SBSI leaders accused of masterminding riots in Medan

SBSI leaders accused of masterminding riots in Medan

JAKARTA (JP): The Armed Forces yesterday accused the independent
Indonesian Prosperous Labor Union (SBSI) of fomenting the race riots and
vandalism that have raged in the North Sumatra capital of Medan and its
surroundings for the past seven days.

"We have data indicating that the SBSI, which is not recognized by
the government, masterminded the violent worker rallies," Lt-Gen HBL
Mantiri, the chief of the general staff at the Armed Forces headquarters
told a news conference yesterday.

Mantiri pointed out that the chairman of the Medan chapter of SBSI
was involved in the incident and that he remains at large.

"We will deal firmly with those responsible for the riots," he said,
adding that the strikers' tactics were eerily reminiscent of the methods
of the outlawed Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).

Mantiri said the protests in Medan involved only 6,000, not the
20,000 widely reported elsewhere.

He also claimed that the actions of the demonstrators and their
demands were in accordance with the methodology and teachings of the
SBSI chairman in Jakarta, Muchtar Pakpahan.

Supporting his conclusion of central control of the riots, Mantiri
recounted an incident in Medan on Tuesday where demonstrators attacked
an industrial plant while its employees were working inside.

Mantiri said irresponsible persons also had set off rumors
of vandalism and riots in several areas in Jakarta such as Pluit,
Tanjung Priok, Gunung Sahari and Pasar Baru.

"Those rumors are entirely baseless and untrue. They were aimed only
at causing public restlessness. All this is very similar to what the
outlawed communist party did (in the 1960s)," he pointed out.

He called on the people to remain calm and not be influenced by such
wild and entirely baseless rumors.

Chinese

In Medan, the N. Sumatra Police Command confirmed yesterday that the
real target of the worker protest rallies have been the ethnic Chinese.

"Seen from the victims of the acts of vandalism over the past seven
days, we conclude that the worker protests have been motivated by anti-
Chinese sentiments," Lt-Col. Leo Sukardi, the police spokesman in Medan
told newsmen.

Sukardi pointed out that illegal pamphlets seized from the
demonstrators contained anti-Chinese slogans.

Meanwhile, even though Medan and its surrounding satellite towns were
quiet yesterday, sporadic protests occurred at several factories.

Protesting workers at some plants went on a rampage, damaging at
least 15 cars

Sukardi said that striking workers had complained about the dominant
role of the Chinese in the province's economy.

The riot over the past seven days left a Chinese businessman dead,
many cars damaged and 150 factories and shops ransacked.

At least 7,000 workers in the city and outskirts, including Delitua,
Tanjung Morawa and Batang Kuis, continued their strike yesterday.

Strikers thronged to predominantly Chinese-populated areas, such as
Petisah, Kesawan, Pulau Brayan and Glugur.

In Pematang Siantar, the striking workers vandalized the manpower
office and mobbed its chief, Poltak Manurung, but he was rescued by
local security officials with injuries.

Most shops and shopping centers belonging to ethnic Chinese remained
closed yesterday.

A joint team of the North Sumatra Military Command (Bakorstanasda)
and manpower office yesterday visited factories in Medan and its
surrounding towns to help restore peaceful industrial relations.

Sukardi said seven demonstrators were arrested yesterday after they
were caught vandalizing.

He added that 47 demonstrators were currently detained for
interrogation.

"We have completed the dossiers on 15 of them to be submitted to the
public prosecution office soon," Sukardi said. (vin/rmn/rms) Editorial -
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