SBSI discussion stopped for security reasons
SBSI discussion stopped for security reasons
JAKARTA (JP): Police yesterday broke up a discussion on people's rights held by the independent labor union, SBSI, citing security reasons.
An officer of the East Jakarta police precinct said it was better for the Indonesian Welfare Trade Union (SBSI) to cancel the discussion for fear participants might become victims of a "riot".
Corp. D. Ermanto told The Jakarta Post that police decided to stop the talks when a crowd of around 10 men gathering outside the small SBSI office started yelling abuse at participants.
He denied that the action was taken because the gathering did not have permits.
SBSI chairman Muchtar Pakpahan said he only notified the local police office about the discussion, held to commemorate International Human Rights Day which falls on Dec. 10.
Muchtar also said he did not request any permits from the police because "there was no need to do so".
Muchtar told the participants to stay calm even as the police broke up the meeting and the crowd outside of the room started to yell "Disperse this gathering, disperse SBSI!".
The men claimed to be members of the only officially- sanctioned All Indonesia Trade Union (SPSI).
"We're from SPSI, we reject any rival organization!" the men shouted. A witness said another man shouted, "Burn down the SBSI office."
However, SPSI has denied any involvement with the incident. Chairman of the SPSI Jakarta branch Sujito Tamtomo told the Post by telephone that the men could not possibly be SPSI members.
"The government has not declared SBSI illegal, so why would we want to stop them?" he said.
The fracas started at 2.20 p.m in the middle of the presentation by Soenardi, the chairman of a previously large, populist organization, Gerakan Rakyat Marhaen (Marhaen Peoples' Movement).
Another participating Marhaen member, Sukmawati Soekarnoputri, a daughter of the late President Sukarno, did not address the talks saying she was feeling unwell.
Muchtar had earlier delivered his presentation without interruption.
Ermanto led the police officers entering the office on Jl. Kayu Ramin 32 in the Utan Kayu Utara district, East Jakarta, and said the gathering must be stopped "in the name of the law".
"The participants are in danger from the men outside," Ermanto said.
Muchtar said he agreed to disperse the meeting, but asked the police to leave the room. Tension mounted when the police refused to do so.
An officer unplugged a cable from the sound system and tried to take over the microphone, but Muchtar held on to it.
The officers eventually went to the back of the room and stood watching while Muchtar closed the meeting, apologizing to the participants which included representatives of the Australian Embassy and the American Free Labor Institute.
Muchtar and several participants said the police should be protecting them from the men, whom the police did not approach.
In a press release sent from SBSI hours after the incident, staff member Gatot Indroyono stated local police and military officials had arrived at 9 a.m. and declared that they were safeguarding the event.
Officers, riot police and plainclothes security men then stood guard at both ends of the street SBSI's office is on.
Gatot said in the press release that SBSI members identified an official of the East Jakarta SPSI office among the crowd.
He said the discussion was being held after the dispersion of SBSI training sessions in Medan, North Sumatra on Nov. 22 and Nov. 27. Authorities there had declared SBSI illegal.
SBSI had intended to compare experiences with those of other new organizations, including the Indonesian National Unity, and the Indonesian Christian Participation (Parkindo), whose activities have not been disrupted by the authorities.
Parkindo founder Sabam Sirait and PNI leader Mrs. Supeni failed to show up. (anr)