Police fire warning shots, beat anti-CGI protesters
Police fire warning shots, beat anti-CGI protesters
Sri Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta
Police fired warning shots and beat hundreds of anti-CGI
protesters with batons, while representatives of Indonesia's
traditional foreign donor countries and institutions held a
closed-door meeting with government officials here on Sunday.
The incident took place only two days before the donors, under
the Consultative Group on Indonesia (CGI), decide on fresh loans
for the country.
Dozens of protesters suffered minor injuries and at least five
people were arrested by the police.
Three different groups were involved in the demonstration: the
People's Coalition for Anti-Globalization, the People's Front for
Anti-Imperialism and a student group from Gadjah Mada University.
Carrying anti-CGI banners and chanting slogans criticizing the
International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, the protesters
demanded the foreign lenders erase Indonesia's debts and called
on the government to reject new debts, to stop the privatization
of state-owned enterprises and to nationalize foreign assets.
The first clash between protesters and the police occurred
when officers tried to disperse demonstrators blocking the road
to the Gedung Agung Yogyakarta State Palace, where the donors and
government officials were to hold a discussion on administrative
reforms and regional autonomy.
The police fired warning shots to clear the road so the
delegates could pass.
A little later, another group of protesters attempted to
approach the State Palace. Again,
the police fired warning shots.
A third incident occurred when a protester gave a speech
condemning the police, calling them the "dogs of the
capitalists". Officers arrested the man.
Over the past several weeks, the nation has seen a number of
protests against several government policies deemed harmful to
the interests of the people.
There have been daily rallies against the utility price hikes
the government unveiled earlier this month. The government
postponed a telephone rate increase indefinitely in response to
protests, and is also reviewing the fuel price increase and
electricity rate hike.
At some of these actions demonstrators have turned their anger
toward the administration, demanding that both President Megawati
Soekarnoputri and Vice President Hamzah Haz step down.
The meeting in Yogyakarta was held to allow provincial and
district officials to brief donors about the progress of foreign-
funded governance reform programs in their respective areas.
Local administrations have had autonomy to manage their
economic and social affairs since 1999. However, many foreign
companies operating in the regions have complained about the poor
implementation of regional autonomy.
The meeting on Sunday was attended by a number of ambassadors
representing donor countries, officials of international lending
institutions, Yogyakarta Governor Sultan Hamengkubuwono X,
several other provincial governors, regents and mayors,
Coordinating Minister for the Economy Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-Tjakti
and other officials.
The final CGI meeting will be held on the resort island of
Bali on Tuesday and Wednesday. The donors are expected to provide
Indonesia with between US$2.4 billion and $2.8 billion in fresh
loans to help plug the 2003 state budget deficit.
The World Bank, which is the coordinator of the CGI, earlier
criticized the government for its reform efforts and its progress
in maintaining macroeconomic policy. It also expressed concern
over Indonesia's protectionism in the trade sector, particularly
its plans to impose import tariffs on rice, a move seen by the
bank as hurting the poor and local farmers.