Dear friends

Warmest solidarity

Katarina Pujiastuti

Amidst threats of right-wing militia disruption to the
founding congress of KP Papernas (the Preparatory
Committee of the National Liberation Party of Unity ),
about 400 participants persevered in conducting the
congress while strengthening the security of the
venue.

On January 19, 2007 at about 3pm, a group which called
themselves the Anti-Communist Group of Indonesia
(FAKI) staged a protest near the venue. Some local
journalists said that the FAKI had swords and other
sharp weapons in their cars.

The police offered to organize a negotiation between
KP Papernas representatives, FAKI and the village
head. The negotiations commenced with the police
standing watch. But as we already expected, the talks
did not produce any results.

The FAKI kept condemned Papernas’ Three Banners
of The National Unity as the revitalization of the
banned Communist Party of Indonesia (PKI). We have
informed them of the content of the Three Banners
(repudiation of foreign debt, nationalization of the
mining industry, and the national industrialization
for prosperity of the people) but they insisted that
this was only a cover.

They said: "If you resist we are going to
eliminate you!" and made throat-slitting
gestures with their hands. They give a deadline to end
the congress by 9 pm that night, and said they would
return. But we considered that there was no reason to
stop the congress.

The local village head just stated that he did not
want FAKI to attack and hoped there was not going to
be any riot in the village. That night was the
opening celebration of Islamic New Year, so there was
to be a village parade and gathering. He did not want
any violence to ruin the celebrations.

The congress continued in the very tense situation.
All of the participants prepared to face an attack
with whatever was available in the venue —
bamboo stick, rocks etc. We also were pleased to
discover that a group of 200 West Nusa Tenggara, West
Papuan and South Maluku students from Yogjakarta,
came up to support us to face the FAKI threat.

That night, around 50 FAKI members on motorbikes
stayed in the area, but as many more people came out
to celebrate the New Year’s eve, they did not
dare attack the congress venue.

The congress continued on January 20 and adopted
Popular Democracy as party’s principle, the form
of our organization and structure, agreed to keep
using Papernas (The National Liberation Party of
Unity) as the name of the party and to promote the
Three Banners of National Unity as a program.

The congress also elected Agus Jabo Priyono as
Chairperson and Haris Sitorus as a general secretary.

While Chairperson Agus Jabo and Dita Sari were
delivering speeches, the head of the police district
came try to stop the congress. However, the congress
continued until 12 noon when it adjourned early as a
sign of appreciation to the local community’s
wish to have a peaceful and safe New Year’s
celebration.

Police repressed anti-repression protest!

Responding to the threats of violent dispersal of the
KP Papernas founding congress, most of KP Papernas
branches staged protests to condemn this repression.
In Medan, North Sumatera, the police arrested
protestors, revealing once again the repressive
character of the State and its apparatus.

50 people of KP Papernas branch had marched to the
regional police station to delivered a speech in
support of the Papernas congress. In front of the
police station, when Sindang Pardosi, the coordinator
of the action was about to begin the speech, the
police tried to grab the microphone. The protestors
tried to keep the microphone and the police charged
into the line, provoking a violent struggle. The
police not only dispersed the action but also detained
six protestors for 24 hours. Following are the
arrested protestors

1. John Merdeka (Leader of KP Papernas- North Sumatera
Branch)

2. Sintong Pardosi ( Leader of National Peasant
Union/STN – North Sumatera Branch)

3. Anwar Nasihin (Member of Student National League
for Democracy/LMND)

4. Deny Sirait (Leader of KP Papernas – Siantar
Marihat District)

5. Hendra Pratama (member of Urban Poor Union/SRMK)

6. Surung Hutagaol (Secretary of KP Papernas –
Sima

PAPERNAS

The National Liberation Party of Unity

Jl Tebet Barat Raya No 5

Jakarta Selatan – Indonesia

Phone : +62218305819

Email: kp_papernas_pusat yahoo.com