Isna Rifka Sri Rahayu, Tri Susanto Setiawan, Depok – Students from the University of Indonesia Faculty of Engineering (FTUI) staged a symbolic protest on Thursday September 24 dubbed #HITAMKANUI ("Blacken UI") to commemorate the 27th anniversary of the Semanggi II Tragedy.
During the action, the students demanded that the government conduct a thorough investigation into the Semanggi II Tragedy which occurred on September 24, 1999, and identify those responsible for the incident.
FTUI Student Executive Board (BEM) Chairperson Fikra Zeka Neilshona said that the protest was held to keep the memory of the Semanggi II Tragedy alive and to honour Yap Yun Hap, an FTUI student from the class of 1996 who was one of the victims.
"The background for this afternoon's call to action is actually our commemoration of the Semanggi II Tragedy. Primarily perhaps here is our senior, namely Yap Yun Hap as a FTUI student from the class of 1996 who at the time was killed by security forces, shot by a bullet", he said during the #HITAMKANUI protest at the FTUI Rotunda Park in Depok on Thursday.
According to Neilshona, FTUI students want to ensure that the event is still remembered by students and academic staff within the campus community.
He said that Yap Yun Hap's death was part of a human rights violation case that must continue to be remembered, with demands for a full investigation.
"And so from this we FTUI students took the initiative to always commemorate this event to provide a remembrance and also an awareness among students and academic staff that this case has not yet been resolved and that Yap Yun Hap's struggle will always be remembered by all students in Indonesia", he said.
FTUI BEM social and political affairs coordinator David Abiesta Pakpahan said that activities to commemorate Yap Yun Hap have been held annually for the past five or six years.
"This year were using the #HITAMKANUI theme for the first time, last year was a different theme", Pakpahan said on the same occasion.
The Meaning of #HITAMKANUI
Neilshona explained that the use of black clothing during the #HITAMKANUI action represents a symbol of mourning for various human rights violations that have occurred, particularly those that took place in September.
"It is a symbolic form of our grief over human rights violations and military impunity that remain unresolved to this day", explained Neilshona.
According to Neilshona, the #HITAMKANUI action was intentionally packaged as a symbolic action rather than a mass demonstration. Its primary goal is to encourage students to recall events that took place 27 years ago.
The action also aims to reach students who do not participate in demonstrations. A memorial displaying information about human rights violation cases that have occurred in Indonesia has been set up at the FTUI Rotunda Park, a spot frequently passed by students.
"Because if we were to hold a mass action of course it would be different from the context of rejecting forgetting. Because if for example there are people wo don't take part in demonstrations, there perhaps it would lack reach out", he said.
Government investigation
Neilshona said that through this protest, the FTUI BEM is demanding that the government put an end to impunity and investigate various human rights violations.
He believes that the case regarding the death of Yap Yun Hap has yet to provide legal clarity for the victim and his family.
"So from that we demand that the government thoroughly investigate any form of human rights violation that has occurred, including the specific case of Yap Yun Hap", he said.
In a statement by the Alliance of UI BEM that was read out at the conclusion of the #HITAMKANUI action, the students also called on the government to investigate, resolve and fully reveal the parties responsible for human rights violations.
They also demanded that the government officially acknowledge and support calls for justice for the victims of the Semanggi II Tragedy.
Yap Yun Hap memorial
In addition to demanding an investigation into the case, the students urged the University of Indonesia to create a memorial honouring Yap Yun Hap.
Pakpahan said that they wanted Yap Yun Hap's name to be immortalised within the UI campus as a mark of respect for their senior.
"Furthermore, we demand recognition from our own institution, namely the UI Faculty of Engineering and UI so that the name of our senior, namely Yap Yun Hap can be immortalised right here where was, namely at this faculty", he said.
Neilshona added that the memorial could take the form of a monument, a garden or another form associated with Yap Yun Hap.
"So that is what we want, to push the university rectorate to realise a monument or perhaps a garden, anything affiliated with Yap Yun Hap so that students, academic staff, and the entire University of Indonesia academic community can know that in the past there was a struggle waged by a student named Yap Yun Hap", he said.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "27 Tahun Tragedi Semanggi II, Mahasiswa FTUI Gelar #HITAMKANUI dan Tuntut Pengusutan".]
