Thirteen years after the deadly May 1998 riots, Trisakti University students continue to fight for justice and held a vigil for four colleagues killed in the tragedy, as the Attorney General’s Office announced it would soon look into the incident.

On Thursday evening, students were to end their vigil by lighting 1,998 candles at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle after holding a series of events including erecting a free speech arena at the university, blocking roads and meeting with the AGO.

“We have good news this year as Deputy Attorney General Darmono promised us the AGO will look into the incident along with the House of Representatives to find out why progress in the case has stalled,” Trisakti student president Sutan Nalendra said Thursday.

This would mark a step forward in the case, in which four Trisakti students — Elang Mulia Lesmana, Hafidin Royan, Hendriawan and Hery Hartanto — were killed on May 12, 1998, during a demonstration, Sutan said.

But despite signs of progress, the students were also fighting against a threat that could again hamper the case progress: that of the incident becoming less relevant.

“We held a road show at the university today,” Sutan said. “We want to encourage other students to never forget the incident.”

Dea, one of the students who chose not to participate in the commemoration, said she had little faith there would be any progress in the issue.

“There’s nothing new. For years, rallies have been carried out but the case remains stalled. They said some parties managed to evade [responsibility], so how could it possibly be settled?” she said.

However, Putri Violetta, a student who has participated in the rallies four years in a row, said her faith and adoration for the four students who died remained strong.

“I was still in elementary school when [the deaths] occurred, but there’s an emotional bond for me. I see them as our brothers who died unjustly. At least this rally could nudge the government into action,” she said.

Sutan said that this year participation in the event was limited to Trisakti students, unlike in previous years.

“We are adopting a more intellectual method,” he said of his meeting with the AGO.

Activists from various organizations are also scheduling various activities to “fight against forgetting”, Haris Azhar from the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) said.

The activities scheduled include exhibitions, visits to cemeteries, a walk “against forgetting” and
a mass cycling event in memory of victims.