NO MORE DEBT

JAKARTA: More than one thousand protesters from various non governmental organizations (NGOs), grouped into the newly-formed organization the Anti-Debt Coalition (KAU), staged on Wednesday an anti-foreign debt rally, urging the government to stop talks with the creditor nations of the Consultative Group on Indonesia (CGI).

The coalition said that the talks, which are aimed at satisfying the government's requests for fresh loans from the CGI, would further burden the already battered Indonesian economy.

"The government must refuse to talk about new loans, and start demanding that Indonesia's current debt be written off," the coalition said in a statement.

The rally began at 11 a.m. in front of Hotel Indonesia and continued at the Bank Indonesia building in Jl. Thamrin, Central Jakarta where the CGI members were meeting.

However, a veteran labor activist, Dita Indah Sari, admitted that the possibility that the government would comply with their demands was very slim.

"The government's prime concern now is to reschedule its old debts and to obtain new loans to fill its massive budget deficit," Dita said.

But, the new loans would spell greater burden for the Indonesian people, she said.

Hundreds of farmers from Tasik, Garut, and Ciamis in West Java also joined the rally. Sources said the demonstrations would proceed until Thursday.