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.