"The death of a demonstrating university student on Thursday has hinted at the gruesome reality that the tactics employed by the police against demonstrators offer no guarantee of their security," Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid noted.
Despite comprehensive information on Randi's death not yet being published, Hamid affirmed that undue violence by the policemen in handling the demonstrators would only exacerbate the situation.
In its place, the policemen are strongly advised to focus on preventive measures to prevent the fall of victims and to safeguard the human rights of demonstrators.
Related news: Death toll in Kendari's massive student protest climbs to two
Related news: Halu Oleo University student killed in massive Kendari protest
The death toll in this massive student protest, held in Kendari on Thursday, climbed to two after Muh Yusuf Kardawi died on Friday morning.
"Muh Yusuf Kardawi passed away on Friday at around 4 a.m. local time after receiving intensive care in the aftermath of his surgery at Bahtermas Hospital," the hospital's acting director, Doctor Sjarif Subijakto, revealed on Friday.
Subijakto remarked that a team of doctors had made all-out efforts to salvage the life of Kardawi, a 19-year-old student of the University of Halu Oleo's diploma in engineering program, who had incurred grave injuries during the rally.
Kendari Police Chief Adjunct Sen. Coms. Jemi Junaidi desisted from giving a statement on Kardawi's death and merely suggested ANTARA to contact the authorities in the Southeast Sulawesi Police headquarters.
On Thursday evening, Southeast Sulawesi Governor Ali Mazi, accompanied by Speaker of the Southeast Sulawesi legislative body Abdurrahman Shaleh and several related government officials, had paid a visit to Kardawi at Bahtermas Hospital.
The hospital's paramedics have been administering intensive treatment to 11 demonstrators, three policemen, and a staff member of the provincial parliament's secretariat, all of whom had been injured.
The Muhammadiyah Students Association (IMM) has appealed to the National Police to conduct an exhaustive and transparent investigation into the shooting incident that killed Randi.
General Chairman of IMM's Central Executive Board Najih Prastiyo stated that Randi was his organization's cadre.
"We, all cadres of the IMM across Indonesia, express our deepest condolences over the passing of our colleague whose death may have been caused by a live bullet during a student protest in Kendari," he stated.
The death of Randi, after suffering a gunshot wound to his right chest during clashes between protesting students and the anti-riot policemen in front of the Southeast Sulawesi Parliament building, was proof of the policemen's repressive acts, he stated.
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Translator: Dyah DA, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Sri Haryati
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
