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Our Tasks – The People's Struggle Weekly
Weekly newsletter of the People’s Democratic Party – Edition Number 2, February 2003
The movement to overthrow Mega must be pure
The people’s protests against the policies of the government of President Megawati Sukarnoputri and Vice-president Hamzah Haz have now entered their nineteenth day, and there is no sign they will subside. As a result of this wave of protests, the government has become uncertain, there are cracks everywhere the basic authority of the government and they were forced to bribe the people by delaying the increases in telephone charges.
The government’s fear was such that they tried to intimidate the people and students who were protesting by warning that they must not be "exploited", that they must safeguard the "purity of the moral movement" and so forth. The essence of statements by the National Intelligence Body, the Coordinating Minister for Security and Politics and that politician which knows no shame, Vice-president Hamzah Haz, is that the anger of the people will not develop enough to overthrow the government. But the reality is that healthy reasoning tells us that anyone who says that they defend a government who’s policies are anti-people, means that they want to prolonging the suffering of the people. This kind of reaction is no more than an effort to legitimise the repression of the movement which will overthrow the Mega-Haz government and to frighten others who are protesting.
For us, of course the movement must be pure, all of the people’s protests must be pure and become a movement to overthrow the Mega-Haz government. There is no basis or hope to believe that by maintaining the Mega-Haz government people’s lives will improve, therefore they must be overthrown and replaced by a new government. Day by day, more and more sections of society are becoming conscious of the importance of the purity of the movement. In concert with this, the protests from the moderate groups have developed and become increasing hard and are now demanding that "Mega-Haz must resign". On January 18, thousands of students from the Bogor Agricultural Institute blockaded the presidents residence in Jalan Teuku Umar, launching a protest and inviting the president to live a simple life, a president who’s life style is one of extravagance (her collection of expensive cars, wasting billions of rupiah for a birthday party and here trips overseas).
The consciousness of the need to replace the Mega-Haz government has already become the position of the majority of the movement, and soon it will become the demand of the whole movement. There will be no reactionary force whatsoever which will be able to stop the advance of the people’s resistance, all of the shameful acts, the arrests, shootings and terror by thugs who support Mega-Haz (such as happened in Semarang, Yogyakarta and Palu) as well as the security forces, will only become a trigger for the emergence of an even larger movement. The people are already sick of the political elite, including those in the People’s Representative and Consultative Assemblies (DPR/MPR). This is because the entire political elite are determined to bombard the people with neoliberal policies which create suffering everywhere, and have agreed to protect the corrupters and violators of human rights from the New Order regime and its cronies.
The desire to replace the Mega-Haz government is being discussed everywhere – in the media, political circles and the extra-parliamentary opposition. All kinds of different concepts are being rolled out: a national presidium – as proposed by Eros Jarot from the Bung Karno Nationalist Party, and Rakhmawati Sukarno Putri and the Vanguard Party – holding a special session of the parliament, demands that the elections be brought forward – as proposed by members of the DPR from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), Aberson also, voiced by the [Nahdlatul Ulama’s task force] GP Ansor – along with demands for the formation of a government of the poor as an alternative force as called for by the People’s Democratic Party (PRD).
Transitional government
We have to analyze these proposals, one by one, in order that we are not mistaken in seeking an alternative, and are not trapped in reformism or giving a mandate to the political elite who have so far been proven to be in wrong. A presidium in accordance with its format clearly represents an authoritative body which is elitist and with a biased character. What else could it be if the members, the representatives of the opposition and so on tend to use a bourgeois analysis which has been developed by the media and the traditional bourgeoisie.
For example, if the presidium members represent religious groups, the traditional elite, youth figures, military figures, important ex-elite figures and so on – who are beyond the reach of active control by the people and an understanding of how a transitional government should resolve the central problems which are burdening the people. However with such a loose character, the elites of this presidium or Ciganjurist [a term derived from a meeting of opposition figures in 1998 - JB] model, has the potential to return the figures and remnants of the old authorities to power, figures who’s character and political actions are not very different for the present government.
The best minimal achievement of a presidium government is if it is able to be broadened out to include all elements of the democratic movement who have proven themselves to be consistent in struggling for the people. An example of a broad based presidium is the KNIP (Indonesian National Committee of Unity), a presidium which was born during the 1945 national revolution. The KNIP not only operated as presidium at the national level, but because it was insufficient as a real authoritative body, it was also formed in the provinces and even the cities.
Demands for an early election, if it is in accordance with the existing model and legislation, will only produce the same kind of elite government. How can it be otherwise when the legislation on elections and political parties was drawn up by the large parties in such a way that it blocks the emergence of an alternative force. It is clear that demand for an earlier election, or an election in 2004, will only give birth to a government who’s character is the same, because it will also be born from the elite who’s character is already on public record. There is only on exception, it will only be a solution if the election is brought forward but run by a government of the poor. If the Mega-Haz government is replaced through a special session of the parliament, then the outcome will be far worse for the people. The bast way is for the people is to form a government of the poor. This government would be a coalition government of classes, sectors and individuals who were truly born out of the people’s movement who are firm and have the highest consistency in struggling for and serving the interests of the poor. In truth, political parties should not be allowed to be involved in such a government. Because political parties are only a collection of individuals who’s thinking is advanced and a tool to debate political ideas, however it does not have the right to claim itself as the representative of the people. But the presence of political parties cannot be prohibited, because this represents a political right of the people to gather and express an opinion. If individual parties wish to contribute to a government of the poor, they must be respected by the people from the district which elected them, not because they represent a particular party. All representatives who sit in a government of the poor must be able to be recalled at any time by their electorate.
This is the government which must be formed by the people from the national down to village level. In the initial, embryonic stage, a government of this kind could be established, especially if the crisis and consciousness advance from the present movement and give birth to thousands of organisations which share the same destiny, the same profession, which is formed by the people and becomes a means to launch protests against the ant-people government. Because of this the existing coalitions at the national and local level need to immediately form associations as an initial stage in the formation of a united national congress which will become the embryo of a government of the poor.
These association can take different forms and be made up different elements such as: The National Opposition Movement, a grouping of non-government organisations, mass organisations and progressive political parties which was declared on January 18 Declaration; The National Alliance formed by non-government organisations, mass organisations and progressive political parties which was declared on January 14; The Alliance of Mothers Conscience formed from women’s non-government organisations, mass organisations and figures from the women’s movement; the Alliance of Trade Unions which has already held a number of actions and so on. This is the most important and advantageous step to immediately seize the historical task: to unite all coalitions and people’s organisations on a national basis. After being consolidated through a national congress it will become a national opposition movement which openly opposes and fights against all of the policies of the anti-people Mega-Haz government and to replace their authority. This need is not just idealism from a naïve movement, except for those who ignore the facts and objective gains of the movement. In a number or regions various kinds of fronts have already been formed, what remains is the task of uniting them.
Dialectically speaking however, the national opposition congress must immediately be followed by advancing the quality of its program in order to further serve the interests of the poor, broaden its structure so that the people’s territorial structures which are still very small, professionalise their work so that as a organ of struggle it has real political authority and support from the people.
A government such as this is the only one who’s authority is able to resolve, quickly and consistently, the problems burdening the people: reduce prices, end privatisation and establish social management of strategic industries along with the fair distribution of wealth, nationalise the assets of the conglomerates of the New Order cronies, imprison and seize the assets of the corrupters without compensation, organise free health care and education for the people, cancel the foreign debt, protect and modernise the national productive forces from the attacks of trade liberalisation, provide technology and capital to farmers, resolve in a fair way all of the land disputes where land was seized by the New Order, revoke all legislation which is anti-democratic and try the perpetrators of past human rights violations and resolve in a democratic manner the right to self-determination for the peoples of Aceh and West Papua.
Advance the poor people’s
movement!
Form a government of the
people and by the people for the poor.
Until Mega-Hamzah resign, the wave of protest will continue to spread
The following data was obtained from news reports from a number of national newspapers and People’s Democratic Party (PRD) branches.
Yogyakarta: January 10 – Students from the National Development University in Yogyakarta sealed off the Telkom office. Meanwhile the masses from the Yogyakarta Social Alliance, the Student Executive Body (BEM), the Muslim Student Action Alliance IAIN Suka along with the Indonesian Islamic Student Movement, Sleman chapter – occupied the grounds of the regional parliament on Jalan Malioboro for an entire day. On January 11 and with the same demands, around 100 students from the Yogyakarta Student Front held an action at the intersection of Jalan Jenderal Sudirman in Yogyakarta. The students hijacked a oil truck and held a long-march to the Yogyakarta provincial parliament. On January 12, around 50 students from the Yogyakarta chapter of the Islamic Students Association (HMI) held an action at the provincial parliament. They rejected the increase in the prices of fuel, electricity and telephone charges, called for an end to privatisation of state owned industries by the IMF, the World Bank and the Consultative Group on Indonesia (CGI), along with the seizure of the assets of the criminal conglomerates. On January 13, a number of Yogyakarta student groups continued their protests against the increases in fuel, electricity and telephone charges. An action organised by the Yogyakarta National Student Committee was joined by hundreds of people. The action began at the Janabadra university. The second action by around 50 students from the Yogyakarta HMI Alliance was held at the grounds of the regional parliament. At the University of Gaja Mada (UGM) roundabout and action was held involving scores of students from National Student League for Democracy (LMND). A number of demands were made including rejecting the price increases of fuel, electricity and telephone charges, rejecting the ASIAN Free Trade Area, the CGI, IMF and World Bank. They also rejected the privatisation of state owned industries and called for a national strike in the offices of state owned industries and other government offices. On January 14, around 200 people from the Anti-Globalisation Peoples Coalition held and action which began at the UGM roundabout before holding a long-march to the main post office. They made five demands: reject the price increases, cancel the release and discharge of debtors, cancel the divestment of the telecommunications company Indosat, cancel the foreign debt and unconditionally release all political prisoners.
Solo: January 15 – Around 300 people from the Indonesian Muslim Students Action Front (KAMMI), LMND, HMI and the PRD and a number of other groups held a demonstration. The action began at the Gladag roundabout followed by a long-march to the Telkom offices in Solo. As well as demanding a reduction in the price of fuel, electricity and telephone charges, they also rejected the privatisation of Indosat and state owned industries.
Makkasar: January 10 – A convoy of thousands stretching almost two kilometers traveled to the Telkom offices in Makkasar. The students demanded that the flag on the Telkom offices be lowered to half-mast and for an end to operations (which was fulfilled) for five minutes. On January 14, thousand of people from various different groups returned to demonstrate. Aside from planning to blockade President Megawati who was visiting Makkasar (which was canceled), they also rejected the increases to the price of fuel, electricity and telephone charges.
Palembang: January 14 – Thousands of people went out into the streets to protest the increase in fuel, electricity and telephone charges. They also demanded that the government of Megawati-Hamzah Haz resign. The demonstration was held at the South Sumatra regional parliament in Pelembang. The students also hijacked two fuel trucks. The protest included groups from the PRD, LMND, the All Indonesia Trade Union (SPSI) and students from the Bina Darma and PGRI universities. On January 15, thousands of high-school students arrive at the Palembang council offices protesting the increases to the price of fuel, electricity and telephone charges. As a result of the price increases, they complained that it was difficult to find public transport which would accept student discount fares.
Bandung: January 13 – Around 500 people from the Pasundan University BEM and Indonesian Prosperity Trade Union (SBSI) inundated the West Java regional parliament building protesting the price hikes to fuel, electricity and telephone charges. On January 15, around 300 people from the Islamic Youth Movement, the Untied Development Party and students returned to the regional parliament to demonstrate against the price increases.
Jakarta: January 10 – Around 5000 people from BEM se-Jabotabek blockaded the presidential palace voicing the same demands. The students set fire to tyres and later the demonstration turned into a pushing and shoving match with police only five metres from the palace gates. The action continued until late afternoon. On January 13 at the Radio Republic Indonesia building, scores of people from the University Indonesia Student Action Front demanded that the radio station air a direct broadcast of their action. Meanwhile at the national parliament building, around 600 students and employees of Indosat held a demonstration. Previously they had held an action at the Indosat building. As well as rejecting the privatisation of Indosat, they also rejected the price increases to fuel, electricity and telephone charges. After the action by Indosat workers dispersed, around 100 people from Forkot (City Forum) and students from the University MPU Tantular arrived. Their demands were the same, rejecting the price increases. Meanwhile at the Hotel Indonesia roundabout, around 100 people from the Youth Front of the National Mandate Party held a demonstration. They also demanded that the price increases be canceled. On January 14, thousands of workers from the Confederation of All Indonesian Trade Unions demonstrated rejecting the increases to the price of fuel, electricity and telephone charges. They demanded a response from the People’s Representative Assembly who agreed to the price increases. Meanwhile at the presidential palace, thousands of women from the Muslimah Solidarity Forum of Concern for Poor People demonstrated demanding the cancellation of price increases of fuel, electricity and telephone charges as well as demanding that the corrupters be tried. They also called on state officials to live frugally. Earlier they had held speeches at the Indosat and coordinating ministry offices. On January 15, tens of thousands of students from BEM se-Jabotabek again blockaded the presidential palace. Their demands were the same, rejecting the price increases of fuel, electricity and telephone charges as well as rejecting the privatisation of state owned industries.
Surabaya: January 11 – Around 500 activists from the Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) in Surabaya demonstrated against the price increases to fuel, electricity and telephone charges. They also offered a single solution. Apply Islamic law in Indonesia. The HTI activists had filled the grounds of the East Java provincial parliament since 9am. On January 13, around 100 people held a demonstration at the Jatim regional parliament. They came from the Alliance of Nationalist Indonesian Youth, LMND, the Indonesian Nation Front for Workers Struggle, the Indonesian Islamic Student Movement (PMII) and other groups. Following the demonstration they went to the State Electricity Company Joint Business Distribution Unit in Jatim on Jalan Gemblongan in Surabaya. As they passed Jalan Pahlawan, right in front of the Surabaya 21 film theater, an altercation suddenly broke out between the demonstrators and police. One person, Tino, was arrested by security forces.
Mojokerto: January 14 – Around 2500 workers from SPSI arrived at the Mojokerto regional parliament on Jalan Veteran. Like demonstrations in other cities, they also demanded the cancellation of price increases to fuel, electricity and telephone charges. Originating from 40 factories in Mojokerto, most came from the Ngoro industrial zone, around 35 kilometers from the Mojokerto city centre. Representatives the parliament only promised to pass on the workers’ demands.
Palu: January 13 – Actions rejecting the price increase continued in Palu. On Monday, thousands of students went to the Sulteng regional parliament on Jalan Sam Ratulangi. They came from LMND and the Central Sulawasi Poor People’s Front. As well as giving speeches, the protesters set fire to tyres on Jalan Sam Ratulangi. They demanded that the government cancel the price increase to fuel, electricity and telephone charges. If not, the Megawati-Hamzah Haz government must resign. According to Feri Anwar, the chairperson of the Central Sulawesi PRD branch, the actions will continued until the demands are fulfilled. They are planning to reject the arrival of President Megawati in Palu on January 15. On January 14, around 3000 people from the Sulteng Student and People’s Front were joined by students from four campuses, LMND, PMII, the Sulteng Anti-violence Against Women Forum and other groups, who demonstrated at the Sulteng regional parliament after holding a long-march. They rejected the price increases to fuel, electricity and telephone charges and shouted "Overthrow the Mega-Hamzah government". They then burnt posters of president Megawati. They also carried banners which read: "Take down the photographs of Megawati and Hamza Haz from the walls of your houses". They also burnt tyres in the ground of the regional parliament. On January 15, demonstrations against the price increases and demanding the regulation of the Mega-Haz government became increasingly heated. Thousands of people from the Sulteng Poor People’s Forum and the Student and People’s Movement held a long-march along the length of Jalan Sultan Hasanudin and Jalan Mohammad Yamin toward the Mutiara roundabout, to reject the visit by Megawati and other members of her cabinet. As they returned from the roundabout, passing the regional offices of the Sulteng Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), because they were provoked by PDI-P security personnel (a day before scores of PDI-P security personnel had carried knives to intimidate demonstrators), a clash broke out. Scores of people were injured and the PDI-P office damaged. Scores of demonstrators were arrested by the security forces.
Medan, January 10 – Around 500 students from the Indonesian University of Social Development, the North Sumatra University and the North Sumatra Islamic University set fire to tyres in front of their campus before moving off to the regional parliament. The student threatened that if they demands are not fulfilled the Mega-Haz government must resign. On January 13, 2000 or more students and Indosat workers staged a demonstration at the North Sumatra regional parliament. The action demanded that the government cancel the price increases to fuel, electricity and telephone charges. Coming from eight schools of higher education, as well as demanding a reduction in the price of fuel, they also called for the overthrow of the government duet of Mega-Hamza and that the privatisation of Indosat be canceled. On January 14, almost 5000 people from a number of groups took over occupying the North Sumatra parliamentary offices. They came from HTI, the North Sumatra Workers Advocacy Network, SPSI, PRD and students from the Pancabudi and North Sumatra Islamic Universities. There demands were the same, demanding that the government cancel the price increases to fuel, electricity and telephone charges, try the corrupters and seize the wealth of the corrupters. They also rejected the privatisation of state owned industries and called from the cancellation of the privatisation of Indosat. Worker groups also pressed the Sumut Governor, HT Rizal Nurdin to revise the provincial minimum wage for 2003. A number of statement also demanded the resignation of the Mega-Haz government. On January 15, around 700 people from the Muhamadiya Student Association, the Golkar party’s youth wing, AMPI and students form the North Sumatra Islamic University arrived at the Telkom regional offices. The also rejected the price increase of fuel, electricity and telephone charges.
The principle aim of the workers’ struggle is to overthrow the Mega-Haz government’
By Lukman Hakim
The deviation from the process of reformasi has opened the way for the birth of a new tyranny and the return of the old forces (the New Order and the military). The government has changed three times, from Suharto, to Gus Dur, to Megawati, however the prosperity of the people continues to be neglected. The whole regime is of the same character, opportunist, hesitant, indecisive and anti-poor people.
It is clear to all of us that the regime of President Megawati Sukarnoputri and Vice-president Hamzah Haz along with their parliament has failed. It is already very clear in the eyes of the people that it is no longer reasonable to maintain the Mega-Hamzah regime. All of the different sectors of society are feeling the exploitation of the Mega-Hamzah regime which has become a puppet of international imperialism (with the help of the IMF, World Bank and the Consultative Group on Indonesia).
At the beginning of the year the people were burdened by the price increases of fuel, electricity and telephone charges. Everywhere, this policy became the trigger for the people’s anger. Many members of the elite who are trying to gain the sympathy of the people (falsely) have joined in rejecting this policy. Similar demands have emerged from the movement, that is rejecting the price increases. This has developed into a rejection of the Mega-Hamza regime. Repressive actions by the government against protesters has also increase the conviction that the regime must be brought down.
How then should the workers’ movement position itself in this situation. Like the issue of the poor people, the workers are an element of the society who suffer more year by year. The impact of the price increases to fuel, electricity and telephone charges will result in an estimated 4.5 million workers being dismissed from the manufacturing sector. Moreover, in the small and medium-size business sector, the threat of dismissals is even greater. In Jakarta for example, small and medium-scale bread companies are no longer able to operate and will dismiss half of their work force, around 1785 people. These new sackings will increase the ranks of the unemployed who in 2002 had already reach 45 million people. The prices of other goods and services will follow, rocketing 25 per cent or more, while increases to the provincial minimum wage have only been around 7 per cent. In parallel with this, the regime has been privatising state owned industries. So far 33 state owned industries have been sold and the remainder are waiting in line. The threat of these sales is clear: dismissals and the theft of the people’s wealth.
Workers conditions in the future will be more and more difficult, the laws on the Establishment of Protection for Labour and the Resolution of Industrial Disputes will also come into force this year. So there is no other choice for workers and their movement to begin to struggle politically, not just limiting their demands to issues in prosperity. Now is the right time to begin, in the midst of the explosive wave of the people’s resistance. The disappointment of the poor with the Mega-Hamzah regime has already reached a level which is elevated and widespread. The demand to overthrow the regime has spread everywhere. The idea of replacing the regime with a new government has begun to gain momentum. Workers as the most important component in the running of the economy must immediately take a stand, or they will again be deceived by the elite.
The workers’ movement must be actively involved in the movement to overthrow the Mega-Hamzah regime, and actively involved in forming a new government along with other democratic elements and the poor. Only with a change in the regime, the demands for wage increases and guarantees of posterity for the working class can be guaranteed. The active participation of workers in the political struggle is the key to change, to build a better system. The economic struggle must be complimented with the political and ideological struggle, the working class is the holder of the bright torch for the future.
On January 9, many parties were surprised by the "alliance" between workers and business (Indonesian Business Association, APINDO). Both groups agreed to go out into the streets to reject the price increase to fuel, electricity and telephone charges. Many parties, including trade unions believed that that moment was the beginning of a union between workers and business. However the working class cannot forget, that low wages and dismissals by business continue to a threaten their livelihood.
The demands to reduce prices must be linked with the regime who implemented these policies. Therefore the demand to replace the Mega-Haz regime must become the primary agenda of the workers’ movement. Of the 7000 or so workers who were involved in the January 9 demonstration, may still only have an economic consciousness. This is because many union leaders are directing the consciousness of workers only as far as rejecting the price increases, isolating the political consciousness of workers by not demanding the replacement of the regime.
Now is the time for the workers’ movement to choose who its comrades are in its struggle. Who are they? They are students, the urban poor, farmers, fisherpeople and other democratic elements. More precisely, they are the ones who have the same line of struggle, as well as having a program of struggle which is exact, that is the overthrow of the regime and the formation of an alternative government. However such an alliance is not built just for joint actions, or just as an action committee. Rather a strategic alliance which has an advanced program, strategy and tactics. An alliance built as an embryonic government of the poor.
Thus the building of an alliance between the workers’ movement and other democratic elements must be given meaning with a program of building secretariats as a means of struggle from the lowest level, based with the people. The alliance must also have a program of action, discussion and distribution of political material on a regular basis. So that their involvement will provide a contribution on the advancement of the consciousness of the entire working class. Most importantly, is should be carried out to eradicate false illusions which are supplied by the leaders of trade unions and the propagandists of the regime. Only though this path, will the genuine consciousness of the working class will emerge, a consciousness of the days that lie ahead.
Our Tasks (Tugas Kita – Mingguan Perjuangan Rakyat) is published weekly by the Central Leadership Committee of the People’s Democratic Party (KPP-PRD).
Editorial Board:
Haris Rusli Moti, Natalia Scholastika, Roysepta Abimanyu, Lukman Hakim, Yusuf Lakaseng, Wibowo Arief, Jakfar, Vivi Widyawati, Aswan Jaya, Kelik Ismunanto, Kamaludin Pade.
Translated by James Balowski
Bank account details: BCA KCP Urip Sumoharjo 4560567044