Strike likely to continue: Police
Strike likely to continue: Police
JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta Police warned that a public
transportation strike that affected some parts of the city on
Saturday would be repeated again on Monday to protest the 30
percent increase of fuel prices.
City police spokesman Sr. Comr. Anton Bachrul Alam said on
Sunday that information collected by police intelligence
personnel indicated that a strike would most likely affect some
parts of the city.
"We have received news from our intelligence units that
Saturday's strike, which involved hundreds of public bus and
minivan drivers, will continue on Monday," Anton told The Jakarta
Post on Sunday.
Nevertheless, Anton said the police had coordinated with the
Indonesian Military (TNI) and the city administration to take
necessary measures should the strike materialize.
"Together, we will deploy over 100 trucks in bus terminals
across the capital to transport stranded passengers," Anton said.
Anton warned that police would not hesitate to arrest anybody
caught trying to coerce public minivan or bus drivers to
participate in the strike.
The police arrested 12 people during Saturday's strike at
Ciputat, South Jakarta. They included workers, university
students, laborers and a commander of the City Forum (Forkot).
"The police will not tolerate any sort of chaos in the
capital," Anton said.
Currently, 21,000 police personnel are on high alert and
deployed in the capital's economic centers, around public
facilities and in and around the capital's gas stations.
A wave of protests and strikes in several locations throughout
the country took place on Saturday and Sunday after the
government announced the hike of fuel prices, which became
effective on Saturday.
The price of premium leaded gasoline has risen to Rp 1,450 (13
U.S. cents) per liter from Rp 1,150; automotive diesel oil to Rp
900 per liter from Rp 600; and kerosene to Rp 400 from Rp 350 per
liter.
According to National Police data, strikes by public
transportation drivers had affected at least 19 Indonesian cities
as of Sunday, most of them located in Java.
Bandung, the capital of West Java, experienced the worst
strike, which followed violent labor protests at the end of last
week.
The Bandung administration bowed to the drivers' demand and
approved a fare increase for public transportation by between 25
percent and 30 percent.
"I hope the drivers will start operating their vehicles
because their demand (for an increased fare) has been met. The
students have to sit their final examinations on Monday," West
Java Governor R. Nuriana exclaimed on Sunday.
The situation in Bandung returned to normal on Sunday. Shops
and markets resumed trading while there were still few public
vehicles visible in the streets.
Drivers who had not begun working again admitted that they
were afraid of intimidation from fellow drivers and possible
riots if they resumed operations.
"I'll see if many of my friends start serving passengers. I
will too, but if there's only a few of them I'd rather not
operate my vehicle," a minivan driver, Deden, said.
On several routes, such as in Lembang and Ciwiduey, however,
the public transportation had ground to a complete halt.
Still on Sunday, in Kebon Kelapa and Cicadas terminal, Bandung
Police arrested five members of the Democratic People's Party
(PRD) who were allegedly distributing pamphlets about a rally
planned for Monday.
Bandung police chief Sr. Comr. Timur Pradopo claimed the
arrested PRD members were provoking drivers to strike on Monday.
In Jambi, the strike continued on Sunday with only several
vehicles resuming operations.
Antara reported that many of the public minivan drivers just
parked their vehicles in several terminals.
The striking public minivan drivers there also demanded a
public transportation fare increase.
Jambi Governor Zulkifli Nurdin said that his administration
would consider the demands made by the public minivan drivers
after thorough discussion with other related agencies.
(25/30/ylt/emf)