Protester Dies in Indonesian Freeport Demo: Union Official

A demonstration involving thousands of mine workers at Freeport-McMoRan in Indonesia turned ugly on Monday, with police firing warning shots and one protester killed, a union official said. 


The demonstration involving disgruntled workers seeking better pay and conditions was at East Timika, in West Papua province. 


“The victim is dead in the regional government hospital,” said Virgo Solossa, a union official. 


He did not say how the protester had died. 

On the struggle of Freeport Indonesia's workers

Freeport workers in Indonesia vow to halt production

Agence France Presse - October 7, 2011

Workers at one of the world's largest gold and copper mine in the remote Indonesian province of Papua vowed on Friday to paralyze production, as their strike over pay enters its second month.

Workers at the Grasberg mining complex run by US giant Freeport-McMoran began a month long strike on September 15, demanding at least an eight-fold increase in the current minimum wage of $1.50 an hour.

Solidarity for PALEA Workers' struggle in the Philippines

PALEA at SONA, Manila 2011

Long Live the struggle of anti contractualisation! 

Long live PALEA!

It has been a tremendous struggle organised by PALEA against contractualisation all these years. It has been very determining and should have been inspiring the struggle against contractualisation of all workers. We are here in Indonesia, working together with different trade union who fought against what we called outsourcing workers, which more or less similar with contractualisation here. What make it similar is the fact that the workers in Indonesia and Philippines, even workers around the world, are threatened by non permanent, precarious, insecure work and working condition. Not to mention the degradation of living standard and wage freezing which had been forced us to evermore tightened our belt. 

The state is obliged to protect striking PT Freeport Indonesia workers

Statement by the Coalition for the Freeport Indonesia Workers' Struggle - September 28, 2011

We fully support the strike by PT Freeport Indonesia workers for better wages and conditions. The government must guarantee legal protection to the workers and protect them against intimidation and threats while they are on strike and conducting negotiations with the company in accordance with Law Number 13/2003 on Labour.

The strike by around 8,000 PT. Freeport Indonesia employees in Timika, West Papua, is to demand that the management bring their wages into line with PT Freeport Mc Moran wage standards in other countries. Freeport currently pays its workers as little as US$1.50 and hour and workers are demanding that this be increased to US$3 (25,000 rupiah) an hour. Freeport workers in other countries currently receive an hourly wage of US$15 or 128,250 rupiah per hour.

Indonesian feminists: 'Don't blame the victim!'

Vivi Widyawati & Zely Ariane*

Around 100 women and men took part in a rally named Mini Skirt Protest - Women against Rape at Bundaran Hotel Indonesia, Thamrin, Jakarta, on Sunday September 18th 2011. Dozens of women, including several activists from Perempuan Mahardhika, wore miniskirts,  as a  statement that rape has nothing to do with the way women dress. 

The demonstration was a protest against the reaction of Jakarta’s Governor Fauzi Bowo (nicknamed Foke) to the recent case of a young female student, Livia, who had been raped and killed in a public transport. He said: “Imagine if someone sits on board of a mikrolet (minivan) wearing a mini-skirt, you would get a bit turned on”. Women, he said, “must adjust to their environment so that they don’t provoke people into committing unwanted acts”.

Letter to Pakistan Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia

To: Mr. Sanaullah
Ambassador of Pakistan
Jalan Mega Kuningan Barat Blok E.3.9 Kav. 5-8, Mega Kuningan Jakarta Selatan Indonesia
Phone: +62-21-57851836-8
Fax: +62-21-57851645
Email: pakembassyjakarta@gmail.com
Website: www.mofa.gov.pk/Indonesia/default.aspx


Dear Sir,


We are writing to ask for your urgent intervention with the government of Pakistan to secure the release of Mr Baba Jan and five other political prisoners currently detained in the region of Gilgit-Baltistan. Mr Baba Jan is a leader of both the highly respected Labour Party Pakistan and the Progressive Youth Front in the region.

The endless fight for land in Indonesia

Jakarta Post - September 24, 2011

Muhammad Ikhwan, Jakarta -- Indonesia will commemorate the 51st National Farmers' Day on Sept. 24. Over the years, we have witnessed the same demand from the farmers on the street: The right to land.

For many decades, farmers have lost in what I have called the fight for land. History tells that our farmers were brutally exploited in the cultuurstelsel era. Farmers were forced to plant export commodities like coffee and sugarcane. For those who owned land, 20 percent of it should be allocated for those aforementioned commodities. Those who did not, they had to work 75 days in a year for Dutch estates.

Jakarta rapes bring calls for renewed efforts to combat sexual assault

Jakarta Globe - September 25, 2011

Fidelis E. Satriastanti -- In the wake of the rapes of two female passengers on public transportation in recent months, the National Commission on Violence Against Women said the government had a long way to go in meeting its responsibility to protect citizens.

The commission, also known as Komnas Perempuan, outlined recommendations on Friday that ranged from improving security for women on public transportation to toughening the way sexual assault is treated under the Criminal Code.

Andy Yentriyani, head of public participation at the commission, said the legal system did not provide sufficient protection for women against sexual assault.

Jakarta protest over rape statements: don't blame the victim!

By Max Lane

On Sunday, September 18, around 100 women staged a lightning protest in Jakarta’s main thoroughfare, Jalan Thamrin, to protest statements by Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo in response to rapes that have taken place in public transport. He said: “Imagine if someone on board a mikrolet (minivan) sits wearing a mini-skirt, you would get a bit turned on”. Women, he said, “must adjust to their surrounding environment so that they don’t provoke people to commit unwanted acts”.

The statement came after reports of a number of rapes over recent weeks, including the gang-rape of a woman in a public transport minivan and the rape and murder of a university student. Three cases of rape in public transport have been reported during the last week. The National Commission on Violence Against Woman (KOMNASPER) has recorded 3753 rapes in 2011, while the Jakarta police have received 41 complaints, compared to 40 for all of 2010. KOMNASPER has also received 105,103 complaints of violence against women.

Solidarity Statement: Free Baba Jan and all political prisoners!

Free Baba Jan and all political prisoners!

Reparations for the victims of police violence!

Reparations for the victims of the landslide of July 4!

Last August 11, Pakistani police used live bullets against people demanding payment of compensation allowances following a devastating landslide which had happened a year before in the valley of Hunza, on July 4, 2010. This landslide, in the region of Gilgit-Baltistan, destroyed several houses and important roads. De local administration abanoned the affected community and pocketed compensation payments intended for several affected families.