Communists behind protests

MALANG, East Java: Chief of the East Java military command Maj. Gen. Imam Utomo said yesterday that a recent spate of worker demonstration in Jombang may have been masterminded by activists of "formless" organizations.

Imam said he based his belief on the government's finding that many of the demonstrators were people who "had no direct interests" in the labor disputes.

"I suspect that formless organization activists infiltrated the demonstration and fanned right-left extremists," he said as reported by Antara.

Jombang, well-known as a Santri (Muslim student) town for its Islamic boarding schools, was rocked by three days of labor demonstrations last week. Spearheaded by youths and students, the demonstrators denounced the way officials and security officers handled a strike by employees of CV Maska Perkasa. (pan)