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 - Page 4