Bogor drivers go on strike to protest student vandalism

BOGOR (JP): Dozens of public transportation drivers plying several routes between Bogor and Jakarta's outskirts went on strike on Thursday in protest at a rising trend of student vandalism which frequently led to their vehicles being damaged.

The drivers also demonstrated by parking their minibuses at an intersection in Depok before riding in a convoy along Jl. Raya Jakarta-Bogor and dispersing in Cibinong.

They demanded that police and other related agencies guarantee security against attacks, mostly by high school students, on their vehicles.

"Twelve minibuses serving various Bogor-Jakarta routes have been damaged recently," Budi, one of the protesting drivers, said.

He said that six of the damaged minibuses were owned by Mekar Jaya, two by Miniarta, two by Karya Jaya and another two by Jaya Mini.

"The damage was mostly in the form of broken windows as they were pelted with stones by the students," he said.

"In such cases the minibus owners usually pass the repair costs on to us," he said. "Each of the windows costs Rp 100,000 (US$13.30). If more than one is broken, how can we get such a large amount of money just for the repairs?" Budi asked.

High school students contacted by The Jakarta Post said they attacked the minibuses because the drivers usually refused to allow them to board, possibly because they paid much lower fares than other passengers.

"We're fed up with such a situation," one of the students who asked not to be named said.

Tarigan, another minibus driver, said that the reluctance on the part of the drivers to transport the students was not caused by the lower fares but by the fact that students from certain schools were frequently involved in street brawls, and that this led to vandalism.

"They clash anywhere, including aboard the buses. They frighten other passengers," he said.

Students most frequently involved in clashes were from several school in Cijantung and Pasar Rebo in East Jakarta.

"We strongly demand guarantees for security from the police and responsibility from the school principals," Tarigan said.

Commenting on the drivers' strike, Bogor Police chief Lt. Col. Ferial Manaf said that he would not tolerate any brutality on the part of the students and promised to maintain security in his area. But he also urged the drivers to be willing to transport the students to help reduce the tension.

"We will not hesitate to take stern action against naughty students by arresting them and asking their parents to pay for the damage as well as the principals to impose academic sanctions on the arrested students," Ferial said.

Thursday's strike, the third such action by the drivers, caused many passengers to be stranded in the morning. (24/hhr)