Labor rally rocks Bandung<\/p>\n
Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Bandung<\/p>\n
Bandung, the provincial capital of West Java, is still tense
\nfollowing a violent labor rally in which two demonstrators were
\nshot and a police officer was injured.<\/p>\n
As of Monday evening, more than 500 protesters remained in
\nfront of the provincial legislative council building, voicing
\ntheir opposition to two labor bills currently being deliberated
\nby the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
"We will remain at the legislature until the government and
\nthe House listen to our aspirations," said one demonstrator.<\/p>\n
The labor activist who coordinated the rally said workers
\nwould stage a major rally in the city on Tuesday to press their
\ndemands.<\/p>\n
Bandung has been rocked by several violent labor rallies and
\nstudent demonstrations over the last few years. The
\ndemonstrations were held to protest low minimum wages, increases
\nin the price of basic commodities, fuel price increases and hikes
\nin telephone and electricity rates.<\/p>\n
The incident on Monday began when the local police deployed
\nhundreds of security officers to disperse more than 3,000 workers
\nwho had marched through the city to protest the labor bills.<\/p>\n
Traffic in the city came to a virtual standstill, as thousands
\nof protesters converged on Bandung's main thoroughfares.<\/p>\n
Some 2,000 workers came from the industrial areas of
\nLeuigadjah, Cimahi, Cimindi, Cijerah and Padalarang. The
\nremaining 1,000 workers came from textile companies in Kopo,
\nRancekek and Majalaya.<\/p>\n
The clash between protesters and security personnel occurred
\nas officers attempted to prevent several activists from urging
\nworkers at PT Cibaligo in Cimahi to join the rally.<\/p>\n
Syarif Hidayat, 31, and Supardjo, 32, both employees at PT
\nPosulam Indoutama in Cimahi, were shot during the clash. The two
\nwere taken to the local police hospital for gunshot wounds to the
\nhead and leg respectively.<\/p>\n
Priangan Police chief Sr. Comr. Tjetjep Lukman said officers
\nwere forced to open fire when the protesters attacked them.<\/p>\n
"We had no choice but open fire when several demonstrators
\nattacked security personnel and attempted to take their guns and
\nwalkie-talkies," he said.<\/p>\n
He cited Hotben, a police officer in command of security
\npersonnel assigned to handle the demonstration, who was beaten by
\na demonstrator with a stick and suffered back injuries.<\/p>\n
Tjetjep said security personnel were not prepared to handle
\nthe rally because they had not been informed of the demonstration
\nbeforehand, as required by law.<\/p>\n
"We would have escorted the workers to the legislative
\nbuilding had we been informed beforehand," he said.<\/p>\n
Etty Rostiawaty, the coordinator of the Action Committee for
\nLaborer Solidarity, which organized the rally, blamed the police
\nfor the violence and urged a thorough investigation of the
\nincident.<\/p>\n
She said she had provided the municipal police with prior
\nknowledge of the rally, and that the clash was evidence that the
\nsecurity personnel were unprofessional.<\/p>\n
"The main job of the police is to maintain security and to
\nprotect the people, not to kill protesters," she said.<\/p>\n
She said the workers opposed the two labor bills because they
\nwould not protect their rights.<\/p>\n
"Under the bill on the settlement of labor disputes, the
\ngovernment would allow striking workers to be tried by the
\ncourts. And under the bill on labor development and protection,
\nstriking workers are subject to fines of Rp 400 million and four
\nyears in prison," she said.<\/p>\n
The bill on labor development and protection threatens a fine
\nof Rp 400 million or a four-year jail sentence for striking
\nworkers found guilty of using violence during labor actions.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/labor-rally-rocks-bandung-1447893297",
"image": ""
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