One more detained following labor unrest<\/p>\n
SURABAYA (JP): Police detained yesterday student activist M.
\nSholeh, bringing to three the number of people suspected of
\ninciting two massive labor demonstrations here earlier this week.<\/p>\n
The first two students were Dita Indah Sari and Coen Husen
\nPontoh, both activists of the Center for Indonesian Workers'
\nStruggle in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The three have been formally charged with masterminding labor
\nprotests on Monday and Tuesday, which ended in clashes with
\nsecurity officers.<\/p>\n
Sholeh reportedly escaped when police were rounding up
\nactivists from the streets during the first day of the
\ndemonstration. He was found to have also been involved in the
\nfollowing day's demonstration and was arrested.<\/p>\n
After preliminary questioning, police released the student of
\nWijaya Kusuma University's School of Social and Political
\nSciences, but arrested him again later in the day.<\/p>\n
Sholeh is an activist of Democratic People's Party
\norganization, and recently invited, without his rector's
\npermission, chairman of the Independent Election Committee
\nGoenawan Mohamad to address a seminar on his campus. The seminar
\nwas dispersed by the police.<\/p>\n
Sholeh and his two colleagues will be represented by top-notch
\nlawyer Trimoelja D. Soerjadi and others from the Surabaya Legal
\nAid Institute.<\/p>\n
\"This is a matter of human rights. We're ready to defend
\nthem,\" Trimoelja told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Sources told the Post that the three will be charged with
\nviolating articles 154 and 160 of the Criminal Code on disturbing
\npublic order which carry maximum penalties of six and seven year
\nimprisonment respectively.<\/p>\n
Chief of the Brawijaya regional military command Maj. Gen.
\nImam Utomo earlier threatened to take the student activists to
\ncourt on charges of subversion, which carries a maximum penalty
\nof death.<\/p>\n
Police have released 33 other students arrested during the
\ndemonstrations.<\/p>\n
The two demonstrations involved about 10,000 workers from 10
\nfactories at the Tandes industrial estate in the southern suburb.<\/p>\n
The workers demanded that their daily wages be raised to Rp
\n7,000 (US$3). The minimum daily wage for Surabaya, set by the
\ngovernment last April, is Rp 5,200 (US$ 2.26).<\/p>\n
The military have singled out student activists of the
\nDemocratic People's Party as the prime movers of the industrial
\nstrike. Most of the students were injured as the military
\nforcibly dispersed them.<\/p>\n
Armed Forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Amir Syarifuddin described
\nthe industrial strike as \"very emotional\". He said the
\ndemonstrators meant to discredit the military.<\/p>\n
\"There is no need to take seriously what this small group of
\npeople did. They have been antimilitary from the outset,\" he
\nsaid. (15\/swe)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/one-more-detained-following-labor-unrest-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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