YLBHI questions arrests<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI)
\ncriticized the government yesterday for taking repressive
\nmeasures against this week's peaceful labor demonstrations.<\/p>\n
In a statement made available to The Jakarta Post, the
\nfoundation said that demonstrations were a legal means for the
\npeople to express concern over an issue.<\/p>\n
The legal aid body was commenting on the arrest on Monday of
\nlabor activists demonstrating in Jakarta and Semarang. The
\nprotesting workers demanded that the government raise the minimum
\ndaily wage to Rp 7,000 (US$3).<\/p>\n
The protests, spearheaded by labor activists of the Center for
\nIndonesian Workers' Struggle (PPBI) and Students' Solidarity for
\nDemocracy in Indonesia (SMID), were held in conjunction with
\nWorld Labor Day, which falls on May 1.<\/p>\n
"Demonstrations are a legal means of expressing aspirations,
\nespecially when the formal channels don't work and dialog always
\nmeets a dead-end," said the statement, which was signed by the
\nfoundation's Director of Communication and Special Programs
\nHendardi and the head of the Workers' Division, Teten Masduki.<\/p>\n
According to the YLBHI, the protest in Semarang, Central Java,
\nwhich involved some 400 workers and students from the SMID, was
\nforcibly broken up by police.<\/p>\n
Ten students and two workers were arrested but have since been
\nreleased.<\/p>\n
At a demonstration at the manpower ministry in Jakarta, two
\nactivists from the little-known PPBI were arrested.<\/p>\n
In both cities, the protesters demanded that the government
\nincrease the daily minimum wage to Rp 7,000 from its current
\nrange of Rp 2,800 to Rp 4,750. (pwn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ylbhi-questions-arrests-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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