Hunger strike ends after a day

MEDAN, North Sumatra: Lasmaria Simatupang stopped her hunger strike on Friday after suffering stomach problems, Antara reported.

Simatupang began the strike on Thursday, together with a fellow worker protesting at the Medan Legal Aid office over poor wages and the arrest of fellow protesters.

"I will not stop protesting, however, until police release 12 fellow workers in their detention."

Lasmaria and Nursani, both workers of PT Latexindo Toba Perkasa textile company, went on a hunger strike in protest of the arrest of 12 workers who had staged a demonstration at their workplace demanding the management raise their daily wage from Rp 6,500 to Rp 8,000 following the skyrocketing prices of basic commodities.

"The police should not have detained the workers because they had not committed any crimes," she said.

Nursani is continuing her hunger strike. (rms)