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Megawati answers the people’s protests with repression

[The following is a statement issued by the Central Leadership Committee of the People’s Democratic Party (KPP-PRD) on January 24, 2003. Translated by James Balowski.]

Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri has answered the peoples demonstrations with arrogance, speeches which do not the slightest correction to the policies of the government, and moreover have arrogantly criticised the press and recent actions who’s level of political consciousness is no longer willing to be bribed by illusion in the form of reductions in the price of fuel. The character of the speech is as if the government does not want to make a compromise in the face of the people’s protests and that there can be no more actions because the government has already reduced the price of a number of fuel products. The politics of a steel hand are be used, this has been proven by the breaking up of actions rejecting the war against Iraq and actions by the National Youth Opposition Front (Barisan Muda Oposisi Nasional) in Jakarta on the grounds that they had not informed police of the actions and after regional actions were repressed by the use of "battalions" of thugs.

This clearly shows us that the true character of the present government is anti-democratic and it is a faithful puppet of imperialism which is prepared to sacrifice its own people by refusing to change its policies, failing to arrest the corrupters and sizing their assets, continue policies of price increases and maintain a dependency on foreign loans (an additional loan from the Consultative Group on Indonesia of US$ 3.14 billion). Moreover the press, which has faithfully carried out its function as one of the pillars of democracy, by reporting objectively on the facts, has been criticised and accused of being unfair and not being impartial in its reporting.

The truth is that that the present actions will continue because in reality what we are protesting is not only a component of the economic policies of the Megawati-Hamzah government, rather, because all of the policies which are arranged jointly by the agents of imperialism (the IMF) must be cancelled. Because it is impossible to obtain this from the present government, these actions represent a historical desire to give birth to a new government. No longer must the people be defeated by the authorities -- moreover one which is arrogant -- the authorities must submit to the will of the people as the holder of sovereignty without compromise. Historically, repression will only increase the size of the people’s demonstrations and bring the government that much closer to its grave.

Finally, the Central Leadership of the People’s Democratic Party express our gratitude to the press, democracy is being expressed, thank you to you all.

Unite to overthrow the Mega-Haz government!
Unite to form a government of the poor!

Jakarta, January 24 2003
KPP-PRD
Yusuf Lakaseng
Head of Military Research Division
Mobile Phone: 08158910062