, called Elang Mulia Lesmana, Heri Hertanto, Hafidin Royan, and Hendriawan Sie "reform heroes"
In November 2000, it was announced that the police would summon 11 policemen who were suspected of being involved for questioning by military police
Military police
Military police are police organisations connected with, or part of, the military of a state. The word can have different meanings in different countries, and may refer to:...
. However, none of the 11 policemen had been questioned by year's end.
The Indonesian National Commission for Human Rights reopened the investigation into the Trisakti shootings in 2008 and submitted their findings to the Indonesian Attorney General's Office. The Attorney General's Office declared the investigation complete and returned all documentation.
As of May 2011, the Indonesian government has not closed the investigation into the events or punished any of those responsible, even though there have been demonstrations, rallies, and calls for expedition in 2008, 2010, and 2011. The Deputy Attorney General of Indonesia, Darmono, has promised to investigate the incident further.