(8 Sep 1998) Indonesian/Nat
Security forces used tear gas and batons to stop hundreds of protesters outside the Indonesian Parliament - as demonstrations demanding the resignation of President B-J Habibie continued.
The protest started on Monday and is the biggest of its kind since a marathon student sit-in at the Parliament forced former President Suharto to step down in May.
Demonstrators say Habibie has not dealt with the country's economic crisis in the 3 months he has been in power.
Demonstrations outside the Indonesian Parliament in Jakarta continued into the early hours of Tuesday.
Hundreds of Indonesian troops corralled the protesters into a parking lot on the grounds of the parliament.
They used batons, shields and tear gas to push hundreds of student protesters from the area.
The demonstrators are calling for Indonesian President B-J Habibie to quit because of his handling of the country's economic crisis and failure to lower soaring food prices.
It was reported that two students underwent emergency surgery for wounds to their abdomens.
Others were treated for tear gas inhalation after the pre-dawn clash.
Many later left the demonstration peacefully.
But about 300 refused repeated requests to disperse.
A standoff dragged on until about 1.30 a.m (local time in Indonesia) on Tuesday when security personnel forcibly evicted the protesters.
Police said they made no arrests and later re-erected the gates - but the protesters returned on Tuesday morning.
A senior Cabinet minister called on students to remain calm, saying violent anti-government demonstrations and calls for the president to quit would not fix Indonesia's crippling economic crisis.
The protest, which started on Monday, was the biggest of its kind since a marathon student sit-in at the Parliament helped force former President Suharto, to step down.
Suharto resigned in May following a wave of riots in which 1-thousand 200 people were killed.
The protesters also urged that former President Suharto be put on trial for alleged misdeeds, including corruption and repression, during his 32 years at the helm of the nation of 202 (m) million people.
On Monday clashes broke out as 2-thousand protesters marched to the Parliament and tore down the gates.
Lines of police and troops cut off several major roads leading to the Indonesian Parliament, as protesters said they would not stop until their demands are met.
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