Jakarta protest tells energy minister to ’go to
hell’

Feeling betrayed by the planned increases to basic
electricity charges (TDL) around 200 people
demonstrated in Jakarta on February 13 telling the
Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources to "Go to
hell!".

The demonstrators came from a number of trade unions
including the Mandiri Hotel Trade Union, the
Indonesian Metalworkers Trade Union and the Tobacco
and Sugar Cane Trade Union. They brought banners and
posters with messages like "Purnomo has betrayed the
people“,”Go to hell Purnomo“and”Purnomo the
seller of the people’s assets".

In speeches protesters accused Purnomo of being
responsible for the planned increases and condemned
him for prioritising gas for export rather than
domestic needs. "One of the causes for the increase
to TDL is the use of fuel for PLN [the state-owned
electricity company] generators, whereas if [PLN]
used gas the price would be cheaper. Purnomo is
responsible for the TDL increases and must resign",
said one of the speakers. (Detik.com, 13/2/2006)

High-tension transmission line protesters
’interrupt’ discussion

Four victims of high-tension transmission lines
(SUTET) who have been on a hunger strike and sewn
their lips together protested at the Agency for the
Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT)
building in Jakarta.

The action was held in the middle of a panel
discussion organised by PLN and BPPT on the problems
in the use of SUTET and the electricity distribution
system. The action coordinator accompanying the
SUTET victims, Mustar Bona Ventura, called on PLN
not to waste time lying to the public and using up
state money to make television advertisements.

One of the demonstrators, Jimmy, succeeded in
gaining access to the BPPT building and interrupting
the discussions on the third floor. "Interupsi!
Please Sirs don’t waste time and money on this
event. Rather than wasting money it would be better
if it was used [to compensate] SUTET victims", he
shouted. Security forces were able to “secure” Jimmy
and he was escorted from the room. (Detik.com,
13/2/2006)

Bandung residence demand closure of waste dump

Residents from the village of Mandalajati in the
sub-district of Cicadas, Bandung, West Java, closed
of the entrance to the Cicabe waste disposal dump on
the morning of February 12. The protesters - who
included children - were demanding that the dump be
closed as it had polluted the local environment.

The director of the Bandung City sanitation offices
who spoke with demonstrators said that the Cicabe
dump was put into operation in order to deal with
garbage disposal after the land slide at the fatal
Leuwigajah dump landslide in February last year.
(Liputan 6, 13/02/2006)

Students arrested at national police headquarters

Four students from the Student Movement Against
Manipulation of State-Owned Enterprises (Geram BUMN)
that were holding a demonstration in front of the
national police headquarters on February 14 have
been arrested by police.

Prior to being arrested, the students had broken
down the front gates because there was not one
police official that was prepared to discuss their
demand that the executive director of PT PLN, Eddie
Widiono, be arrested on charges of corruption.
(Media Indonesia, 14/02/2006)

Makassar workers demand release of colleagues

Hundreds of former PT Katingan Timber Celebes
demonstrated at the East Makassar district police
headquarters in South Sulawesi on February 13. They
were demanding the release of five colleagues who
were arrested by police when they blockaded PT
Katingan’s entrance last Friday. Police had forcibly
broke up the demonstration that was demanding
payment of overdue severance pay. In a speech the
protesters condemned the repressive actions by
police as a violation against human rights. (Liputan
6, 14/02/2006)

Valentines day action against domestic violence

Domestic violence has become a cultural routine with
children being beaten by their parents. In response
the National Commission on Violence Against Women
(Komnas Perempuan) held a peaceful action against
violence at the Hotel Indonesia roundabout on
February 14.

Protesters distributed stickers with the message
“Stop Violence In The Home” to pedestrians that
passed by. They said their aim was for the home to
become the safest place for children. (Detik.com,
14/02/2006)

Yogyakarta students call for war against court Mafia

Hundreds of demonstrators from the Muslim Students
Association for Reform (splinter group of HMI) held
an action in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta on
February 14 calling for a war against the court
Mafia and the reform of the justice system. They
also called on the head of the Supreme Court, Bagir
Manan, to be questioned over providing protection to
questionable supreme justice members.

After gathering at the intersection of the Jalan
General Sudirman, they formed a line and marched to
the Yogyakarta Monument. They brought a number of
posters with messages like "HMI MPO war against the
court Mafia“,”Eliminate the court Mafia“and”Complete the government regulation on the
reselection of supreme justices".

The demonstrators said that reports that claimed out
of 6,000 judges throughout Indonesia more than 60
percent are questionable and rotten was correct
because the judicial system in Indonesia is still
tightly controlled by the court Mafia.

After giving speeches for around 30 minutes they
marched to the Yogyakarta Regional House of
Representatives (DPRD) on Jalan Malioboro then ended
the rally at the intersection in front of the
central post office. (Detik.com, 14/02/2006)

Students protest electricity price hikes in Makassar

Although only comprising 15 people, students from
the Makassar Indonesia Muslim University Student
Executive Council (BEM) held an action on February
14 by setting fire to tyres in the middle of the
road.

The students were protesting planned increases to
TDL, which they believe do not side with the people
and show that the government does not care about the
ordinary people. "Where is the government’s concern
for the little people? Fuel prices keep going up,
TDL will also be increased", said one of the
students in a speech. The students marched to the
South Sulawesi DPRD where they continued giving
speeches. (Detik.com, 14/02/2006)

Twenty-one students arrested at Medan protest

A student demonstration protesting planned increases
to drinking water rates at the North Sumatra chief
public prosecutor’s office in Medan ended in a clash
and 21 arrests.

The 30 or so students from the North Sumatra Front
(Frostu) were calling for an investigation and audit
of the state-owned water company PDAM Tirtanadi.
When students who arrived on motorbikes and turned
the vehicles to direct exhaust smoke into the
offices, security staff tried to remove them. A
brawl then broke out between students and security
staff. Several demonstrators were detained and taken
inside.

Shortly afterwards the sound of stones being thrown
could be heard and several office windows as well as
protesters’ motorbikes were damaged. Both sides
ended up pelting each other with stones. Police
arrived a short time later and began arresting
protesters. Twenty-ones are currently being
questioned. (Detik.com, 15/02/2006)

Kalimantan students oppose ’land grab orgy’

On February 14 hundreds of students from Kalimantan
studying in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta
demonstrated plans to clear 1.8 million hectares of
land for palm oil plantations on the Indonesia-
Malaysia boarder.

The students believe the plan is an land grab orgy
by business, the military and central and local
authorities. They said that since land began to be
cleared for palm oil plantations in the 1970s the
people of Kalimantan have only suffered losses and
been exploited. (Liputan 6, 15/22006)

Local residents protests cash subsidy ’deductions’

Hundreds of residents in Central Java from the
village of Pretek in the sub-district of Bandar,
Batang Regency, demonstrated at the DPRD on February
15. They were calling for the Pretek village head,
Dasmu’i, to resign from his post. Dasmu’i has been
accused of taking a cut from government direct cash
subsidies. Poor residents who receive direct cash
assistance had 100,000 rupiah deducted on the
pretext of paying for a village road project.
(Liputan 6, 15/22006)

Student protest in Yogyakarta marred by clash

A clash marred a demonstration by hundreds of
activists from the HMI-MPO on February 15. They were
protesting against the Supreme Court that they
believe is protecting questionable supreme justices
and resisting reform of the institution.

The clash occurred when police tried to put out
burning tyres and photographs of Supreme Court chief
justice Bagir Manan (who is also an HMI Alumni) that
were being burnt by students in front of the
Yogyakarta central post office. This enraged the
students and a fight could not be avoided. Several
students and a police officer suffered minor
injuries as a result of the clash. (Liputan 6,
15/2/2006)

Student demonstration attacked by unidentified
assailants

A demonstration on February 16 by dozens of students
from the Haluoleo University in Kendari, South-East
Sulawesi, was marred by a clash. The students were
listening to an explanation by the deputy speaker of
the South-East Sulawesi DPRD, Nur Alam, when they
were suddenly attacked by a group of unidentified
assailants. The students ran and scattered in all
directions.

Prior to the attack, the students had been calling
for Alam to be arrested in relation to a corruption
case involving 300 million rupiah in education
funding. They were also demanding that the governor
of South-East Sulawesi, Ali Mazi, be detained as a
suspect in corruption case involving a 1.9 billion
rupiah hotel construction project. (Liputan 6,
16/2/2006)

Transmission line hunger strike solidarity protest

Dozens of students from the Jakarta National
University (Unas) National Front held an action
support hunger strikers who have sown up their
mouths in protest against SUTET. Held at the Unas
campus in South Jakarta on February 16, the students
collected signatures and thumb prints in blood on a
five-meter length of white cloth. Dozens of high-
school students also joined the action.

According to National Front spokesperson Mora, the
action was to demonstrate their seriousness in
encouraging other students to struggle for the
victims of SUTET. "We are also pushing our campus
colleges to join in the hunger strike and mouth
sewing [protest]", he said.

The students said that the SUTET victims should
receive compensation and that PLN had lied saying
that the transmission lines are safe. "PLN is
prepared to spend money on advertising [saying that]
SUTET isn’t dangerous. But the when residents demand
compensation rights PLN instead doesn’t fulfil
them", said Mora. The students plan to continue the
action until they have collected 1 million
signatures and thumb prints. (Detik.com, 16/2/2006)

Vice presidential visit greeted by protests in
Bandung

A Bandung visit by Vice President Jusuf Kalla was
greeted by a protest by dozens of students from the
Greater Bandung Student Circle on February 17. The
students gave speeches and held a theatrical action
by closing their mouths depicting the people’s lack
of empowerment to reject government policies.

Demonstrators were also protesting the government’s
failure to side with the people with the planned TDL
increases that will make things difficult for
ordinary people. Because the action was held in the
middle of the road and blockaded by police, the vice
president’s entourage had to be rerouted. (Liputan
6, 18/02/2006)

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The INDOLEFT news service is produced by the
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Emancipation (INCREASE) and Action in Solidarity
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