Teachers strike, students neglected

INDRAMAYU, West Java: Thousands of elementary school students in Indramayu regency were neglected on Friday as their teachers went on a strike to demand the local legislative council accept the 2003 accountability report of Regent Irianto MS Syafiuddin.

Students said they were given a day off by their schools and it was not the first time they had had such a holiday, as their teachers had previously demonstrated in support of the regent.

Responding to the rally, local councillors accused the regent of mobilizing and exploiting the teachers to put pressure on the council to further his political interests. --JP