Nationwide fuel hike protests lose steam

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.