Workers asked to beware of infiltration

Workers asked to beware of infiltration

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto told workers yesterday to be
alert for the infiltration of interest groups intent on
instigating strikes.

"The President has called on workers nationwide to consolidate
their organizations so that they won't be easily fooled by third
parties," Soeharto was quoted by Minister of Manpower Abdul
Latief as saying.

Latief said the third parties referred to by the President
were the Democratic People's Party (PRD) and its wings, such as
the Center for Workers Struggles and the Indonesian Students
Solidarity for Democracy.

The organizations' activists, Latief said, often claimed to
represent workers' interests, while using the workers to further
their own political agenda.

The government has singled out the PRD, which the government
says is "synonymous" with the outlawed Indonesian Communist
Party, as the prime mover behind the July 27 riots in Jakarta,
which left at least three people dead.

The riot was triggered by the storming of the Indonesian
Democratic Party headquarters controlled by Megawati
Soekarnoputri who had just been ousted by a government-backed
breakaway party leader, Soerjadi.

The most recent labor protest masterminded by the PRD was in
Surabaya on July 8 and July 9 which reportedly involved over
10,000 workers.

Latief said the PRD activists were behind numerous labor
strikes in other industrial cities, including the strike at the
Great River Industries textile factory in Jakarta.

The authorities in Surabaya have detained three PRD activists
who will be tried on charges of inciting labor unrest.

"We are glad that the Indonesian workers have realized the
instigators' motives and are not being easily fooled," he said.

Latief also accused Singapore-based television station Asia
Business News (ABN) of painting a bleak picture of the Indonesian
labor situation.

"You can see that every three hours ABN airs news that seems
as if the country (Indonesia) is in chaos. That is the way they
publicize Indonesia," he said.

He said the local media have been influenced by the way the
foreign media report Indonesia, that is by focusing on the dark
side of all affairs.

"You make big reports on labor unrest but make no reports when
peace abounds. As a journalists' friend, I have a right to
reprimand the press," he said.

According to Latief, foreign organizations have stopped
criticizing Indonesian labor policies because they do not have a
complete understanding of local labor issues.

The government has taken the initiative and invited foreign
officials to observe labor affairs in Indonesia. The result is
amazing, he claimed, some have even asked Jakarta to provide
advise on how to deal with labor problems in their own countries.

Latief said that the productivity of Indonesian workers would
be higher if "the third parties" stopped meddling in the
country's internal affairs.

He cited the recent visit by the American civil rights leader
Jesse Jackson as an example of such meddling.

According to Latief, some foreign countries meddle because
they feel their productivity is threatened by Indonesian workers.
(pan)