It's time to end social injustice<\/p>\n
set 2 cols 8 pt italic
\n______________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n
The workers' protests, which degenerated into riots in Medan
\nlast week, have drawn numerous reactions. Political scientist
\nAmir Santoso argues that unless the government is willing to deal
\nwith this case in an appropriate manner, it will cause a wider
\nsocial movement for justice.
\n_______________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n
1 col 8 pt<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): As the workers were demonstrating in Medan, one
\nquestion that arose was whether their actions were spontaneous or
\nif some other party might have been involved in planning them.<\/p>\n
Whenever we are confronted with demonstrations, we seem to be
\ninclined to look not only for the motives, but also for possible
\nmasterminds behind them.<\/p>\n
In my view nothing wrong with this habit, as long as the
\nsearch for possible masterminds does not overshadow our efforts
\nto find the cause of the demonstrations.<\/p>\n
Obviously, workers demonstrate because they regard their
\nliving standard as being inadequate. Workers, at the same time,
\nmay complain about inequities which they feel exist in the
\ndistribution of profits, and in the government's treatment of
\ntheir grievances.<\/p>\n
Previously, low-paid workers were unaware of the unfair
\ntreatment they had been receiving from their employers and, as a
\nresult, the labor situation remained comparatively calm.<\/p>\n
The awareness of such unfair treatment arose only after
\norganizations came into being to inform them of the situation.<\/p>\n
Other agents of information, such as the mass media, may also
\npromote such awareness. There is considerable truth in the
\nassertion made by one sociologist that a group's potential for
\ndissent will only express itself when the members of the group
\nbecome aware of the situation they are in.<\/p>\n
Workers then compare their low living standards with those of
\ntheir employers, who generally live in affluence. And workers
\nalso know that the employers are protected by the government, and
\noften inordinately so.<\/p>\n
For the sake of ensuring the continued existence of
\nindustries, the right of workers to organize is restricted.
\nCommunication between workers and employers is thus impeded and a
\nnumber of employers defy the government's minimum wage
\nregulations.<\/p>\n
The employers suppress their workers wages because they know
\nthey can count on the protection of the government apparatus when
\na dispute arises.<\/p>\n
According to some sources, this protection is sometimes given
\nby the government apparatus, not only because the government
\nwants to ensure the continued existence of the industries, but
\nbecause the officials in question -- mostly at the regional and
\nlocal levels -- receive money from the industrialists.<\/p>\n
As a consequence the workers feel they are being treated
\nunfairly and their resentment mounts.<\/p>\n
In Medan, workers are different from those in the greater
\nJakarta area. In Medan, generally speaking, people tend to be
\nmore hot tempered and are more easily provoked into staging
\ndemonstrations and indulging in destructive behavior.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Prosperous Labor Union (SBSI), which is accused
\nby the government of having masterminded the demonstrations, is
\nled by a person who hails from that region.<\/p>\n
Thus, it is easier for the SBSI to communicate with workers in
\nMedan than in other regions for the purpose of staging a
\ndemonstration.<\/p>\n
It may be true that the SBSI had urged peaceful
\ndemonstrations. What they seemed to have overlooked is the fact
\nthat demonstrations are easily manipulated by other parties --
\nwhoever they may be -- in order to raise racial issues and
\ndiscredit the SBSI.<\/p>\n
Aside from all that, the Medan disturbances display three
\nparticular aspects that urgently need to be dealt with if worse
\nincidents are to be deterred.<\/p>\n
First, the time has come for the government to pass
\nlegislation to lessen the economic disparity between indigenous
\nand non-indigenous Indonesians.<\/p>\n
Indigenous Indonesians need to be assured a greater share in
\nthe national economy. The Medan upheavals show that the
\ndissatisfaction among native Indonesians over such economic
\ninjustices is mounting.<\/p>\n
Such dissatisfaction is perceived by all indigenous
\nIndonesians throughout the country.<\/p>\n
Second, the time has come for the government to issue strict
\nregulations to make sure that officials cut down collusion with
\nindustrialists, to prevent settlements that put the latter in an
\noverly favorable position.<\/p>\n
Third, the government should instruct its apparatus,
\nespecially in the provinces, to open better channels of
\ncommunication with workers.<\/p>\n
If, for instance, at the first meeting at the governor's
\noffice the government apparatus had entered into a dialog with
\nthe workers, I believe the demonstrations might not have
\nhappened.<\/p>\n
The inability of government officials to talk with the people
\nis a public secret. For whatever reasons, some government
\nofficials are afraid to face the people.<\/p>\n
Whenever groups of people come to ask for a dialog, officials
\noften send their subordinates to represent them. As a result the
\npeople become angry and disappointed.<\/p>\n
I am afraid that unless the government can settle these
\nproblems in a satisfactory and appropriate manner, the Medan
\nincidents could prove to be the trigger for a wider movement for
\nsocial justice.<\/p>\n
The writer is executive director of the Institute for Research
\nand Development of Social Sciences at University of Indonesia.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/its-time-to-end-social-injustice-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}