Sporadic labor rallies continue in Medan<\/p>\n
MEDAN, North Sumatra (JP): Strikes and sporadic vandalism
\ncontinued yesterday in the provincial capital and its
\nsurroundings, as the military remained visible throughout the
\nregion.<\/p>\n
Seven shops here were damaged in an attack early yesterday
\nwhile hundreds of workers staged protests at 15 companies in
\nTanjung Morawa during the day. Twenty workers were arrested on
\nsuspicion of vandalism.<\/p>\n
The city gained a semblance of its formal self, but the heavy
\nsecurity presence persisted in the areas considered prone to
\nriots.<\/p>\n
Strikes were also reported near Belawan port and along the
\nroad linking Medan and Binjai.<\/p>\n
In Pematang Siantar, some 90 kilometers from the capital city,
\nworkers still gathered to list their grievances, but they managed
\nto meet with their employers.<\/p>\n
North Sumatra Military Commander Maj. Gen. A. Pranowo told
\nreporters here yesterday that the military had intensified its
\ncontrol of several pockets in the city to prevent more violence,
\nsaying that the protests have led to intimidation and terrors.<\/p>\n
He claimed that workers at several companies in Tanjung Morawa
\nwere forced to take part in the protests to prevent their
\nfactories from being attacked.<\/p>\n
\"This kind of situation needs special handling,\" he said,
\nadding that the protests border on a SARA issue. SARA is the
\nIndonesian acronym for the four things that are most prone to
\nupset national security and stability: sectarianism, racialism,
\ntribalism and religious differences.<\/p>\n
Even though Medan was relatively calm yesterday, many shops
\nstayed closed and several roads looked deserted. A number of home
\nowners put white flags in front of their houses or prayer mats to
\nshow they are not ethnic-Chinese, the main targets of the
\nvandalism.<\/p>\n
The workers have complained about the dominant role of the
\nChinese in the province's economy.<\/p>\n
In an apparent attempt to quell the strikes, the military and
\nPolice deployed hundreds of personnel to guard areas considered
\nprone to violence while tanks stood at the ready in several
\ncorners of the city.<\/p>\n
Pranowo acknowledged that his command was a little bit late in
\nintervening to cope with the riots, but he contended that there
\nwere special procedures to adhere to before he could step in.<\/p>\n
\"When the problems have become complicated, there will be a
\nrequest from other institutions for my command to take part in
\nrestoring order,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said that workers were depressed because of the
\ndiscrimination in term of facilities and salaries. \"So social
\nenvy emerges, while the employers do nothing but make empty
\npromises.\" he said.<\/p>\n
The Armed Forces said Wednesday that the independent
\nIndonesian Prosperous Labor Union (SBSI) was responsible for
\nfanning the race riots and vandalism which have raged in Medan
\nand its surroundings for the past seven days. The riots left a
\nChinese businessman dead, many cars damaged and 150 factories and
\nshops ransacked.<\/p>\n
Pranowo said that the military was still searching for Hamosi
\nTelaumbanua, chairman of the Medan chapter of SBSI, and stressed
\nthat it would not hesitate to arrest SBSI chairman Mukhtar
\nPakpahan if there was an indication that he had called for the
\nstrikes.<\/p>\n
The Armed Forces has said that the actions of the
\ndemonstrators and their demands were in accordance with
\nPakpahan's methodology and teachings.<\/p>\n
Pranowo said that the terror and intimidation smacks of the
\nmodus operandi of the outlawed Indonesian Communist Party (PKI),
\nwhich was wiped out in the middle 1960's. He said that the
\nauthority would not hesitate to question any non-governmental
\norganization involved in the strikes.<\/p>\n
North Sumatra Police Chief Brig. Gen. Soebandy S. said that
\nTelaumbanua had disappeared with his family in an apparent
\nattempt to avoid arrest. He said that the police still have the
\nsecretary of the Medan chapter of the SBSI, Riswan Lubis, on
\nsuspicion of masterminding the strikes.<\/p>\n
Soebandy also said that the police have completed 15 dossiers
\nof the workers involved in the violence during the strikes.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Chinese government yesterday expressed concern
\nover the riots in North Sumatra, calling for concerted efforts to
\ndefuse the situation.<\/p>\n
Wu Jianmin, the spokesman for the foreign ministry in Beijing,
\nwas quoted by AFP as saying yesterday that \"we hope and believe
\nthat the Indonesian government will properly settle the case.\"<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, spokesman for the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation
\n(YLBHI) Hendardi said that some non-governmental organizations
\nhave decided to send a team to Medan to help the leaders detained
\nby the authorities following the strikes.<\/p>\n
The team would be led by Sukardjo Adidjojo, a senior lawyer at
\nthe foundation.<\/p>\n
According to Hendardi, it is not impossible that the riots
\nwere provoked by several entrepreneurs to turn people's attention
\nfrom labor matters to racial issues.<\/p>\n
He said that there were pamphlets which were obviously not
\nissued by the workers, whose contents urged workers and students
\nto attack the Indonesian Chinese and to label Pakpahan as a
\nmember of the PKI.<\/p>\n
Teten Masduki, a labor specialist at the foundation, said that
\n112 workers have been arrested in Medan.<\/p>\n
YLBHI also urged the government yesterday to review its labor
\npolicy and denounced the repressive measures employed by the
\nmilitary to handle the Medan strikes. (rmn\/09\/par\/vin)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/sporadic-labor-rallies-continue-in-medan-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}