The History of The Trisakti Tragedy on May 12, 1998

Name    : Amanda Putri Saeful

Class    : 1EA28

NPM    : 10220118

     The Trisakti tragedy was the shooting incident, on May 12, 1998, against students during a demonstration demanding that Suharto step down from his position. This incident killed four Trisakti University students in Jakarta, Indonesia and injured dozens of others. Those who died were Elang Mulia Lesmana (1978-1998), Heri Hertanto (1977 - 1998), Hafidin Royan (1976 - 1998), and Hendriawan Sie (1975 - 1998). They were shot dead inside the campus, hit by live bullets in vital places such as the head, throat, and chest.

        Indonesia's economy began to falter in early 1998, which was affected by the Asian financial crisis during 1997-1999. Students also held large-scale demonstrations at the Nusantara Building, including Trisakti University students. They held a peaceful demonstration from the Trisakti campus to the Nusantara Building at 12.30. However, their action was hampered by a blockade from the Police and the military came later. Some students tried to negotiate with the police.

Chronology of Events

        Exactly at 10.30-12.25, around 6,000 people consisting of students, lecturers, lecturers and university officials as well as Trisakti University employees held a free pulpit in the parking lot in front of the Syarif Thayeb Building. The free pulpit action began with the lowering of the flag at half-mast to the accompaniment of the Indonesia Raya anthem, followed by a moment of silence as a sign of concern for the condition of the Indonesian nation and people at that time. Orations at the free pulpit were held with resource persons from lecturers, employees and students, the action continued well and smoothly.

        Then at 12.25 - 12.30 several members of the security forces came right above the location of the pulpit which happened to be under an overpass, the crowd began to heat up and demanded that the officers be allowed to carry out a long march or take to the streets in order that they could convey their aspirations to members of the MPR. as well as the DPR. The crowd then headed to the gate in the direction of Jalan Jenderal S. Parman.

        The task force began to be on full alert, concentrating and covering the front row of the gate and arranging the masses to be orderly and lining up and giving an appeal to remain orderly when they took to the streets at 12.30. While the front line of the task force detained the masses, several student representatives (Trisakti University Student Senate) negotiated with the commanding officers of the apparatus (West Jakarta Dandim, Lt. Col. (Inf) A Amril, and West Jakarta Wakalpolres).

        Then after that, from 13.30 to 14.00, the crowd decided to hold a spontaneous free pulpit action on the street. The peaceful demonstration took place in front of the former West Jakarta Mayor's office. The situation was monitored to be safe and conducive, without tension between the officers and students. Even the students had time to distribute roses to the ranks of the officers. At 14.00, additional officers from the Jaya Regional Military Command and other police units arrived.

        Negotiations continued with the Dandim and the Head of the Resort Police until 4:45 p.m. to find a solution so that the masses could convey their aspirations to the MPR and DPR. The free pulpit continued to be accompanied by chants and songs. At 16.55, the student representatives announced the results of the negotiations in which it was agreed that both parties would withdraw. The masses initially refused, but after being persuaded by the dean of the Faculty of Economics and the dean of the Faculty of Law, Trisakti University, they finally wanted to move back.

        The students moved back slowly as did the police at 17.00. But suddenly a person named Mashud who claimed to be an alumni of Trisakti, who actually did not graduate, shouted harsh and dirty words towards the masses. The provocation provoked the masses to move because the person was mistaken for an undercover member of the apparatus, the person being chased by the mob ran to the ranks of the apparatus so that the masses chased after the ranks of the apparatus. This caused a tense atmosphere between the apparatus and the student masses.

        The task force officers, the head of SMUT and the head of the Trisakti kamtibpus tried to restrain the crowd and asked the crowd to withdraw, finally the crowd was controlled to calm down. Then the Head of Kamtibpus again held negotiations with the Dandim and the Chief of Police on both sides. When the masses were moving back to the Trisakti campus, that's when a line of officers attacked the student masses with gunfire and tear gas. The crowd panicked and ran to the campus to seek shelter.

        In the midst of this panicked period, the police carried out indiscriminate shootings, threw tear gas on almost every side of the road, even beat them with clubs and butts, kicked and stomped, and sexually abused female students. Even the head of SMUT who was between the officers and the student mass was shot by two rubber bullets in the right waist. 

        Then, at 20:00, four Trisakti students were confirmed to have been shot dead by live bullets and one person was critical. The officers denied using live ammunition, but the autopsy results proved otherwise. It is suspected that the live bullet came from a warning shot that was fired into the ground and bounced off the victim's body.