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Indonesia Roundup No 4 - February 27-March 5, 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...

  • Protests demanding removal of regent continue in Poso
  • Maspion workers take to the streets again
  • Thousands of civil servants still on strike in Poso
  • Students seal of PLN offices in Solo
  • Honorary teachers protests education minister
  • Papua students in Semarang demand closure of Freeport
  • Students reject ratification of Banten state budget
  • Papua students in Makassar condemn vice president
  • Hundreds of cash subsidy recipients demonstrate in Java
  • Papua students in Yogya demand Freeport be closed down

    • Protests demanding removal of regent continue in Poso

    State civil servants (PNS) and local residents from the Muslim Community Friendship Forum demonstrated again the Central Sulawesi city of Poso on February 27. They were demanding the removal of Poso regent Piet Inkiriwang over accusations of corruption and nepotism as well as suspicions of document forgery.

    An uproar broke out when a man known as Syafrudin Mahmud joined demonstrators and was attacked and beaten because he was suspected of being a police spy. Police witnessing the incident immediately moved in to rescue the man. Despite this the protest continued with demonstrators conveying their demands in a meeting with the Poso Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) where they threatened to continue the strike if their demands were not met. (Liputan 6, 27/02/2006)

    Maspion workers take to the streets again

    After taking a two-day holiday, on February 27 thousands of PT Maspion Group workers again demonstrated demanding to be paid the revised minimum monthly wage (UMK). This time it was the turn of the East Java governor's office to be the target of the protest with workers saying the governor was the last resort after the East Java DPRD failed to heed their demands.

    The Maspion management had in fact already agreed to a 30,000 rupiah increase but workers remained unsatisfied. They said the difference of 30,000 rupiah only covered the shortfall for workers who had been employed for a year or less while on average most had been employed for three or more years. "From the start we demanded the difference between the 2005 UMK and the 2006 revisions be added to the basic wage, so since the revision there should have been an increase of an average of 107,000 not just 30,000", said PT Maspion Trade Union coordinator Pamungkas. (Tempo Interactive, 28/2/2006)

    Thousands of civil servants still on strike in Poso

    Thousands of state civil servants and honorary teachers in the Poso regency of Central Sulawesi remain on strike. The strike has been going on since Thursday and protesters say they will not return to work until Poso Regent Piet Inkiriwang is removed from his post. The workers believe that Inkiriwang has acted in a discriminate manner in recruiting civil servants and has dismissed a number of Poso government officials without any clear grounds. As a result of the strike the offices of the regent and other government agencies has been totally paralyzed for days. (Liputan 6, 28/02/2006)

    Students seal of PLN offices in Solo

    On February 28 hundreds of students and workers from the Anti-Neoliberalism Front (FAN) held an action against planned increases to basic electricity rates (TDL) at the state-owned electricity company PT PLN in the Central Java city of Solo.

    In addition to giving speeches they sealed off the PLN offices by sticking cartoons drawn on large sheets of paper over the main entrance with the writing "This place has been sealed off". Police and PLN security personnel were helpless to prevent the action.

    FAN is a coalition of groups from the Association of Catholic Students (PMKRI), the Indonesian Prosperous Labor Union (SBSI), Muhammadiyah Students Association (IMM), the Labour Association and a number of Solo Student Executive Councils (BEM).

    In a statement the demonstrators said the government is insensitive to the people's suffering. "The people are confronted by problems of unemployment, mass dismissals everywhere, children dropping out of school, infants suffering malnutrition, but the government instead makes policies that will increase the people's suffering such as TDL increases. This demonstrates that they have no sense of right and wrong", said action coordinator Gusma. (Tempo Interactive, 28/2/2006)

    Honorary teachers protests education minister

    Honorary teachers from the Jakarta Teachers Union (SGJ) held an action at the Education Department on February 28 demanding that the education minister, Bambang Sudibyo, revise the government regulation on promoting honorary teachers to state civil servants.

    "This regulation does irreparable damage the principles of justice", said SGJ chairperson Supriyono. According to Supriyono the regulation prevents honorary teachers aged 35 and above from becoming civil servants because it requires that they have worked for a minimum of five years. (Tempo Interactive, 28/2/2006)

    Papua students in Semarang demand closure of Freeport

    Dozens of Papuan students in the Central Java provincial capital of Semarang held a demonstration on March 1 demanding that the government close down PT Freeport because the US-owned company has hurt local communities.

    The students, from the Papua Student National Front and the Papua Students Communication Forum, started their protest at the water fountain in Central Semarang then went on to demonstrate at the Central Java DPRD.

    Action coordinator Fransiscus Kekey said Papua's population of 1.5 million, 80 percent of which are spread over 300 tribal groups, have gain no benefits since Freeport arrived 39 years ago. "It has turned out that Freeport's entry has not changed conditions in Papua. They only appropriate the wealth of the Papuan people", he said. They also said that Freeport had caused environmental damage.

    "It is because of this that we are asking the government to close Freeport. In addition to this, the government must withdraw organic- and non-organic troops from Papuan soil", said Fransiscus. (Detik.com, 1/3/2006)

    Students reject ratification of Banten state budget

    The ratification of the draft 2006 Banten state budget (RAPBD) on March 2 was marred by a demonstration by students in Serang who are rejecting the budget because they believe that it conflicts with the interests of the public.

    Dozens of students from Lebak United Student Action (AKML) and the Sudirman Forum almost clashed with police when they tried to force their way on to the grounds of the DPRD. The stand off did not last long however as police heavely outnumbered protesters.

    "This draft budget, must be revised because it conflicts with the public interest", said Taufik, one of the demonstrators. Earlier, the minister for home affairs had asked the Banten government to make changes to the budget including canceling the construction of several government offices. The cost of construction was considered too high and was diverting money directly related to public projects. (Tempo Interactive, 2/3/2006)

    Papua students in Makassar condemn vice president

    Around 30 students from the Student Democratic Forum of Papua Concern have condemned Vice President Jusuf Kalla for his statement that PT Freeport would not be closed.

    During a demonstration in the South Sulawesi provincial capital of Makassar, students vandalised the West Papua Mandala Liberation Monument. After marching to the site a number of students climbed on to the monument and changed the writing "West Papua Mandala Liberation Monument" to "This is the Papuan People's Tyranny Monument", and "A Peaceful Papua Without Freeport"

    The students were demanding that Freeport be closed, for a dialogue to resolve the Papua question, the withdrawal of all organic- and non-organic troops from Papua and the release of Papuan students being held by municipal police in connection with an earlier demonstration in Jakarta. (Tempo Interactive, 2/3/2006)

    Hundreds of cash subsidy recipients demonstrate in Java

    Hundreds of recipients of direct cash subsidies as compensation for last year's fuel price increases from four villages in the Bulakamba sub-district of Brebes in Central Java, demonstrated at the DPRD on March 1. The residents of the villages of Petunjungan, Banjaratma, Tegal Glagah and Siwuluh were demanding that a village head and a number of village officials resign because they had deducted money from the subsidies without prior agreement from residents.

    The demonstration ended in chaos when protesters took assembly members, the village head and his subordinates hostage by blockading the entrance to the DPRD. The blockade only lasted a short time however before security personnel forcibly broke up the demonstration. A similar rally was held on February 27. (Liputan 6, 2/3/2006)

    Papua students in Yogya demand Freeport be closed down

    Demonstrations demanding the closure of PT Freeport Indonesia have also taken place in Yogyakarta, Central Java. On March 1 dozens of Papuan students held an action in which they marched from their dormitories to the central post office. As well as bringing posters with their demands, protesters with black tape plastered across their mouths distributed leaflets to passersby.

    In a speech one of the demonstrators, Jeremias, said that in the 39 years that PT Freeport has been in Papua it has brought no benefit to the Papuan people, rather what has occurred is damage and pollution to the environment as a result of its mining activities.

    According to Jeremias, during this time there have been many cases of violence against civilians. At the beginning of 2006 there was the arrest of eight people in Timika and most recently the blockade of mine by locals who had been prevented from panning for gold in rivers around the mining operation. As Papuans therefore, they are demanding that the government review its contract with Freeport. "If necessary close down Freeport's operations in Papua and withdraw organic troops", he said. (Detik.com, 2/3/2006)

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