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Indonesia Roundup No 24 - July 17-23, 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...

  • Housewives protests over price of school registration fees
  • Workers blockade Surabaya regional parliament
  • Environment activists erect massive banner
  • Workers in Cianjur demand return of deposits
  • Housewives and children demand rice quota
  • Land dispute hearing in Palu marred by demonstration
  • Farmers demand repairs to Kalibening irrigation system
  • Yogya earthquake victims demand resignation of vice president
  • Residents protest over elections in Maluku
  • Protests over cash subsidies in West Kalimantan
  • Wonorejo residents besiege police station
  • Yogyakarta earthquake victims ask Kalla to keep promise
  • Hunger strike in Yogyakarta enters ninth day
  • Farmer demonstration in Subang ends in clash
  • Acehnese students condemn Israel

    • Housewives protests over price of school registration fees

    Around 100 housewives in the South Sulawesi capital of Makassar protested at the Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) on July 17 calling for the Makassar municipal government to fulfil its promise to abolish payments for registering students to attend school.

    The demonstrators, who came from the Poor People's Struggle Committee (KPRM), arrived at the DPRD at around 11am. Initially they assembled on the side of the road in front of the DPRD grounds where they gave speeches opposing the registration payments.

    Syamsiari for example, complained that she had to pay 340,000 rupiah to register her child at the Makassar State Senior High School 29. "They said it was to pay for uniforms. Plus a sport and batik shirt. Where will I get the money from. I don't have that kind of money", she said.

    After giving speeches on the side of the road, a number of the protesters entered the DPRD grounds to continue the action while they waited to meet with assembly members. (Detik.com, 17/7/2006)

    Workers blockade Surabaya regional parliament

    Worker demonstrations have again rocked the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya. On July 17 more than 2,500 workers from the Sinar Angkasa Rungkut (SAR) light bulb factory held a demonstration at the Surabaya DPRD demanding that assembly members assist them in forcing the company to pay them the regional minimum wage.

    The action was so closely guarded by police that the workers had to arrive in waves and were kept at a distance of around 100 metres form the DPRD building. Police also erected barbed wire barriers. Fully armed Mobile Brigade officers also stood guard at the Mitra Cinema located next door to the DPRD. Police also closed of a number of roads resulting a major traffic jam in the city.

    According to the head of the II Work Unit, Sutrisno, workers at the factory are still receiving the old minimum wage of 578,000 rupiah per month whereas on July 3 the East Java governor denied a request by the company to be exempted from having to pay new minimum wage brought in at the beginning of the year. (Detik.com, 17/7/2003)

    Environment activists erect massive banner

    A massive banner measuring 4x6 metres was erected on an overpass in front of the offices of the Environment Ministry on July 17 with a message demanding that the minister take a firm position on the PT Lapindo Brantas hot mud disaster in Sidoarjo, East Java.

    The banner, which put up by around 20 activists from the Indonesian Environmental Forum (Walhi), the Indonesian Youth Front for Struggle (FPPI) and the Artisans' Theater who were holding a demonstration in front of the ministry, read "The hot mud case in Sidoarjo, the Minister for the Environment must be pro-environment, not pro-capital". They also brought banners with the message "Solidarity for the Sidoarjo hot mud".

    The protesters demanded that the minister be firmer in handling the Sidoarjo hot mud disaster by explaining whether or not the mud is dangerous, particularly since many consider it useful for making bricks. "We are asking the minister to make a definite decisions as to weather or not the mud is dangerous. If yes, at least action can be taken to prevent the illnesses breaking out among the people", said FPPI action coordinator Gamulya. (Detik.com, 17/7/2006)

    Workers in Cianjur demand return of deposits

    More than 200 prospective workers have again protested at the Miftahul Gina Foundation in the West Java city of Cianjur. They were demanding that the foundation return deposits of between 750,000 to 1.5 million rupiah. Earlier, the foundation had promised to place the workers in jobs in the industrial zones of Tangerang, Bandung and Bekasi on the condition that they deposit the money first. (Liputan 6, 17/7/2006)

    Housewives and children demand rice quota

    Dozens of housewives and children from poor families in the village of Rea in the West Sulawesi regency of Polewali demonstrated on July 17 demanding that Jamaluddin resign from his post as village head. The demonstrators accused Jamaluddin of hoarding rice allocated for the poor and selling it for profit. As a result many poor families have not received their quota of rice. During the action the protesters marched around the village carrying pots, pans and other kitchen utensils. (Liputan 6, 17/7/2006)

    Land dispute hearing in Palu marred by demonstration

    Dozens of student activists and non-government organisations (NGO) demonstrated during a hearing at the Palu District Court in Central Sulawesi on July 18. The court was hearing a land dispute case between residents of the Maesa village and the Tadulako 132 Sub-Regional Military Command (Korem). The protesters were demanding that the land be returned to residents however the panel of judges decided that the thousands of square metres of land would remain the property of the military. (Liputan 6, 18/7/2006)

    Farmers demand repairs to Kalibening irrigation system

    Dozens of farmers from the National Farmers Union (STN) demonstrated at the offices of the Magelang regional government on July 17. They were asking for guarantees from the government for the realisation of planned repairs to the Kalibening irrigation system.

    The protesters also brought posters with their demands such as "Water management that is really for the farmers", "100% of the Kalibening water for farmers", "Repair the irrigation system" and "Water should not become a business".

    Slamet Chudori, a farmer from Mertoyudan said that every dry season the farm land in the villages of Sukorejo and Bondowoso experience problems getting enough water because the supply from the Kalibening irrigation system is inadequate.

    STN secretary for the Magelang regency, Wahyu Sukma Hadi said that at a meeting in April the government had promised to begin repairs by July using funds of 51 billion rupiah from the central government. "We want a written promise", he said during a dialogue with government officials. (Suara Merdeka, 18/7/2006)

    Yogya earthquake victims demand resignation of vice president

    Around 300 victims of the Yogyakarta earthquake held a protest demanding that Vice President Jusuf Kalla resign from office. The demand was made because the protesters believe that Kalla lied by promising to provide reconstruction aid for houses destroyed by the quake.

    During the action that took place at the offices of the Yogyakarta governor on July 18, the protesters gave speeches demanding that Kalla fulfil his promise to provide reconstruction funds of between 10-30 million rupiah per house.

    "We are demanding that the vice president fulfil his promise to provide housing reconstruction aid in accordance with what he told [the public]", said Agus, one of the protesters. Agus also explained that the demonstration was linked with a planned visit by Kalla when he will inspecting reconstruction developments in Yogyakarta and Central Java. (Detik.com, 18/7/2006)

    Residents protest over elections in Maluku

    Dozens of residents from West Seram regency in Maluku demonstrated at the offices of the Maluku governor in Ambon recently. The protesters were protesting over the election of the West Seram regent.

    Some pushing and shoving ensued between protesters and police guarding the office but police eventually allowed them to enter the governor's office. They were unable to meet the Governor Karel Albert however because he was not in the office.

    The demonstrators were angry because they had heard news that Albert has been lobbying the government to inaugurate one of the candidate regents. The prolonged dispute over the elections began after one of the candidates that won the second round admitted to using a false diploma. (Liputan 6, 19/7/2006)

    Protests over cash subsidies in West Kalimantan

    Around 200 residents from the Kakap River sub-district in Pontianak regency demonstrated for the second time at the offices of the West Kalimantan National Statistics Agency (BPS) on July 19. They were questioning the BPS verification process that they said was invalid because they had not obtained direct cash subsidies. (Kompas Cyber Media, 19/7/2006)

    Wonorejo residents besiege police station

    A number of residents from Wonorejo in the sub-district of Batang Serangan, Langkat regency, North Sumatra, demonstrated at the Padang Tualang sectoral police headquarters on July 19. They were demanding the release of Suprayitno and Rusli who were detained on charges attacking and beating a soldier who was on duty at the plantation company PT Perkebunan Nusantara II Langkat. (Liputan 6, 20/7/2006)

    Yogyakarta earthquake victims ask Kalla to keep promise

    A visit by Vice President Jusuf Kalla to the Central Java city of Yogyakarta on July 19 was greeted by a protest by hundreds of earthquake victims who said they had yet to receive living allowances or reconstruction assistance that had been promised by Kalla more than one month ago.

    Kalla met with 15 representatives of the protesters and explained that 1.2 trillion rupiah had been deposited with regional governments in areas hit by the earthquake. He added that local governments should have already distributed the assistance to earthquake victims.

    After meeting with Kalla, Yogyakarta governor Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X promised that distribution of the remaining living allowances would start tomorrow. Reconstruction funds meanwhile would be distributed through respective neighborhood units although due to limited funds each household would only receive 15 million rupiah or half of what was promised by the government. (Liputan 6, 20/7/2006)

    Hunger strike in Yogyakarta enters ninth day

    Protesters demanding living allowances and reconstruction funds are continuing with a hunger strike in front of the Yogyakarta DPRD. Entering the nine day on July 20, the five people are still participating in the strike after six others had to be rushed to hospital for treatment. Although only five now remain, one of the hunger strikers, Ivan declared that the action would continue until the central government fulfilled its promise to provide assistance. (Liputan 6, 21/7/2006)

    Farmer demonstration in Subang ends in clash

    A demonstration by farmers and students at the offices of the Subang chief public prosecutor in West Java not long ago ended in a clash. The clash began when security personnel blocked the protesters as they tried to enter the prosecutor's offices. In speeches earlier, the demonstrators said that law enforcement officials had been slow in investigating a number of corruption cases including the procurement of cars and cows as well as an insurance case involving a number of government officials and members of the local DPRD. (Liputan 6, 21/7/2006)

    Acehnese students condemn Israel

    Hundreds of students and youths from Acehnese Muslim Solidarity for Palestine and Lebanon (SMAPPL) held a demonstration at the United Nations representative offices in Banda Aceh on July 21. They condemned the UN for applying double standards on the question of Palestine and Lebanon.

    After several minutes of speeches in front of the UN offices, a UN representative received several students. During the meeting they asked that their statement be conveyed to the UN headquarters. "They promised to send it, but we don't know if they will or not", said SMAPPL coordinator Hamdan when speaking with journalists after the meeting.

    The demonstrators also condemned the US, the European Union and other Israeli allies. They also expressed their disappointment with the Conference of Islamic Organisations, Arabic countries and other Islamic nations that have not spoken out against Israel's military attacks on Palestine and Lebanon. Before disbursing, the demonstrators set fire to Israeli flags in front of the UN building. (Detik.com, 21/7/2006)

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