Civilian death toll climbs to five after attack on police station

Jakarta Globe - September 1, 2010

Palu, Central Sulawesi -- Indonesian police opened fire and killed five
people when an angry mob attacked their station with firebombs in a protest
over the death of a man in custody, police said on Wednesday.

More than 20 people, including several police officers, were injured during
the violent clash late on Tuesday in the town of Buol, Central Sulawesi
province, local deputy police chief Dewa Parsana said.

"A big number of residents encircled the police station and threw Molotov
bombs," he said. "We had no choice but to open fire towards the protesters
because they were very angry and were burning motorcycles parked outside...
Five people were killed by the shooting."

The tyranny of the majority

Jakarta Post Editorial - September 1, 2010

"The greatest threat facing the US is the tyranny of the majority," penned
nineteenth-century French writer Alexis de Tocqueville in Democracy in
America. He could just as easily be writing about Indonesia today,
especially after Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali announced his
plan to ban Ahmadiyah, a religious sect with more than 200,000 followers.
He said the presence of the sect, whose existence predates even this
republic, is an affront to Islam, the country's predominant religion.

His statement is a clear display of raw power in the name of the majority.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's silence in the face of what is a clear
a breach of the constitution is indicative of his own complicity.
Tocqueville's warning is upon us. This country, founded upon religious
freedom, that claims to pride itself on the diversity of its people, is in
peril.

Families fight against 'politics of amnesia'

Jakarta Post - September 1, 2010

Jakarta -- Far from the glamor connected to international commemorations,
families of victims of forced disappearances and gross human rights
violations gathered to mark the International Day of Forced Disappearances
on Aug. 30 with the resolute reminder that they refuse to have their
history swept under the carpet by government inaction.

Yati Andriyani, an activist from the Commission for Disappearances and
Victims of Violence (Kontras), said President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had
employed "politics of amnesia" to avoid taking action against gross human
rights violations committed in the past.

Indonesia: New left-wing trade union federation established

By Dian Trisnanti, in Jakarta


Direct Action. Under the theme “Unite against capitalism and the regime that supports it, build a united national labour movement that is progressive, militant, democratic and independent”, on July 9, 76 labour union representatives from around the country gathered in the Jakarta satellite city of Bogor for a three-day congress to establish a new union federation, the Indonesian Labour Movement Union (PPBI).

July 12: Action by PPBI, against electricity price hikes.

Attending were representatives from the North Sumatra Trade Union of Struggle from Medan, the Mining Trade Union Workers Challenge from Sanga-Sanga in East Kalimantan, the North Palu Labour Forum from Central Sulawesi, the Cross-Factory Labour Forum (FBLP) from North Jakarta, the Solidarity Alliance for Labour Struggle (GSPB) from the West Java city of Bekasi, the Politics for the Poor-Indonesian National Front for Labour Struggle (FNPBI-PRM) from Jombang and Mojokerto, East Java, the Independent Indonesian National Front for Labour Struggle (FNPBI-Independent) from Surabaya and Madura, East Java, GSPB BPT Mikro from Majalaya, West Java, the Garuda Trade Union (SBG) from Sumedang, West Java and representatives from Yogyakarta currently in the process of building local trade union groups.

Also present were observers from the Political Committee of the Poor-People’s Democratic Party (KPRM-PRD), the Political Union of the Poor (PPRM), the Student Struggle Centre for National Liberation (Pembebasan, formerly LMND-PRM) and the Perempuan Mahardhika (Free Women) National Network (JNPM), as well as individual trade union activists.

Indonesian press, freedom of expression under attack

By James Balowski, in Jakarta
Direct Action
 

At around 2.30am on June 28, a group of men arrived at a major news distribution outlet in Central Jakarta. “We want to buy all copies of this magazine”, said one, pointing to Tempo, hot off the press with a cover story titled “Police officers’ fat bank accounts”.

The men ended up buying 2425 copies. “They were police officers. They insisted on buying our entire stock, no matter what the price”, said Rozak, one of the sellers, who inflated the price to 40,000 rupiah (US$4.44) from the regular 27,000 per copy. “They paid almost 100 million rupiah in cash.”

Another distributor had a similar story. In all, the entire Jakarta print run of around 30,000 copies was bought that morning. Other witnesses testified that the operation continued into the afternoon with uniformed police combing the streets in marked patrol cars ensuring no copies had been missed. Similar buy-ups by police officers were reported in the West Java city of Bandung and in Bali.

Sourced on data from the anti-money laundering agency PPATK, the magazine’s cover story featured a report on senior police generals allegedly amassing private bank accounts in the millions of dollars. The police — whose already tarnished image had taken a lashing in recent months over a series of corruption scandals — claimed the disappearing magazines were a publicity stunt by the publisher.

Indonesia: National Movement Against Electricity and Basic Needs' Price Hike 7th August 2010

'Protesters reject electricity rate hikes, deadly 'LPG bombs'

Detik.com - August 7, 2010

Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta -- Scores of people held a protest action opposition
the recent increases in basic electricity rates (TDL) and the price of LPG gas
canisters in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta on Saturday August 7. They also
called on the government to cancel the price hikes and opposed the use of 3kg
LPG gas canisters.

The protesters came from several different groups including the Perempuan
Mahardhika (Free Women) National Network (JNPM) and the National Movement for
Prices Reductions and Cancellation of TDL Hikes (GNBKTTH). Earlier, Perempuan
Mahardhika held an action at the Gramedia intersection on Jl. Sudirman then
moved off to the Yogyakarta Monument where the protesters joined into one group.

The demonstrators brought various kitchen utensils such as pans, woks, electric
irons and 3kg LPG gas canisters. The electric irons were wound around the bodies
of two women demonstrators who also carried empty gas canisters. The kitchen
utensils meanwhile were used as musical instruments.

The protesters also brought a huge replica LPG gas canister made of paper and
bamboo as well as placards and banners with messages such as “Reject the TDL
hikes”, “Replace LPG canisters with Kerosene”, “Watch out for LPG bombs” and
“Reduce the price of basic commodities”.

One of the participants, Ny Sutinah, called on the government to immediately
cancel the electricity price increases. The resident of Mancingan, Parangtritis
Bantul, said the electricity hikes only added to the burden of the people’s
suffering because it causes price increases and high inflation.

"Not to mention cases of gas canister exploding and the many casualties. The
public has been terrorised by these LPG bombs", said Sutinah in a speech at the
Yogyakarta Monument on Saturday.

According to Sutinah, the prices of basic commodities has already risen because
of the impact of the electricity price hike on companies. She added however that
the concrete impact of the government's policies has been on women who have to
manage household affairs and the family.

"There is no other word except bring down prices. Reject the TDL hikes and
replace LPG with kerosene stoves", shouted the woman who is also a victims of a
recent land eviction.

After taking turns in giving speeches for around 30 minutes at the Yogyakarta
Monument, the protesters then continued the action at the Yogyakarta Regional
House of Representatives building on Jl. Malioboro.

The peaceful action was watched over by Yogyakarta municipal police officers to
ensure that the flow of traffic would not become congested. (djo/djo)

Declaration of solidarity against US intervention in Venezuela

Joint Statement - July 28, 2010

Oppose US intervention in Venezuela
Oppose US military bases in Columbia
Support the fight against US imperialism in Latin America

Over the eight years of Venezuela Bolivarian Revolution, it has never been free of intervention, harassment and provocation by the United State government. This has included an attempted pro-opposition coup d'etat funded by the US in 2002 to the recent military provocations through the Columbian government. The Columbian government has accused Venezuela of protecting and allowing "FARC terrorist bases" (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) in its country, and has called on the Organisation of South American States to investigate it. A similar statement was made by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who asked the Inter-American Democratic Charter to oppose Venezuela.

The use of the term terrorist for groups that resist US imperialism's world domination is part of the "war on terror" scenario launched by the US following the tragic 2001 World Trace Center attack. Iraq and Afghanistan are the worst victims of US terror. The US has never accepted responsibility when it has been proven that what they referred to as weapons of mass destruction (and even) terrorist themselves never existed.

Although Obama has made friendly overtures towards Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, the US government is the strongest and most reactionary capitalist government in the world. They are afraid because Venezuela is making a revolution similar to that of Cuba; building socialism in the 21st Century. Venezuela has taken over and built the country's vital industries under the control of the working class, has taken over huge tracts of unused land owned by big land lords, has developed human resources through free and quality education and healthcare, is unwilling to be dictated to by neoliberal capitalist financial institutions and sells cheaper oil to the US people than the US government itself. In short, the US capitalist government does not want to allow socialism to develop in Venezuela, as they have tried to prevent socialism from succeeding in Cuba by applying an economic embargo for the last 40 years.

According to the US capitalist government, the globalisation of Chevron, Exxon, Coca Cola and McDonalds are symbols of prosperity rather than free and quality education and healthcare. Having two hundred or so of the richest people in the world is better than Cuba and Venezuela's successes in eradicating illiteracy, treating cataracts and cancer or providing computers down to primary school level and villages for free.

Workers Say Electricity Hike Will Result in Wage Cuts, More Dismissals

Okezone - July 12, 2010

Rheza Andhika Pamungkas, Jakarta -- Around 80 workers from the Indonesian Labour Movement Union (PPBI) held a demonstration today demanding the cancellation of basic electricity rate (TDL) hikes that came into effect on July 1.

"Although the TDL for people categorised as poor will not rise, poor people will still be hit by the impact of these TDL hikes", said PPBI chairperson Ata B. Udi in a speech at the Department of Labour and Transmigration in Jakarta on Monday July 12.

According to Udi, the electricity rate increase will result in cuts to employees' wages and numbers. Udi said that some 15,000 workers have already been hit by dismissals because the companies where they work have had to increase efficiency.

"In addition to this, the TDL hike will also impact on other prices, such as basic commodities, building materials, as well as transportation fares such as electric trains", added Udi.

In addition to the Labour Department, the protests also plan to hold a demonstration at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circles and the State Palace. "We will be conveying the same demands. If they are not heeded, we promise to bring more demonstrators in coming days", threatened Udi. (ton)

[Translated by James Balowski.]

The Politics of the Poor – Socialism in Indonesia

Alex de Jong

Twelve years after one of the bloodiest military regimes worldwide ended, the radical left still faces a hard struggle in Indonesia. An interview with Indonesian activist Paulus Suryanta Ginting.

I’m a spokesperson for an organisation called Komite Politik Rakyat Miskin – Partai Rakyat Demokratik (Political Committee of the Poor – Democratic People’s Party, KPRM-PRD) Besides work for my organization I have also been active in workers movements in Semarang, Central Java and Sidoarjo, East Java, and in student movements in Jakarta, on Java. In 2004 I was still a member of PRD and I was a member of the board. Later, in 2006, I became the general secretary of the National Student League for Democracy. I was active in the student movement until this year.

Can you tell us something about the daily issues facing people in Indonesia?

A large problem is unemployment – above thirty per cent. Especially workers from the textile industry have been losing their jobs. After 1998 many textile factories in Bandung, Java, went bankrupt because they couldn’t pay for raw materials, imported for example from China, because the Indonesian Rupiah sharply declined in value. After 1998, the import axes on textile from China were abolished or sharply lowered – many Indonesian producers couldn’t compete and went out of business. The Asia China Free Trade Agreement means that many products from China can be imported to Indonesia under no or very low import taxes – and just like with textile, the Indonesian industry has trouble competing with this. Education and health care are also problems form many people who can hardly afford them.

1998 is the year Suharto’s regime ended but why was this also such an economic turning point?

Earlier, Suharto had already made huge debts to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). At the end of the nineties, Asia was hit by an economic crisis, caused for a large part by economic speculation. The IMF lend money to Indonesia on the condition it would implement so-called Structural Adjustment Programs. The agreement for these programs was signed by Suharto but these SAP’s were implemented by his successor, Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie. Habibie also entered into new agreements with the IMF, just like Gus Dur, Megawati Soekarnoputri and the presidents after them, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. These programs meant a drastic liberalization of the Indonesian economy. The Worldbank also made liberalization and deregularization of the economy a precondition for aid. During the Suharto regime, the so-called New Order, Indonesia was quite popular among foreign investors. But Suharto and his cronies had controlled large parts of the economy. Now, everything had to be privatized and government subsidies on health care, education, public transport and food were slashed. This meant that many people had to pay more for these daily needs after the fall of Suharto and the cost of living is rising. When I was studying in Yogyakarta at the turn of the century, a good meal would cost less than 2000 rupiah – now, it would cost you over 4500.

Papua solidarity protest in Yogyakarta and Jakarta calls for end to military operations

Papuans in Yogyakarta demand end to military operations in Puncak Jaya

KRjogja.com - June 21, 2010

Yogyakarta -- Scores of Papuans from the group Solidarity for Papua (SUP) held a protest action at the Yogyakarta monument in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta on Monday June 21. The demonstrators, most of whom were students, were demanding the lifting of the military operational zone (DOM) status that has been in effect in the Puncak Jaya regency of Papua.

Action coordinator Leksi Degei said that what has been taking place in the Tingginambut district of Puncak Jaya up until now has not been reported by the media. Yet the area has been under the control of the Indonesian military (TNI) and the police (Polri) since June 7.

"We don't know why there was an agreement between the Puncak Jaya II regional government, the Trikora XVII regional military commander and the Papua police on the DOM status in Puncak Jaya. There was no publication in the media there, yet gross human rights violations have already taken place", he explained during a break in the action.

Degei added that they are calling on all groups to open their eyes to what is occurring in Puncak Jaya, where a scorched earth policy is being applied, forcing all Puncak Jaya residents to immediately evacuate the area by June 28 at the latest. It is as if Puncak Jaya residents are being expelled from the land of their own birth.

"All residential areas are being swept by the TNI, many horrible killings have occurred. We are asking for an end to this scorched earth policy and the immediate lifting of the DOM status there", he added.

The demonstrators gave the government a deadline of Saturday June 26 to lift the DOM status. If their demands are not met, they will ask for an authority status to be declared in Papua.

"The SBY [President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono] government is most responsible for this situation. This action is only an initial notification. Following this, we will hold a much larger national action in Jakarta", said Degei.

During the action, the protesters marched on foot from the Yogyakarta monument to the Yogyakarta central post office. After protesting for about an hour, the demonstrators disbanded under the close supervision of the Yogyakarta district police tactical police unit. (Dhi)