Australian questioned over street protests

JAKARTA (JP): Police intelligence officers are questioning an Australian national over his alleged participation in a number of street protests here, Col. Saleh Saaf of the National Police information unit said on Thursday.

Saleh said the suspect, identified as Roger Anthony Smith of the American Center for International Labor Solidarity (ACILS), had violated existing immigration regulations by participating in rallies on labor issues and collecting data on Indonesian laborers.

"He'll be charged under article 50 of Law No. 9/1992 on immigration regulations. There are four other Australian nationals whom we have held for questioning over Anthony's case, as witnesses," he said.

"He also does not have a SKLD (official letter from immigration stating that the bearer has reported to immigration after entering the country)."

Saleh added that Anthony was supposed to be working as a program consultant for the health and pharmacy division of the All-Indonesia Labor Union (SPSI).

"Instead, he participated in meetings that discuss labor union activities, in board meetings that tell of union problems with businesses here, and also found time to monitor labor rallies," he said.

As a result, police confiscated Anthony's passport and his temporary residence identification card (Kitas), before arresting him over immigration violations. (ylt)