Workers' protest ends in violence<\/p>\n
SURABAYA: A protest by 150 workers of PT Mepoli Industry Top,
\na plastic business located in Tandes, West Surabaya, degenerated
\ninto a riot on Wednesday after unidentified people armed with
\nsickles attacked the protesting workers.<\/p>\n
Eyewitnesses said that ten muscular men, emerged from the
\nfactory compound and attacked the workers after the protest had
\ncontinued for 30 minutes.<\/p>\n
\"We did not know the men. They returned to the factory after
\nsix of us were wounded,\" Marpaung, one of the protesting workers,
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Sutrisno was seriously wounded and is being treated at Dr.
\nSutomo General Hospital.<\/p>\n
The workers said they were sure that the factory management
\nhad hired thugs to deal with the workers' protest.<\/p>\n
\"What made us surprised was that the police officers guarding
\nthe demonstration just watched the assault without attempting to
\nstop it,\" said Marpaung.<\/p>\n
\"There was a conspiracy between management and the police, he
\nadded\"<\/p>\n
Marpaung said the demonstrators wanted management to reinstate
\neight workers who were arbitrarily dismissed three months ago.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Sudarto, chairman of the labor division at the
\nSurabaya Legal Aid Institute (LBH), blamed security officers
\n(police) for failing to deal fairly with conflicts involving
\nworkers protests.<\/p>\n
\"There were at least three clashes between protesting workers
\nand thugs hired by managements during the last three months.
\nFirst the clash at the Mardi Santosa Hospital in Bubutan, the
\nMaspion workers protest and the last, the Mepoli incident,\" said
\nSudarto. (nur\/sur)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/workers-protest-ends-in-violence-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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