People fear joining NGOs

People fear joining NGOs

JAKARTA (JP): Apart from restrictions on the right to
assemble, many people also fear joining associations the
government doesn't recognize. But worse is the fear of not
joining certain organizations, like government-sponsored unions.

In 1992 lawyer and labor activist Muchtar Pakpahan with about
100 laborers from 18 provinces founded Serikat Buruh Sejahtera
Indonesia (Indonesian Prosperous Workers Union -- SBSI), as a
reaction against the government sanctioned All Indonesian Workers
Union (SPSI) which SBSI claimed couldn't defend and help its
members and their interests.

SBSI, which is managed by the workers, would work only for the
interests of laborers, said Pakpahan at the time. The fact that
the workers themselves managed the organization proves it is a
workers' union for workers and from workers, he argued.

"It is different from SPSI, which is handled by the
government," Pakpahan was quoted by the banned Tempo weekly in
1992.

The union has been recognized by the International Labor
Organization and accepted as a member by the International
Confederation of Free Trade Unions. At home, the government has
not recognized it and advises laborers to join the sanctioned
SPSI.

Indonesian civil servants are automatically considered members
of the Civil Servants Corps (Korpri) which began in 1971. There
is no written requirement but it is taken for granted that all
civil servants and those working for government-owned bodies are
members of the organization. The employees of the National
Logistics Agency, for example, are required to join the corps
even though the agency is categorized as a non-department
institution.

Since Korpri is also a main backer of the ruling Golkar
faction, there is an understanding that members must vote for
Golkar.

"There is no regulation on the matter, but in every election
we know how to vote," said a civil-servant who asked for
anonymity. (als)