SBSI protests over arrest of its member

SBSI protests over arrest of its member

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Prosperous Labor Union (SBSI) staged a protest at the House of Representatives yesterday to call for the release of one of its leaders in Binjai, North Sumatra, who has been detained there without warrant by police for 27 days.

"Free Roliati Harefa in the name of justice," read a poster of one of the 30 demonstrating union members and supporters.

Roliati, the union branch's deputy in Binjai, was detained last Dec. 30. She is currently in Medan police custody.

A statement signed by En Jacob Enreste, the chairman of the union's central board, said police violated procedures by arresting her. The union said it was Roliati who went to the police to report that she had been assaulted by her supervisor, Fendi Situmeang. The police officers then, without explanation, arrested her, saying she had assaulted Fendi. A formal warrant for her arrest had never been issued, the statement said.

However, Hasan, Roliati's employer at the Bintang Terang lumber mill, told The Jakarta Post earlier that it was Roliati who attacked Fendi. Hasan said he dismissed Roliati after two written warnings for her indisciplined conduct. Hasan added that he did not know why Roliati had been detained or even that she was an SBSI member.

The protesters dispersed peacefully after failing to meet with any of the legislators, most of whom were engaged in meetings. They had also requested to speak with House speaker Wahono.

Union members distributed copies of written protests from international organizations, including Amnesty International, which said that Roliati had been fired arbitrarily by Hasan.

Mochtar Pakpahan, the union's chairman, said earlier that the arrest might be linked to a crackdown on union members, who have been defying police bans on the union's activities.

Since it was set up in 1992 the government has not recognized the union, which now claims more than 500,000 members.

Roliati's detention along with complaints of labor rights violations have been reported to several other parties, including the National Commission on Human Rights. (anr)