Security forces guard Purwakarta factories<\/p>\n
PURWAKARTA, West Java (JP): About 100 police and troopers were
\nordered on Saturday to guard four factories in the Jatiluhur dam
\narea, where an industrial dispute degenerated into full-blown
\nviolence on Friday, inflicting great material losses.<\/p>\n
The order was given to prevent further unrest after 4,000
\nworkers of Indonesia's largest polyester producer, PT Indorama
\nSynthetics, went on a rampage when their demand for a pay rise
\nwas not met on Friday. By Saturday evening, order had reportedly
\nbeen restored.<\/p>\n
Purwakarta police chief, Lt. Col. S. Bery Chairawan, said: "We
\nare securing four factories today (Saturday). Indorama is quiet
\nbut about 1,500 workers of Elegant, Indopanca and Indobharat
\n(factories) were also demonstrating for a pay rise this morning."<\/p>\n
The day-long protest by the Indorama workers erupted into the
\nburning of more than 30 cars and stoning and burning of
\nfacilities. Nine rooms at the Rama International School in the
\ncompound were also damaged. There were reports that the factory's
\nmanagers and their families fled the compound to safety in other
\nareas.<\/p>\n
The workers had asked for a raise of Rp 150,000 (US$13) but
\nmanagement only agreed to a Rp 25,000 raise, plus a Rp 35,000
\nextra allowance to help workers adjust to the increasing economic
\nhardship.<\/p>\n
Corporate secretary of Indorama, V.S. Baldwa, told The Jakarta
\nPost that an increase of Rp 90,000 had been agreed to on Saturday
\nmorning in negotiations between the factory workers and
\nmanagement.<\/p>\n
"This is the third pay increase this year," Baldwa said. The
\nprevious pay rises were given in January and July, he added.<\/p>\n
Baldwa said the factory would resume work on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Asked whether the violence was instigated by people from
\noutside of the factory, Baldwa said: "It's difficult to figure it
\nout."<\/p>\n
He added that the company plans to issue an official statement
\non the incident on Monday.<\/p>\n
Bery said the police have made no arrests so far, and that it
\nwould take some time to establish an estimate of the material
\nlosses incurred in the incident.<\/p>\n
Bery said that at least two factory workers were admitted to
\nthe nearby hospital for head injuries because of Friday's unrest.<\/p>\n
Separately in Ngawi, East Java, at least five people were
\ninjured by rubber bullets and 40 others arrested when a clash
\nerupted on Friday between troopers and hundreds of villagers, who
\nwere stealing timber from a teak forest near the town.<\/p>\n
The villagers have reportedly felled about 1,000 trees in the
\nforest since Aug. 15.<\/p>\n
The clash erupted when 300 security personnel, including riot
\ntroops and Air Force personnel, were deployed to stop the
\nplundering.<\/p>\n
The injured were taken to the hospital in the nearby town of
\nMadiun and the authorities later released 20 of the detainees.
\n(43\/nur\/byg)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/security-forces-guard-purwakarta-factories-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}