Nationwide fuel hike protests lose steam

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Hours prior to the announcement of the new fuel prices on Friday night, protests against the much-criticized policy amounted to little, with a massive rally pledged in the capital failing to materialize.

Demonstrations continued in many cities and towns across Indonesia, but were unable to draw the huge numbers of protesters as had been expected by many. In addition, the rallies were generally free of serious violence.

However in Jakarta, at least 100 students from the Indonesian Christian University (UKI) clashed with riot police officers near their campus on Jl. Diponegoro, with several injuries on both sides.

The police fired tear gas at the rock-throwing protesters, who blocked the main thoroughfare Jl. Diponegoro.

The police officers also chased the students into their campus, hitting some with their batons.

The scuffle broke out at around 5:25 p.m. after the youths set fire to tires, vandalized a bus and started throwing rocks at the police.

Several policemen and protesters were taken to a nearby hospital with minor injuries.

Outside Merdeka Palace, a similar protest involving around 1,000 people, meanwhile, ended peacefully after presidential spokesman Andi Mallarangeng met with 11 student representatives.

During the meeting, held at around 4 p.m. inside the palace compound, the delegates told Andi to meet their colleagues outside the complex.

But the political analyst-turned-presidential spokesman refused, and instead put his signature on a petition against the fuel price increase that was presented by the students.

The demonstrators later left the scene to disperse.

Earlier, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono repeated his appeal for protesters to refrain from chaos and violence during their rallies, which he agreed was a bitter pill for everyone in the nation to swallow.

In Makassar, hundreds of students blocked the streets outside their campus of Hasanuddin University and held Friday prayers there, causing massive traffic jams.

Many motorists had to turn off their cars and park on the congested streets for hours. Passengers of public transportation vehicles were forced to alight and walk to their destinations.

The protesters said the road block would not be lifted until midnight.

"We will block the road while waiting for the announcement on the new fuel policy at midnight. If the government presses ahead with the increase, we will do more than this," a student warned during his oration.

A demonstration in Cirebon, West Java, got a boost from the city's mayor Subardi and all 30 members of the local legislative council.

In a joint statement during the protest by students, youths and non-governmental organization activists as well as street vendors and drivers, Subardi said the fuel hike plan was a policy that did not empathize with the people, most of whom live under the poverty line.

"This policy proves that the central government has no conscience and lacks a sense of urgency in relieving the suffering of the people," he added.

Cirebon council deputy speaker Edi Suripno said the council would remain at the forefront of the protests against the fuel price increase. "The government has hurt the people by unveiling such a policy that will only impose more burdens on them."

In Semarang, a clash with police was averted during a separate demonstration at the local marketing office unit of state-owned oil and gas firm PT Pertamina, even though dozens of student protesters threw rotten tomatoes at the building.

The group also tried to enter the office, but failed as police blocked them from breaking through.

Earlier in the same day, some 200 protesters forced three members of the Central Java legislative council to join their march to the governor's office, while in Bali students hijacked a fuel truck.

Similarly, leaders of the Yogyakarta legislative council left for Jakarta on Friday to personally deliver their demand that the government cancel the increases.

"Our decision is consistent with the aspirations of the people," council speaker Djuwarto said, adding that the decision had been agreed upon on Thursday in a meeting of council leaders.

In the meantime, dozens of demonstrators failed in their attempt to force the East Kalimantan administration to declare a mass strike in protest against the fuel hike policy.

East Kalimantan Deputy Governor Yurnalis Ngayoh was quoted by Antara as saying in Samarinda his administration could not meet the protesters' demand, arguing that such a political decision required approval from the governor and local council.

The fuel price hike, which will take effect on Saturday, was the second increase this year after the March rise. On Tuesday night, the House of Representatives approved the slashing of fuel subsidies that have been devouring between one-fifth and one- third of Indonesia's annual budget.