No racial conflict in Medan, despite riots: Governor<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): North Sumatra Governor Raja Inal Siregar denied
\nyesterday that there was a racial conflict in Medan, the
\nprovincial capital, which was hit by a series of riots last week
\nthat were considered by many to have serious racial overtones.<\/p>\n
Raja Inal said the attacks against the shops owned by Chinese
\nIndonesians during the riots were the work of agitators who were
\nexploiting racial differences. He added that the riots did not
\nreflect the harmonious relations that actually exist between the
\nindigenous people and the ethnic Chinese.<\/p>\n
\"The protests had nothing to do with racial issue,\" he told
\nreporters after a meeting with Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief
\nat the latter's office.<\/p>\n
He said that the provincial government takes a great pride in
\nits success in promoting harmonious relations between the various
\nethnic groups in the area.<\/p>\n
\"The ethnic Chinese, for example, have joined in the
\nmarsipature hutana be program,\" he said, referring to the program
\nurging North Sumatrans living outside the province to send money
\nhome to help develop their villages.<\/p>\n
The governor said the situation in Medan has calmed down and
\nmost factories have resumed their operation.<\/p>\n
Both Raja Inal and Latief blamed the riots, which killed an
\nChinese Indonesian shopowner, on the \"Pakpahan Group, the phrase
\nofficials now use to refer to the independent Indonesian
\nProsperous Labor Union (SBSI).<\/p>\n
The SBSI, which is chaired by Muchtar Pakpahan, has been
\nsingled out as the main perpetrator of the riots but its
\nexecutives in Jakarta, while acknowledging that they organized
\nand encouraged the strikes and protests, have denied that they
\nwere behind the violent acts.<\/p>\n
Latief said the government is now considering prosecuting the
\nPakpahan Group for instigating the violence in Medan.<\/p>\n
He repeated the government's position of not recognizing the
\nSBSI as a labor union and noted that the government had once
\ndenied the SBSI's application to be accredited as a union.<\/p>\n
Latief also called the demands of the striking workers
\n\"ridiculous,\" saying that there was no grounds for a hike in the
\nofficial minimum wage level from Rp 3,100 a day to Rp 7,000.<\/p>\n
\"Their demands are irrational,\" he said. \"Their real objective
\nwas not for higher wages but to create chaos in the city and try
\nto discredit the government.\"<\/p>\n
Governor Raja Inal played down the impact as minimal. \"Maybe
\none or two investors have pulled out .. That is to be expected,\"
\nhe said adding that in general however, business is expected to
\nreturn to normal soon.<\/p>\n
He also predicted with confidence that the economy of North
\nSumatra province will grow by an average of 11 percent a year
\nduring the next five years, up from nine percent in the previous
\nfive years.<\/p>\n
But Suratno Hadisuwito, the chairman of the Association of
\nIndonesian Employers (Apindo) who also met with Latief yesterday,
\nsaid the riots had dented the investment climate in North
\nSumatra. \"There is no doubt that the riots have hurt the
\ninvestment climate,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile in Medan, spokesman of the North Sumatra Police Lt.
\nCol. Leo Sukardi said the authorities were investigating 47
\npeople detained in connection with the riots.<\/p>\n
\"We have completed eight dossiers and sent them to public
\nprosecutors,\" Leo said.<\/p>\n
Various charges<\/p>\n
They will be face various charges, including murder, vandalism
\nand looting, he said.<\/p>\n
Police are also still looking for Amosi Telaumbanua, an
\nexecutive of the local SBSI office, who was believed to have
\nmasterminded the riots, he said.<\/p>\n
There are unconfirmed reports that he may have taken refuge at
\na foreign consulate in Medan, posing difficulties for the police.<\/p>\n
\"If it is true, the police cannot arrest him,\" Leo said.<\/p>\n
Although the situation is calmer, there were still sporadic
\nindustrial strikes outside Medan yesterday such as in Belawan,
\nDeli Serdang, Langkat and Pematang Siantar.<\/p>\n
At least 120 workers of two fishery companies PT Surya
\nSempurna Samudra and PT Prima Minatama Sumatra refused to work
\nunless their employers raise their daily wages from Rp 8,000 to
\nRp 10,000.<\/p>\n
Around 500 workers of PT Seribu Satu in Stabat, Langkat,
\ndemanded their employer to comply with the minimum wage
\nregulation. They said they were forced to go to strike because
\nthey were paid only Rp 1,250 daily.<\/p>\n
In Pematang Siantar, over 500 workers of PT Marsitek marched
\naround the city calling on their employers to hike their daily
\nwage from Rp 1,500 to Rp 3,100. (rms\/rmn)<\/p>",
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