Poverty, price hike prompt fishermen to riot

By Haryoso

REMBANG, Central Java (JP): Hundreds of fishermen and unemployed people went on a rampage near here two days before the Idul Fitri holiday last month, on learning that the price of kerosene had shot up from Rp 350 (5 U.S. cents) to Rp 1,000 a liter.

Even though the authorities considered the unrest "minor disturbances", the angry residents of Sarang and Kragan districts, in separate rioting, managed to burn down or damage 25 shops. The financial losses came to hundreds of millions of rupiah, but, fortunately as most Javanese would say, there were no injuries or deaths.

Three hundred soldiers and police were put on alert and dozens of people were arrested in the regency, 115 kilometers east of Central Java's capital Semarang.

Maemun Zuber, a respected local Moslem leader and member of the People's Consultative Assembly, said he knew the locals of Rembang -- mostly fishermen, as good-natured people.

He conceded, however, that many people had become restless over the relentless increase of the prices of basic commodities. "Most of these fishermen do not usually make that much money. Sometimes, they do not even earn anything," Maemun told The Jakarta Post.

"Prices are still increasing. In addition, school expenses for children are increasing too. In these economic conditions, it's easy to trigger their anger," he said.

Suradi, a 38-year-old fisherman from Kragan village in Kragan regency, described how he had had a constant headache for the past few months. "I haven't been able to catch enough fish to make ends meet, while food prices keep rising. I'm really stressed out."

At present he earns Rp 2,000 per day. A kilogram of lesser- quality rice costs between Rp 1,600 and Rp 2,200, while the prices of sugar and cooking oil have also risen.

"We don't have money, but my children have to eat. So, I have been forced to borrow money from loan sharks," said Suradi, a father of two. "They ask for very high interest. If I borrowed Rp 100,000, I'd have to pay them back Rp 125,000, in daily installments."

Suradi said numerous other villagers had also borrowed money from the loan sharks, many of whom were men who did not hesitate to intimidate people into paying.

Sarkawi, 50, nodded. This father of three talked sadly in his humble shanty measuring four-by-six meters about how he had to withdraw his two eldest sons from school and make them work.

"My eldest son was in fifth grade, while the second was in fourth grade. Now they work catching small fish in the nearby river and on the beach, while I go out to sea," Sarkawi said.

In good times, Sarkawi usually earns between Rp 100,000 and Rp 150,000 per month. These days, Sarkawi considers himself lucky if he makes Rp 60,000 a month.

He also had borrowed money from a loan shark and had to pay daily installments of Rp 4,000. "I often do not have enough money to feed my family, much less pay my debts," he said.

Urban

Urban dwellers are suffering no less pain from the economic crisis than rural people. Kartijo, 50, a resident of Barutikung in the northern part of the Central Java capital of Semarang, is stressed out and confused as to how he can feed his wife and three children.

He said he was close to despair and did not want to sell used newspapers and magazines any longer.

"Trade was slow and the family's needs were urgent, especially toward Idul Fitri last month," said Kartijo, a trader of used newspapers and magazines in a slum area close to Pasar Johar.

He told the Post that before the monetary crisis, he earned Rp 200,000 monthly. "But now, since August last year, my profit has averaged Rp 50,000 only. Some days I do not even sell anything."

"This has shocked me tremendously, especially since prices of daily foodstuffs have increased steeply. School books for the children have also become more expensive now," he said.

Samawi, 42, of Ngesrep district in the south of Semarang and a father of two, echoed these sentiments.

"My salary as a security guard at a private school is only Rp 135,000 a month. The price increases of daily essentials have led me to borrow money from my brother in Jakarta to meet my family's needs," Samawi said.

Samawi said he had obtained permission from the school principal to look for an extra job as a minibus conductor while continuing to guard the school at night.

"My wife Sutarni, 40, is now trying to get work as a domestic help," he said.

Ngadani, 37, of Bandarhardjo district in the north of Semarang, lost his job just before Idul Fitri because the shrimp chip factory where he worked closed down.

"Just as we were heading toward the happy Idul Fitri holiday, 15 friends and I lost our jobs because the factory went bankrupt. I understood and accepted the dismissal," said Ngadani who now runs a motorcycle taxi which he borrowed from his brother-in-law.

Two construction workers in Semarang, Haryanto and Sukirno, have been jobless for months and are now desperate for other employment to meet their families' needs.

Haryanto, 40, of Ngaliyam village in the west of Semarang, has said that life is now harder than ever.

"My wife and I are forced to eat only once a day, while the children can have their three meals. In order to fill my stomach I keep sweet potatoes in stock as a substitute for rice," he said.

Sukirno, 38, said he had been forced into pickpocketing.

"I am forced by the circumstances in this urgent and critical situation to become a pickpocket. I need money to feed my wife and child. I come from a poor family. My brothers are also poor and are experiencing the same problems as me," said Sukirno.

He said he would stop stealing as soon as he found a job.

Projects

Cholil Bisri, a leader of the Nahdlatul Ulama Moslem organization and former legislator, called on the Central Java administration to help ease the situation as soon as possible by introducing labor-intensive projects.

The administration has reportedly allotted Rp 3.35 billion to finance projects in order to provide work for 7,000 workers.

"The scheme started on January 15, 1998 and will last for 80 days. The projects are in Tegal regency, Tegal city and Brebes regency, because in these three regions the number of unemployed people is the highest in Central Java," said Andi Usman, head of the provincial office of the Ministry of Manpower.