Police forcibly disperse labor union congress

Police forcibly disperse labor union congress

JAKARTA (JP): The second congress of the Indonesian Prosperous
Labor Union (SBSI) ground to a sudden halt yesterday after police
forced them to suspend their meeting at their headquarters in
Tebet, South Jakarta.

SBSI officials said eight of their members and four foreigners
-- two Dutch journalists and two representatives from an
Australian trade union -- were taken away by police for
questioning.

When asked, police on the scene would not say if those taken
into custody would be arrested.

Separately, a police source at the Foreigners Supervision Unit
at City Police Headquarters said yesterday that two journalists
had been handed over to the Dutch Embassy.

The congress was opened yesterday morning by SBSI secretary-
general Sunarti who read a statement from SBSI chairman Muchtar
Pakpahan, who was absent because he was serving time for inciting
riots.

The government does not recognize the existence of SBSI and
only sanctions the All-Indonesia Workers Union (SPSI).

Yesterday's congress was attended by some 150 chapter members
from 27 provinces, as well as observers from foreign labor
unions.

International trade unions, such as the World Confederation of
Labor, the Jakarta chapter of the International Labor
Organization and CNV of the Netherlands, were present as
observers.

It was originally slated to run until tomorrow.

The first congress was held in 1993 to establish the union.

Organizers had decided to suspend the meeting after police
pressed them to stop their activities.

However, witnesses said that half an hour later about two
dozen police officers tried to enter the SBSI compound and
disperse the crowd inside.

Minor scuffles occurred as police tried to confiscate the
congress banner.

Police then took several people away in a police truck.

According to Sunarti, the congress was held to discuss the
union's programs, organizational guidelines and structure.

During the opening session they also expressed opposition
toward the newly endorsed labor bill.

After the meeting was broken up, Sunarti said she had yet to
determine SBSI's next step. She did not say whether or not it
would continue its congress.

"I'd like to think about the fate of my detained friends
first," Sunarti said. (05)