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Indonesia Roundup No 10 - April 10-16, 2006

[Indonesia roundup is a weekly compilation of actions, demonstrations and protests taken from Indonesian language news sources produced by the INDOLEFT News Service and the People's Democratic Party (PRD). Please note that actions already covered by English language media sources are generally omitted. Compiled and translated by James Balowski.]

Actions, demos, protests...

  • East Kalimantan coal mine workers demand unpaid wages
  • Love of peace action held in Central Jakarta
  • Vice president greeted by protests in East Java
  • Bandung taxi drivers demonstrate again
  • Students launch hunger strike at State Palace
  • East Java workers protest Yudhoyono over labour law revisions
  • Solo street traders protest forced removal from city centre
  • Timber factory workers in Padang demand severance pay
  • Villagers protest delays in direct cash subsidy disbursements
  • North Maluku residents demand division of sub-district
  • Students and workers in Bali demand labour law be revoked
  • Malang automobile workers in protest outsourcing
  • Former Securicor workers protest at British Embassy
  • Students demand nationalisation of foreign companies
  • Former Texmaco employees protest in Jakarta
  • Students clash with police over water rate hikes
  • Protests against labour law revisions continue in Bitung
  • Hundreds protest corruption in Tegal
  • Honorary teachers demonstrate in Bandung

  • East Kalimantan coal mine workers demand unpaid wages

    Dozens of coal mine workers from Loa Tebu in the Kutai Kartanegara regency of East Kalimantan demonstrated on April 9 demanding the payment of outstanding wages. They also opposed planned revisions to the labor law that they said will seriously harm to workers, particularly in the context of many mining companies already planning to reduce the size of their workforces. (Liputan 6, 10/4/2006)

    Love of peace action held in Central Jakarta

    Around 250 people from the Love of Peace Movement (Genta) campaigned at the Hotel Indonesia roundabout in Central Jakarta on April 9. The group was expressing its concern over the state of the nation that is deteriorating due to violence and conflict. They expressed the hope that different sections of Indonesian society can respect each other and avoid conflict.

    The participants, carrying banners calling for peace, held a procession circling the roundabout accompanied with the strains of traditional music from different parts of the country. Participants also handed out roses to pedestrians. (Liputan 6, 10/4/2006)

    Vice president greeted by protests in East Java

    The arrival of Vice President Jusuf Kalla in the East Java town of Ponorogo was on April 10 was greeted by protests. Kalla was visiting Ponorogo to officiate over the 80th anniversary of the Modern Gontor Pesantren (traditional Islamic boarding school).

    Initially, students gathered at the Jabung intersection around a kilometer from the Pesantren. When students attempted to approach the event, police who had been taunted and insulted by the angry students blockaded them. After some 30 minutes, the students attempted to break though the police cordon resulting in four injuries. (Liputan 6, 10/4/2006)

    Thousands demand stay of execution for Poso Three

    Around 3,000 Catholic Church members supported by the East Indonesia Fraternity Forum (FPIT) held demonstrations at the North Sulawesi Regional House of Representatives (DPRD), the offices of the public prosecutor, the governor and the Philippines Consulate General in Manado on April 11.

    The protesters were calling on President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the Supreme Court and the police to postpone the execution of three death row convicts convicted over the Poso riots. According to action coordinator Luki Senduk, the court hearing on March 9 proved that the three were not involvement in the riots. (Detik.com, 11/4/2006)

    Bandung taxi drivers demonstrate again

    On April 11, more than a thousand taxi drivers from a number of different companies again demonstrated at the West Java DPRD in Bandung. They were demanding that the city administration revoke the operational license for Blue Bird taxis from Jakarta that they say are cutting into their incomes.

    The drivers had wanted to meet with the Bandung mayor but met instead with the deputy speaker of the DPRD, Husni Muttaqin, who promised that they could meet with the deputy mayor later in the afternoon. Drivers said that they planned to camp out at the DPRD. Two Blue Bird taxis were damaged during the action although there were no casualties in the incident. This is the fifth protest action by the drivers. (Kompas Cyber Media, 11/4/2006)

    Students launch hunger strike at State Palace

    Hundreds of students from the National Student League for Democracy (LMND) protested at the State Palace in Central Jakarta on April 11. They were criticising government policies that they say have hurt ordinary people and are depleting the country's natural energy resources. The protesters plan to hold a three-day hunger strike. (Kompas Cyber Media, 11/4/2006)

    East Java workers protest Yudhoyono over labour law revisions

    Thousands of workers from the National Trade Union (SPN) inundated the grounds of the East Java DPRD in Surabaya on April 11. The workers came from a number parts of East Java including Gresik, Sidoarjo, Pasuruan, Mojokerto and Surabaya.

    In speeches they questioned Yudhoyono's motives over the revisions of the labour law. Protesters were only able to give speeches in front of the DPRD as around 500 officers from the Surabaya municipal police tightly guarded the building. As of going to print the demonstration was still continuing with worker representatives planning to meet later with members of the assembly. (Liputan 6, 11/4/2006)

    Solo street traders protest forced removal from city centre

    Hundreds of street traders from the Solo City Street Traders Communication Forum (FKPKLKS) in Central Java demonstrated at the Gladak roundabout in Solo on April 12. They were demanding that the Solo municipal government end the forced removal of traders in the central city area around Jl. Protokol. (Liputan 6, 12/4/2006)

    Timber factory workers in Padang demand severance pay

    Hundreds of former workers and employees from the timber factory PT Khage Lestari Timber demonstrated at the Ulu Gadut Padang factory in Padang, West Sumatra, on April 12. They were demanding that the company honour outstanding severance pay obligations. (Liputan 6, 12/4/2006)

    Villagers protest delays in direct cash subsidy disbursements

    On April 13, hundreds of residents from 25 villages in Banjarharjo demonstrated in the Central Java town of Brebes over delays in the disbursement of direct cash subsidies. The protesters were also expressed concern over village officials taking deductions from the subsidies. (Liputan 6, 12/4/2006)

    North Maluku residents demand division of sub-district

    Around 300 residents of Selat Capalulu in the Sula Islands of North Maluku demonstrated at the offices of the Sula regent and the DPRD in Sanana City on April 12. They were urging the government and people's representatives to immediately split West Mongoli into two sub-districts because West Mongoli City is located at the Falabi Sahaya village and can only be reached by boat. (Liputan 6, 12/4/2006)

    Students and workers in Bali demand labour law be revoked

    Dozens of students and workers in the Balinese capital city of Denpasar protested at the governor's office and the Bali DPRD on April 12. They were demanding that Law Number 13/2003 on Labour be revoked because they believe that it exploits workers and said that it needs to be replaced by a new law that sides with workers. (Liputan 6, 12/4/2006)

    Malang automobile workers in protest outsourcing

    Around 700 workers from the automobile factory PT Adi Putro in the East Java city of Malang went on strike on April 12. They were opposing labour contract systems that has been put into place by the company and demanding a wage increase. The action brought the company's activities to a complete standstill.

    Strike coordinator Usep Sucipto said that three months earlier the company began outsourcing some 50 workers in the core production section which violates the labour law. "Workers wages were not increased because they were used instead by the management for outsourcing", he said.

    Worker representatives had already held negotiations with the company management who said that they had begun outsourcing because production had declined. The action proceeded peacefully with the protesters simply sitting on the factory grounds. "We will stay on strike until the demands are met", said Sucipto. (Tempo Interactive, 12/4/2006)

    Former Securicor workers protest at British Embassy

    After first protesting at the State Palace, around 50 former employees of the British owned company PT Securicor Indonesia "dropped" by the British Embassy in Central Jakarta on April 12. They were asking for support in order to get the company to pay them outstanding severance pay.

    Upon arriving at the Embassy, protesters immediately tried to enter but were stopped by around 40 police officers guarding the action. "We came to the British Embassy to ask for support so that PT Securicor pay five times the calculated period of employment as severance pay for dismissing us arbitrarily one year ago", said Edi, one of the demonstrators.

    According to Edi some 259 Securicor employees were victims of the mass dismissal. "We won in the courts and the case is currently being at the level of an appeal to the Supreme Court", he said. Protesters eventually left the Embassy at around 3.30pm.

    Students demand nationalisation of foreign companies

    Dozens of students from the Mataram State Institute of Islamic Studies under the coordination of Achmad Herwandi demonstrated on April 13. The protesters were demanding the nationalisation of foreign companies in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) such as PT Newmont and an end to repressive actions by the company against the public.

    "The industrial mining activities in Sumbawa Island have the potential to bring with it ever worse damage", said Herwandi in Mataram. He said that the adverse impacts of PT Newmont's activities have already begun to be noticeable such as damage to forests, the loss of biological diversity and the public's access to economic resources such as natural water sources. (Kompas Cyber Media, 13/04/2006)

    Former Texmaco employees protest in Jakarta

    After an earlier action at the offices of the People's Information Center (Lira) in Tebet, South Jakarta, around 300 former Texmaco employees launched a demonstration at the department of labour and transmigration on April 13. The workers have been involved in a long-term dispute with Texmaco over outstanding severance pay.

    The former employees targeted Lira because they believe it has failed to keep a promise to assist them in the resolving the severance pay dispute valued at 150 billion rupiah.

    The head of the Texmaco Group Trade Union Forum, Ahmad Sopari, threatened that they would continue to demonstrate if the company does not pay them. "So far the employees have been quite patient. Keeping silent for more than three years, holding themselves back from anarchic behaviour, but we has still not obtained a positive response [from the company]", said Sopari. (Detik.com, 13/4/2006)

    Students clash with police over water rate hikes

    A protest by hundreds of students from the Khairun University in Ternate, North Maluku on April 12 ended in a clash with police. The incident occurred when protesters refused to reopen the road to the Sultan Baabullah Airport that they had blockaded in protest over increase to drinking water rates.

    When police tried to break up the demonstration, students pelted them with rocks. They even failed to heed warning shots by police. Eventually police forcibly dispersed the demonstrators pursuing some into the Khairun University campus where students again pelted them with stones. As a result of the incident six students and three police officers were injured. (Liputan 6, 12/4/2006)

    Protests against labour law revisions continue in Bitung

    A protest against planned revisions to the labour law was held by hundreds of workers in Bitung, North Sulawesi, on April 13. During their action at the Bitung DPRD, they called on assembly members to respond to their opposition to the draft law. The protest finally ended after DPRD members promised to convey their demands to the central government in Jakarta. (Liputan 6, 13/4/2006)

    Hundreds protest corruption in Tegal

    Hundreds of protesters demonstrated at the Tegal police headquarters and the Tegal prosecutor's offices in Central Java on April 13. The action was held to demand that a number of corruption cases involving the Tegal regional government be investigated.

    According to the protesters, there are at least seven corruption cases that are suspected to involve the former speaker of the Tegal DPRD, Agus Riyanto and a number of other assembly members. They said there were also a number of unresolved corruption cases involving other government agencies in Tegal. (Liputan 6, 13/4/2006)

    Honorary teachers demonstrate in Bandung

    Hundreds of honorary teachers from various schools in Bandung demonstrated at the West Java DPRD on the afternoon of April 13. They were demanding that the government acknowledged the existence of honorary teachers since during the recent intake of civil servants they were unable to sit the exam. Honorary teachers were refused for a number of reasons they have therefore gained the ingression that the government is refusing to acknowledge them. (Liputan 6, 14/4/2006)


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