Rev. Jackson's nudging

This weekend Indonesia was privileged and honored by the short visit of Rev. Jesse Jackson, one of America's leading civil rights leaders. Although he made some remarks and judgments that many Indonesians would not necessarily agree with, some of his assertions are worth considering.

The main purpose of his visit was to observe working conditions in Indonesia and to check if they meet international standards. He visited a local factory producing Reebok shoes but was denied a visit to a local Nike plant, another major producer of American sporting goods and shoes. He met with leaders of the FSPSI, the government-sponsored labor union, as well as the unrecognized SBSI trade union.

He showed the extent of his concern by meeting with Megawati Soekarnoputri, the embattled leader of the Indonesian Democratic Party, to talk about the elections and the civil rights movement in Indonesia.

But perhaps the most contentious point raised during his stay was his insistence on trade being tied to labor rights and human rights. According to Jackson, trade privileges accorded to developing countries by the U.S. government should be conditional upon the respect of these rights.

The suggestion has already been rejected by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), whose foreign ministers are currently meeting in Jakarta. The battle over the "social clause" is also being waged through the World Trade Organization where developed countries are pushing to establish such links.

Rev. Jackson's motive may have been political as his trip here was sponsored by the Rainbow Coalition, a U.S. group concerned about American jobs being lost to Asian workers. But his point carried moral overtones as well. The choice, he said, is not between having jobs with low pay and not having jobs at all, as many people in this part of the world often argue. "One should never have to trade off work and dignity. In slavery, everyone had a job but no dignity," was one of the most memorable remarks he made here, as quoted in the press.

While his allegations that Reebok and Nike shoes are being produced in sweat shops here and other countries in the region may not have been entirely convincing, they were punctuated by the opening of the summer Olympic Games, which coincided with his visit.

It is not immediately clear how much fact finding he carried out during his brief stay or if he collected enough information to make a sound judgment. From just a brief look at Indonesia, one can be forgiven for assuming that workers here are severely underpaid.

But if Rev. Jackson had looked at the past few years he would have seen remarkable progress. This is especially true with regard to minimum wages throughout the country, which have been increased almost to the point of Indonesia pricing itself out of competition. It is true that the Rp 5,200 (US$2.30) daily minimum wage for workers in Jakarta pales compared with even the hourly minimum wage set in the U.S., but one should not judge by the standards of America where the cost of living is substantially higher. Progress was also made when the government revoked its decree empowering the military to quell worker strikes.

But then again, there is plenty of room for improvement on the labor front, including the current trade union law which critics claim to be a violation of the Constitution's guarantee of freedom of association. Here, and in other areas where improvements need to be made, is where Rev. Jackson's voice really matters and should be listened to.

None of the problems he raised are new, and some have already been debated here. Still, a little reminder and small nudge from a moral voice and a man of Rev. Jackson's stature wouldn't hurt, especially if that is what it takes to bring about change in this country.