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UNG to force LGBT students to change their sexual orientation
Jakarta Post - November 4, 2016
Syamsu plans to establish a special team to monitor students who have claimed an LGBT sexual orientation. The LGBT students will be obligated to attend special sessions to be "normalized", and if they defy the requirements, the university will impose severe sanctions against them.
The special team will include psychologists and other related experts and will function like an intelligence agency, in which its members will work undercover making friends with students in order to diagnose their sexual orientation.
Students discovered to be homosexuals by the team will later be asked to register for counseling in order to be given "special treatment" so they can return to "normalcy".
The announcement on the establishment of the team, said Syamsu, would serve as a warning to students with an LGBT identity. The rector said that being homosexual was against the image of the campus, which is known as "the college of civilization".
"This is simply a warning. [LGBT people] must return to their true and correct nature," Syamsu said on Thursday.
All students diagnosed as LGBT will face thorough interviews. The team has been granted power by the university to summon the parents of students found have an LGBT identity.
"This is a silent operation. We will not investigate all students at once. We don't want to draw unnecessary attention to the process," the rector said.
However, Syamsu emphasized that students confirmed to be LGBT who refused to give up their LGBT identity, would no longer be supported by the college and their scholarships would be revoked.
"One of the [threats] facing LGBT students is scholarship withdrawal, and they will no longer be permitted to use other campus facilities," said Syamsu.
Syamsu said the campus would not expel LGBT students because he "respects their right to receive an education".
The rector further said the team would only examine sexuality in students and not lecturers because he does not believe any of the school's lecturers are LGBT.
Research, Technology and Higher Education Minister Muhammad Nasir threatened to ban LGBT people from entering state universities in January. He retracted his statement following strong public protests. Several universities, such as the University of North Sumatra and Yogyakarta State University, also adopted a harsh stance against LGBT students.
Meanwhile, the ministry's director general for learning and student affairs, Intan Ahmad, said the ministry's stance on LGBT students would remain consistent with Nasir's statement, saying that it was the decision of the rector at the UNG to make a policy regarding LGBT students.
However, he said he disagreed with the plan to revoke scholarships and other campus facilities if LGBT students continued to identify as LGBT.
"In my opinion, students have the right to earn scholarships as citizens despite their race, religion, etc. I am planning to visit UNG to discuss this issue with the rector. I suggest that UNG not revoke student scholarships," Intan said.
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