Fuel price increase met with massive demos<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Nationwide protests on Tuesday greeted the government's decision
\nto raise fuel prices, but a heavy police presence helped prevent
\nthe demonstrations from turning violent.<\/p>\n
More than 3,000 students gathered in front of the State Palace
\nin Central Jakarta to denounce the price increases. Hundreds of
\nriot officers and a large banner urging the protesters to remain
\npeaceful welcomed the students.<\/p>\n
Dozens of University of Indonesia students forced their way
\ninto state radio station RRI and took over the airwaves to
\nbroadcast their opposition to the fuel policy, which they said
\ndemonstrated the arrogance of the government.<\/p>\n
They said the price increases were untimely because poverty
\nremained prevalent in the country, especially in tsunami-
\ndevastated Aceh.<\/p>\n
"The present regime has no sense of crisis. It has made this
\ncontroversial decision despite the hardships faced by people in
\nAceh and many other regions," a student said in his broadcast.<\/p>\n
Thousands of other students marching to the State Palace
\ncalled on President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President
\nJusuf Kalla to step down.<\/p>\n
Traffic backed up along the main streets leading to the palace
\nas a result of the demonstrations.<\/p>\n
The government announced the fuel price increases late on
\nMonday, after almost four months of delay. The government
\npromised it would redirect Rp 10.5 trillion (US$1.14 billion) of
\nthe Rp 20.3 trillion saved from slashing the fuel subsidy into
\nprograms to assist the poor.<\/p>\n
In Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi, thousands of
\nstudents gathered in front of the provincial legislature to
\ndemand the councillors oppose the fuel price hikes.<\/p>\n
Several councillors told the students they would discuss their
\ndemands during a plenary session and forward the results of their
\ndiscussion to the central government.<\/p>\n
Protesters hijacked a fuel truck and refused to let it leave
\nthe campus of Muhammadiyah University. Other protesters sealed
\noff a gas station in the town, but the protest ended after
\nhundreds of riot police were called in.<\/p>\n
Students blocked off several roads in the town with burning
\ntires.<\/p>\n
Makassar was the scene of several incidents involving police
\nand demonstrators last year, including a police raid on a
\nuniversity campus.<\/p>\n
Students and bus drivers in Palu, Kendari and Manado,
\nall in Sulawesi, took to the streets to protest the government's
\ndecision, leaving thousands of people stranded as public
\ntransportation came to a halt.<\/p>\n
Demonstrators received political support from provincial and
\nregency legislative councils.<\/p>\n
In Cirebon and Bandung, West Java, students and bus drivers
\nhit the streets to denounce the fuel price increases.<\/p>\n
Some protesters in Cirebon set tires on fire, causing traffic
\njams throughout the town.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of police officers were deployed to guard West Java's
\nnorth coast road to ensure the movement of basic commodities from
\nJakarta to West, Central and East Java, Bali and Nusa Tenggara
\nwas not disturbed.<\/p>\n
In Semarang, Central Java, bus fares were raised by an average
\nof 6 percent following the fuel price increases.<\/p>\n
Thousands of protesters in Medan, North Sumatra, called on
\nresidents to refuse to pay their taxes, electricity and water
\nbills in response to the government's fuel policy.<\/p>\n
Robert Sihombing, the rally coordinator, warned President
\nSusilo of a loss of public confidence over his broken campaign
\npromises.<\/p>\n
Residents in Pekanbaru, Riau, took the government's
\nannouncement in stride, saying the decision was expected.<\/p>\n
The city remained quiet and it was business as usual for
\nresidents.<\/p>\n
"We have to accept the hike. What else can we do? Protests
\nwill not bring about change," a resident, Hendra Asril, said.<\/p>",
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