Call for national strike gets mixed response

JAKARTA (JP): The Jakarta Student Executive Boards' (BEMs) call for a national strike received a mixed response from both the people and university students nationwide, and life practically went on as normal in all cities in the country on Monday, despite student demonstrations in several places.

In the South Sulawesi capital of Makassar, some 200 students from the local BEM branch gathered at the Mandala Monument area downtown at Jl. Jend. Sudirman, expressing their support to the Jakarta's BEM's call for a national strike.

Demanding that President Abdurrahman Wahid resign, the students said that a national strike was the most effective way to force the President to step down.

Usman, chairman of Makassar University BEM, said that Monday's move was aimed at informing the people about their big plan. "Many more students will take to the streets on Wednesday. We were and will be consistent with our demand for the resignation of President Abdurrahman."

A student of Hasanuddin University said she heard about the strike call. "Things ran as usual on Monday, despite the demonstration," Emmy Mustafa said.

In Purwokerto, Central Java, there was no action taken by Jendral Sudirman University students.

Banyumas Police chief Comr. Imam Basuki told reporters that he had been informed about a huge strike on Monday. "Thank God, nothing happened."

Asked about the many officers in uniform standing at several corners of the city, Imam said that the alert status related to the planned visit of First Lady Sinta Nuriyah Wahid on Tuesday.

The First Lady was scheduled to become the keynote speaker at a one-day seminar on gender in the campus.

Rumor had it that a big rally was planned to welcome Sinta Nuriyah on Tuesday, but reliable sources said late Monday night that she canceled her visit for unknown reasons.

In the Central Java capital of Semarang, around 500 students of Diponegoro University BEM and the Sultan Agung Islamic University marched to the provincial legislative council.

On the way, the students distributed leaflets to pedestrians and motorists calling all people to go on strike as an expression of national concern about the unresolved national problems.

The students also urged the President to step down for his failures.

Fris Dwi Yuliyanto, the students' coordinator, did not say when the strike would take place.

Meanwhile, at least 300 members of the Indonesian Muslim Students' Front packed the front yard of the Grahadi gubernatorial office in Surabaya, demanding that President 'Gus Dur' Abdurrahman give up his post.

They said they supported their fellow students from the BEM (who were in Jakarta for a similar demand), adding that Gus Dur's administration has lost its political, moral, social and psychological legitimacy.

In the 90-minute action, the students also criticized the government's plan to increase fuel prices.

On Sunday, Jakarta students called on public transport drivers to take part in the national strike.

However, the call got no response in Surabaya. "What's the reason for going on strike? Shall drivers in Surabaya go on strike if Jakarta drivers do so? Let Jakarta drivers take their own action," Roni, a mikrolet driver said.

The students' front secretary, Guritno, said the (Surabaya) students had never asked Surabaya people to go on strike. "We have not planned any strike."

Nothing special happened in Yogyakarta on Monday.

Only a group of 35 people calling themselves the Youths Community for Defending Democracy were seen gathering at the side of the well-known Malioboro thoroughfare. They were just "saying prayers" for national unity and had nothing to do with the national strike call or demand for the President's resignation.

They waved huge banners which read, among other things, "Pray for National Unity".

Coordinator Syahrul Munir said that his group was just trying to remind all layers of society that unity was beyond everything.

Life in the West Java capital of Bandung went on as normal. All government and private offices were open and there were no students' demonstrations on the streets.

People seemed to be heedless of the call to strike.

"Who has called for a strike? Why? I have to make money as usual," said Apul, a 61-year-old food vendor.

In Tangerang, Banten, public transport drivers did not heed the strike call. They operated as usual, saying that they did not agree with the strike call voiced by the students.

"We have families. Who will feed our wives and children if we stop making money?," said Solihin, a driver of a public transport vehicle plying the Pasar Anyar - Perumnas route.

A becak (three-wheeled pedicab) driver, Warman said a strike would not change his life. "With or without a strike I'll remain a becak driver," the 50-year-old man said. (team)