Thursday, May 22, 2008
News Roundup of May 21 Nation-wide Actions from People Accuse Front

Waves of protests against government's plan to raise fuel price are
intensifying. They have spread to and involved almost all popular
sectors (workers, students, peasants, and urban poor), several
national political elites and economic figures. Below is a compilation
of news on the actions of People Accuse Front (FRM) and National
Students' League for Democracy (LMND) on May 21 across the country.

Jakarta: around 150 FRM protesters that camped on the Proclamation
Monument continued their action to reject fuel price rise. They
started the protest at HI roundabout and walked to the State Palace.
While marching, the crowd chanted yells rejecting fuel price increase.
In the State Palace, thousands of other demonstrators had already been
protesting. FRM protesters tried to carry out a protest right in front
of the palace, but police equipped with shields and helmets restrained
them. Clash was unavoided. Several demonstrators and police engaged in
physical fight. Eighteen protesters were arrested by the Police, two
of whom were LMND activists (Reno and Bilal), the rest were from
FAMRED and '98 Youth Front. A moment later, FRM protesters regrouped
and engaged in sit-in protest. At the time of the writing, 18 FRM
activists are still detained at Jakarta Regional Police.

Bandung, West Java: Protest against government's fuel price increase
plan was carried out by about 50 LMND West Java activists. They
started the protests from UNPAD campus and walked to Gedung Sate to
hold demonstration rejecting the fuel price rise plan. Leonard, LMND
spokeperson, said that SBY-JK do not have any reason to raise the fuel
price. If world's fuel price rocketed, Indonesia should be able to
reap the wind-fall profit, but since almost all of our oil and gas
fields are controlled by foreign companies, Indonesia had to carry the
burden being an oil importing country. Furthermore, Leonard concluded,
the government should nationalise mining industry for energy security
and as the basis for national industrialisation.

At Gedung Sate, LMND protesters and police engaged in pushings and
later clashed as police beat and dispersed the protest. Five LMND
activists suffered from minor wounds.

Palu, Central Sulawesi: about 30 people from the People's Anti Fuel
Price Rise Movement carried out a demonstration in front of the
provincial parliament. The coalition consisted of LMND and SRMI. They
demanded that the government cancelled the plan to raise fuel price.
Ahimsa, one of LMND Central Sulawesi executives, said in his speech:
"We demand that the government nationalise foreign mining industry and
repudiate foreign debt"

Kendari, South East Sulawesi: Protests against fuel price plan were
carried out by the People Accuse Front (FRM) at Unhalu campus and
later walked to the provincial parliament. FRM in Kendari consisted of
LMND, SRMI, FMPR, AMIK Yappenas, and AMIK Catur Sakti. In front of
Unhalu campus, protesters blocked the street before heading to the
parliament. FRM Kendari rejected fuel price rise as it will bring more
burden to the people and destroy the domestic industry. They demanded
also the nationalisation of mining industry and cancellation of
foreign debt.

Bima, NTB: Hundreds of protesters from LMND, SMI, and BPM STIKIP Bima
carried out another protest against government's fuel price plan.
However, the protest abruptly repressed by police that suddenly
dispersed the masses and arrested some protesters. Eleven LMND
protesters were detained.

Makassar, South Sulawesi: Thousands of people from People Accuse Front
(FRM) South Sulawesi demonstrated in front of the house of Jusuf
Kalla, the vice president, and headquarter of PT. Inco. The crowd
consisted of students, workers, peasants, and poor rejected fuel price
rise that will squeeze people's economy. Muhammad Anshar, chairperson
of South Sulawesi Papernas, stated that the price increase happens
because we do not have any energy security. Almost our entire mining
sectors, especially oil and gas, is controlled by foreign
corporations. The government must take a step by nationalising
foreign-controlled mining industries as a way out of the energy crisis
and imperialist domination.

Toraja, South Sulawesi: Six hundreds protesters from Tana Toraja
Students' Alliance occupied the local parliament to reject the fuel
price rise. The masses consisted of LMND Tana Toraja, UKI BEM, AKBID,
AKPER, BEM STAKN Rantepao. Students' protests were also supported by
their professors, who joined them. "The government do not have to
raise fuel price rise!" yelled the protest leader. Paskah Linting,
LMND Tana Toraja executive member, stressed that the government must
have the courage to nationalise foreign owned mining industry and
reject the payment of foreign debt that has taken up a big chunk of
the state budget.

Protesters pressured members of parliament and Tana Toraja government
to release a statement rejecting the fuel price rise. The parliament
had planned to have a session in the following day to talk about the
statement. Therefore, the protesters planned to return and bring more
people to flank and pressure the local parliament during the session
to write the rejection statement.

Manado, North Sulawesi: Hundreds of people from LMND, PRD, Papernas,
and FNPBI carried out protest action against fuel price rise. Besides
demanding nationalisation of mining industry, they also promoted the
change in direction movement that seeks for new economic system, new
president, and new government.

The peaceful protest suddenly stopped by police that restrained and
beat protesters. Three LMND and Papernas activists were arrested after
the clash. They are Ances from PRD, and Irman Hayun and Aman from LMND.

Bandar Lampung, Lampung: Dozens of organisations such as LMND, SPKL,
SRMI, LPRKROB, UKM UBL, HIPMAWAN, SEMA Lambar, BEM STIKIP, STN, BEM
FH-UTB, WALHI, FORMALAT, RESCO, KALAM-PBR, BEM UML, and LIMA protested
the fuel price rise plan and demanded nationalisation of foreign owned
mining industry. The protest went peacefully and uninterrupted by
incidents of police repression.

Surabaya, East Java: Protests against government fuel price rise plan
were carried out in waves. The first one was carried out by dozens of
FPPI activists with street theatrical performance in front of the
Grahadi building. Afterwards, 70 people from LMND Surabaya
demonstrated in front of the Suryo Statue. Enjang, LMND spokeperson,
said that the action is part of the national action against
government's fuel price policy. She said that the government does not
need to raise the fuel price as many options are still available, but
that requires courage, which SBY-JK and their supporting parties
(Golkar-Partai Demokrat) have no capacity to take.

Dozens of LMND Surabaya activists laid down on the street in front of
the Suryo Statue. According to the protest leader, Hadi, it symbolises
people's suffering from high fuel price.

Kudus, Central Java: Dozens of LMND activists in Kudus held a protest
against fuel price rise at the city square. An LMND activist, Wahyu,
in his speech call for more actions to take over foreign mines
throughout Indonesia.

Medan, North Sumatra: Hundreds of people from the Poor People Front of
Struggle (FPRM) demonstrated against fuel price rise in front of the
provincial parliament. Protesters that consist mostly of the poor,
workers, and peasants, carried out their main demand to reject the
fuel price rise, reduce basic goods price, and nationalise foreign
owned mines. At the provincial parliament, FRM protesters joined with
other groups and student organisations and driver organisations (KESPER).

Semarang, Central Java: FRM's anti fuel price rise protest was carried
out by LMND, SRMI, and Papernas. Hundreds of FRM protesters
demonstrated in front of the provincial parliament, condemning the
SBY-JK government as imperialist puppet. They burnt pictures of the
president as a form of protest.

Salatiga, Central Java: Hundreds of protesters from Indonesian
Coalition, consisted of LMND, PMII, and several local NGOs,
demonstrated in front of the local parliament to reject government's
fuel price plan and to demand that SBY-JK resign.

Purwokerto, Central Java: Hundreds of protester from KAMMI, LMND,
HMI-MPO, GMNI, SMI and FMN carried out action to reject the fuel price
rise as it will destroy the livelihood of the Indoneisan people,
mostly workers, peasants, and the poor.

Ternate, North Mollucas: Anti-fuel price rise action carried out by
around 500 people from LMND, BEM Fakultas se-UNKHAIR, GAMHAS, LISMI,
HMI, SAMURAI initially went peacefully until police dismissed the
protest by force. Fourteen LMND protesters were arrested.

The protest demanded that the government cancel fuel price increase
because it will only burden the people. The government was also
condemned for unable to stand up against foreign domination in the
economy and mining sector. After the clash with police, protesters
returned to campus to consolidate and plan for bigger action. At the
time of the writing, all 14 activists are still detained in Ternate
Police Resort.

Palembang, South Sumatra: Dozens of activists that called themselves
the Palembang People Accuse Movement (GPRM) carried out action against
fuel price increase in the provincial parliament and governor's
office. The coalition consistsed of Prabam, LMND, and PMII. In their
speeches they not only reject the fuel price plan and demand SBY-JK
resignation, but also press for nationalisation of foreign owned
mining as a solution to tackle fuel crisis.

Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta: Hundreds of protesters from People United
Committee (KRB) carried out a protest against fuel price increase in
front of the Agung building. KRB consisted of various social movement
organisations in Yogyakarta. Alba, LMND Yogyakarta activist, said that
the people and students will intensify anti-fuel price rise actions.
Police abruptly attacked the protest resulting several protesters
injured and one arrested.

http://papernas-international.blogspot.com/2008/05/news-roundup-of-may-21-nation-wide.html