Hostage drama ends with injured workers

Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Bogor

The hostage drama at textile manufacturer PT Idea Karya Indah (IKI), located at the 41.2 kilometer mark on the old Jakarta- Bogor road in Cibinong, ended on Thursday evening when dozens of police officers used force to free director Agung Nugroho, injuring a number of the workers in the process.

At least five of the workers, who were sleeping near the entrance, were injured during the two-hour operation.

"The police beat, trampled on us and tried to choke us ...Pak Agung was waving at us, smiling, as if mocking us," one of the workers, Sri Erna, said.

The workers said they often staged protest rallies as they had not received any wages since November. On Dec. 24, about 600 workers occupied the plant as the management failed to pay their salaries as promised on that day.

"And we never took Pak Agung hostage. He came here himself at night and promised to pay his debts. We kept him as collateral and treated him well," Sri Erna added.

The workers have been idle since October as the management has been channeling all orders for jackets and pants to its other plant in Ciriung for the last two years. That plant only casual workers.

As observed by The Jakarta Post on Friday, the workers, mostly women, were still occupying the plant. They say they will not vacate it until they receive their salaries.