SBSI reports violations to rights body
SBSI reports violations to rights body
JAKARTA (JP): The independent Indonesian Prosperous Labor Union (SBSI) reported the mistreatment its activists have received from government officials and the military to the National Commission on Human Rights yesterday.
Led by chairman Muchtar Pakpahan, the delegation of 15 labor activists were received by secretary-general of the commission, Baharuddin Lopa.
The activists reported four violations by the authorities:
* The police disbanding a training course for SBSI members in Sibolangit, North Sumatra, on Nov. 28, 1995, and the subsequent ban on the union's activities in the region.
* Confiscating letters addressed to the labor organization and tapping the union's telephones over the past three years.
* The police disbanding a discussion organized by the union on Tuesday.
* Intimidation by the military since the union was established in 1992.
Muchtar said the government and the military have invariably cited security reasons as grounds for restricting the organization's activities.
"The government does not have the right to ban our organization, or bar us from corresponding with overseas labor organizations because freedom of association and speech is guaranteed by the Constitution," he said.
He said he had the evidence that the authorities had seized letters sent to SBSI by many foreign labor unions.
He also charged that the military has pressured companies to dismiss around 5,000 SBSI members.
Muchtar went on to accuse the police of giving electric shocks to two SBSI members they were questioning for allegedly being involved in labor strikes in Tangerang and Bekasi last year.
He identified the activists as Raswan, the chairman of the SBS chapter in Tangerang, and Eliasa Budianto, the chairman of the SBSI chapter in Central Jakarta.
Lopa called on the SBSI, the government and the Armed Forces to hold talks to reduce misunderstandings.
He said the incidents the activists mentioned were "excesses of a basic problem; namely poor communication between the two sides."
The commission is "ready to facilitate such dialog," he said.
He also said the commission had met with Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief to discuss the problems faced by the independent union. "He promised to hold talks with SBSI, though he hasn't done so," Latief said.
Latief has frequently stated the government would never talk with SBSI because it is not an official labor union.
Lopa suggested SBSI consider merging with the government- backed All Indonesian Workers Union (SPSI). Muchtar said the members agreed to do so if "SPSI became an independent and democratic workers union".
The organization should also be "cleansed" of politicians, he said.
In addition, the government and military must never interfere in labor matters, including the labor organization's internal matters, he said.
He said SBSI, which recently became affiliated with the International Free Trade Union Organization, had no political interests.
"We represent workers to improve their economic welfare. That is all," he said. (rms)
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