Port workers lose jobs due to drop in docking ships<\/p>\n
Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Cirebon<\/p>\n
Nearly two thousand workers in Cirebon are facing unemployment
\nbecause the number of ships entering Cirebon port has dropped
\ndramatically during last week, labor activists have claimed.<\/p>\n
Port workers' cooperative chairman Moch. Sami'an said over the
\nweekend that the drop was apparently caused by a police crackdown
\non illegal timber shipments, leaving at least 1,000 port workers
\nand about 800 truck drivers with no work.<\/p>\n
He said that only two or three ships were docking each day.
\nUsually, there were between 15 and 25 ships per day, most heavily
\nloaded with logs from areas like West Kalimantan.<\/p>\n
\"Normally they (the port workers) can earn between Rp 20,000
\nand Rp 40,000 per day. But since the ships dropped to only two or
\nthree per day, most of them became unemployed while the rest saw
\ntheir earnings sharply decrease,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Most of the 800 truck drivers, who are usually hired to
\ntransport the goods from the port to their final destinations,
\nalso lost their jobs.<\/p>\n
\"During the last three days alone, I have had to return
\nhundreds of workers to their hometowns in Kapetakan and
\nAstanajapura districts,\" said Moch Sami'an.<\/p>\n
Port worker Nardi, 34, said he and his colleagues have been
\nunemployed during the last six days. \"No ships docked into the
\nport. It's very quiet. Usually there are dozens of ships entering
\nthe port, but now only two or three per day. I don't know when
\nit'll be back to normal again,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Moch Sami'an said that he was worried that if the slump
\ncontinued, the workers might stage violent protests.<\/p>\n
\"We see it very possible as currently they are very upset. You
\nknow if people hungry they easily get angry,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Cirebon Regional Police Chief, Sr. Comr. Sardjono also feared
\nviolence. \"We fully understand such a condition. We asked them to
\nbe patient as we're currently trying to solve the problem,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Sardjono told the press on Friday he was facing a dilemma. \"On
\none side we have to crack down illegal logs. But on the other
\nhand such action apparently has caused the number of ships
\nentering the port to drop and many port workers and drivers lost
\ntheir jobs,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Police are working with the workers' cooperatives, PT Pelindo
\nII and the management of the port to solve the problem, he said.<\/p>\n
Since March 14, Cirebon and national police have seized six
\nships in Cirebon port allegedly loaded with about 3,700 cubic
\nmeters of illegal logs, with an estimated total value of Rp 1.5
\nbillion.<\/p>\n
Cirebon Police Precinct Chief, Adj. Comr. Siswandi said the
\nships transported the logs from Sampit in West Kalimantan.<\/p>\n
Police have claimed the six ships are KLM Patra Niaga with 800
\ncubic meters of illegal logs, KLM Sarana Bahari with 400 cubic
\nmeters of illegal logs, KLM Berkat Safinatussalam with 700 cubic
\nmeters of logs, KLM Dasar Perdana with 700 cubic meters of
\nillegal logs, KLM Mitra Setia with 500 cubic meters of logs.
\nAnother ship with 600 cubic meters of logs was still not
\nidentified.<\/p>\n
\"We are still detaining all of the ships as we need to further
\ninvestigate them,\" said Siswandi.<\/p>\n
Previously, the Cirebon Customs and Excise Office also
\ndetained 19 illegal containers, allegedly containing luxury cars
\nand electronic goods. Later it released 17 of the containers,
\nsaying only two held illegal goods.<\/p>\n
But that action sparked strong protests from the Cirebon
\nlegislative council, students and youth activists.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/port-workers-lose-jobs-due-to-drop-in-docking-ships-1447893297",
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