IPF security protests

IPF security protests

The IPF's internal security officers staged a protest here on Monday by sealing off the Indigenous Peoples Forum (IPF) secretariat to voice their disappointment over what they claimed as improper treatment from the IPF organizing committee.

Thirty six internal security members, mostly from Bali's biggest traditional martial arts institution Sandhi Murti, started their protest at around 11 a.m. by banning people from entering and exiting the IPF's secretariat in Bualu hotel.

"We don't like being ordered to do other work, which actually is not mentioned in our job description, such as cleaning toilets, organizing travel buses, or lobbying the police to secure the release of some detained IPF participants.

"On the top of that, we don't like being yelled at for the mistakes we did not commit," the security division coordinator M. Saichu told The Jakarta Post.

The protest ended after IPF national coordinator Emmy Hafild arrived at the secretariat and began a series of closed-door meetings with representatives of the protesters, including Saichu, Sandhi Murthi founder Ngurah Harta.

The protesting security personnel agreed to put all their grudges behind them after Emmy Hafild apologized and explained the miscommunication.

Emmy stressed that the security division would be reassigned to their original duties, which were to protect and secure the IPF property.

"It (the protest) happened because right now we are all very tired, very exhausted to be precise, so, understandably, emotions run very high," she said.