Thugs attack striking drivers, students<\/p>\n
Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan, North Sumatra<\/p>\n
A group of unidentified people attacked bus drivers and students
\nhere on Monday hours before they went ahead with a planned strike
\nto protest the recent rise in fuel prices and electricity rates.<\/p>\n
The attack took place at about 2:30 a.m., shortly after the
\nvictims had distributed leaflets at bus stations announcing the
\nstrike.<\/p>\n
At least eight bus drivers and four students were injured in
\nthe violence.<\/p>\n
Two of the drivers -- Arifin Sembiring and Morisi Situmorang
\n-- sustained serious head injuries and are being treated in the
\nintensive care unit at Pirngadi Hospital.<\/p>\n
The protesters had received threats on Saturday night after
\nthey announced plans to stage a massive strike on Monday.<\/p>\n
Nasrun, one of the attacked drivers, said the victims believed
\nthe attackers were supervisors from rival bus operators.<\/p>\n
He said a group of unidentified people stopped the victims as
\nthey were returning to the headquarters of their public
\ntransportation owners association (Kesper-AU), led by Victor
\nNainggolan.<\/p>\n
\"After being held for about 90 minutes in the street by their
\naccomplices, several other people arrived and beat us. We could
\nnot identify them all,\" Nasrun told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
The assailants reportedly called the drivers and students
\n\"provocateurs\" for distributing leaflets calling for a strike.<\/p>\n
Authorities believe the attack could be linked to an internal
\nconflict within Kesper-AU, which in 1998 split into two factions
\n-- one led by Victor Nainggolan and the other by Manahan
\nHutagulung.<\/p>\n
Despite the attack, thousands of drivers pushed ahead with the
\nstrike on Monday. No violence was reported during the protest,
\nwhich also involved hundreds of students from various
\nuniversities in the province.<\/p>\n
The protesters condemned the \"repressive action\" by the group
\nof attackers who tried to prevent the strike.<\/p>\n
There were no reports of commuters being stranded by the
\nstrike, as thousands of other drivers from the Manahan-led
\nKesper-AU went about their work as usual.<\/p>\n
O.K. Chaidir, who chairs the Medan branch of the land
\ntransportation owners' organization, said the strike was
\n\"political motivated\" because it involved students.<\/p>\n
\"Based on our monitoring, strikes took place in at least 20
\nspots with protesters stopping buses to join in,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Victor Nainggolan said the strike was organized because bus
\ndrivers were looked on as mere \"cash cows\".<\/p>\n
\"The increases in fuel prices and electricity rates, the hike
\nin the price of spare parts and rampant extortion have caused
\ndrivers further suffering.<\/p>\n
\"Tragically, the government and other agencies do not try to
\nresolve the problems, but even add more burdens on the drivers by
\ndeploying more buses and issuing new operational licenses,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
A statement issued by the strikers said bus earned about Rp 8
\nmillion per day just from a Rp 1,000 fee charged to about 8,000
\ndrivers every day.<\/p>\n
Victor said the strike would continue until Wednesday, which
\nlocal police said could place a burden on commuters.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/thugs-attack-striking-drivers-students-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}