STUDENTS GATHERING FOR RALLY, JOKING WITH GENERAL MUSTOPO, AND LATER BEING ADDRESSED BY GENERAL NASUTION (SOF).




Initials RM/VS/JF/PC



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Background: SOME 5,000 INDONESIAN STUDENTS STAGED A RALLY OUTSIDE THE CONGRESS BUILDING IN DJAKARTA ON SATURDAY AND HANDED A RESOLUTION TO GENERAL ABDUL HARIS NASUTION, THE NEW CONGRESS CHAIRMAN, DEMANDING THAT PRESIDENT SUKARNO BE STRIPPED OF HIS TITLES "LIFE PRESIDENT AND GREAT LEADER OF THE REVOLUTION".

THE RALLY CALLED ON THE CONGRESS TO REJECT THE PRESIDENT'S SPEECH OF LAST WEDNESDAY DEFENDING HIS POLICIES, REVIEW HIS POLITICAL TEACHINGS, CONFIRM A PERMANENT BAN ON THE INDONESIAN COMMUNIST PARTY, AND HAVE GENERAL SUHARTO FORM AN EFFICIENT CABINET. THE STUDENTS CHEERED AND CHANTED AS GENERAL NASUTION EMERGED FROM THE CONGRESS BUILDING, CLAMBERED ATOP AN ARMOURED CAR RINGED BY ARMED SECURITY GUARDS AND ACCEPTED THE RESOLUTION.

THE STUDENTS ALSO DEMANDED GENERAL ELECTIONS WITHIN TWO YEARS, CLAIMING THERE WERE STILL "YES MEN" - AN APPARENT REFERENCE TO SUKARNO SUPPORTERS - IN THE CONGRESS. THE RESOLUTION CALLED ON THE LEADERSHIP TO TURN CONGRESS INTO "A REAL ASSEMBLY REPRESENTING THE WISHES OF THE PEOPLE".

(THE 521-MAN CONGRESS HAS RECENTLY BEEN HIGHLY CRITICAL OF THE ONCE ALL-POWERFUL PRESIDENT SUKARNO AND HAS STILL FURTHER CURBED HIS POWERS BY CONFIRMING GENERAL SUHARTO AS EXECUTIVE HEAD OF GOVERNMENT AND ELECTING GENERAL NASUTION - DISMISSED AS DEFENCE MINISTER EARLIER THIS YEAR BY THE PRESIDENT - AS ITS CHAIRMAN).