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Call to action - Resist and defeat the fuel price rises!
National Liberation Front (FPN) - May 17, 2008
[The following is a translation of a leaflet produced for mass distribution in the poor residential areas along the planned march route to the State Palace for a mass action on May 21. Translated by Max Lane.]
Arrogantly, the government dares to continue to work with the “peoples oppressors”, who though with different faces all speak in one voice in defence of capital which will profit handsomely from these fuel price rises. These “peoples Oppressors” comprise: the government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Jusuf Kalla; the deceiver of the people parties (the Golkar Party , the Democrat Party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, the Justice and Prosperity Party and others who pretend to be against the fuel price rises for the sake of pre-2009 election popularity but while in the parliament have always given the government the go ahead to take away the price subsidies), the fake reformasi elite figures busy profiling themselves, and the intellectuals and economists busy manufacturing justifications for taking away the price subsidies.
To redirect the people’s anger, they have thrown in fake solutions such as the BLT Plus (Direct Cash Bonus) [for the poor] which since its introduction in 2005 has been shown to be a complete failure in reducing poverty. Its real purpose has been to try to put the brakes on and rupture the spirit and resistance by the people. If the people can be deceived, we will never to stop these fuel price rises. Again and again they are increased, again and again we must swallow this bitter pill. To make sure we do not fail again, as in 2000 and 2005, we must unite all our energy in an organized people’s movement that carries out various forms of struggle, namely:
1. For all of you, men and women, living in the kampungs (poor urban residential area) form kampung committees (such as the Mampang Peoples Committee Against the Fuel price Rises) as a instrument to fight the prices. Make your views known through free forums and open meetings of the citizens. Don’t hesitate to invite everybody living there -- even invite the journalists so that what you do is reported so that it may be copied by other kampung. Then organize marches and mass actions in your kampung targeting the district government offices between May 18-21/
2. For taxi, Mikrolet, Kopaja, Metro Mini and Bis Kota drivers, [public transport vehicles], and [passenger] motor bike drivers, unite your strength, carry out strikes in the bus terminals and bus pools during the working day (7-10pm) until (4-7pm) all through 18-21 May. Don’t forget to inform the journalists of your actions.
3. For the workers, join together with the Workers Challenge Alliance (ABM) and carry out actions against the fuel price rises between 18-21 May in the industrial areas, in your kampung and in the factories. If need be strike together, because indeed these fuel price rises will also bring with it the threat of dismissal. And again, don’t forget to tell the journalists.
4. For the university and high school students, it is time to set up committees in your universities and schools as a vehicle to carry out mass actions, free speech forums. In the campuses and schools between 18-21 May. And when you head home, don’t feel to superior, but join in with the kampung people who are carrying out their actions and protests. And tell the reporters what you are doing.
5. And don’t forget following all your actions and free speech forums in your own locations (kampungs, bus terminals, industrial areas, campuses and schools) then unite forces with the National Liberation Front which will carry out:
Join the Aksi Massa (mass action) on Wednesday, 21 May to surround the State Palace and to defeat the increase in fuel prices.
For those who cannot join the demonstration on 21 May 2008, at 12noon carry out a noise barrage, bang the electric light posts, blow the car or motor bike horn, bang the kitchen pots and pans and so on.
Main demands of the rakyat (the poor people)
This struggle of the people needs the energy and spirit of the people, an honest and courageous spirit, agreeing to unite together in the unity of the movement.
We invite you also to declare your support by filling in this petition. We will gather the maximum number of people’s voices to show those in power that we reject these price increases. Send the petition to the President, Governors, Mayors, village or neighbourhood heads or to the local or national parliaments.
Save, read and discuss this leaflet with your friends. If need be, reproduce it and hand it out.
Register to be involved in the AKSI to defeat the fuel price increases:
1.
Tangerang: Koswara - 0856 1778 067/021 9191 6662
2.
Jakarta West: Anis - 021 9370 4450
3.
Jakarta East: Sultoni - 02 19447 5681
4.
Jakarta North: Kamal - 021 9347 3784
5.
Jakarta Centre: Rendro - 0855 1015 346
6.
Jakarta South: Wiwin - 021 7033 2382
7.
Depok: Khadir - 021 9651 482
8.
Bekasi: Helmi - 0813 1841 2151
9.
Karawang: Heryanto - 0813 1803 0976
National Liberation Front (Front Pembebasan Nasional, FPN):
The Workers Challenge Alliance (ABM), the Indonesian Student Secretariat (SMI), the Poor Peoples Political Union (PPRM), the Working People's Association (PRP), the JGM, the Politics for the Poor-Indonesian Student League for Democracy (LMND-PRM), Perempuan Mahardika, SIEKAP, SPEED, the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi), the Institute of Global Justice (IGJ), the KPA, the Indonesian Association of the Families of Missing Persons (Ikohi), Praxis, Movement (Pergerakan), the Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH), the Coalition of the People Arising to Resist (Korban), the Poor People's Alliance (ARM), the Indonesian Buskers Union (SPI), the Coalition of People Against Eviction (PAWANG).
Jl.
Pori Raya No. 6 RT09/RW010
Pisangan
Timur, Jakarta Timur 13230
Phone:
021 475 7881, 021 9289 4347
Email:
front.pembebasan.nasional@gmail.com
Contact
Persons: Sastro 0812 1059 0010 or Jon: 021 9833 34197
See also:
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