Tens of Thousands of Workers Flock in Monas to Commemorate Labor Day
May Day action by tens of thousands of workers, centered in Monas area, Central Jakarta, Saturday (5/1), was marked with tension. The tension began as the demonstrators attempted to break through personnel barricades, to step forward to Merdeka Palace. However, it did not end up with a clash. A worse condition could be prevented by police officers who then sprayed tear gas at the demonstrators.
During the action, police arrested a man suspected of being a provocateur. The man was spotted while making oration outside the rally material. He also set fire to photographs of a number of state officials.
Supriyadi Siregar, one of the demonstrators from the Legal Aid Institute (LBH) in Jakarta, said he did not know the identity of the arrested man. "The police immediately brought away the provocateur," he stated.
In their action, the demonstrators chanted yells while demanding the government of SBY-Boediono to put more concerns on the fate of workers. Meanwhile, some demonstrators who claimed to be the members of the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) expressed their refusal to a mass layoff and the dismissal of labor unions.
Based on beritajakarta.com observation, before heading to Merdeka Palace, the demonstrators conducted a long march from Hotel Indonesia Traffic Circle. They came from various mass elements; some of them were the Federation of Indonesian Metal Workers Union or Federasi Serikat Pekerja Metal Indonesia (FSPMI), the Alliance of Indonesian Fishermen, the Alliance of Indonesian Peasants, and Jakarta Workers Forum.
The demonstrators delivered several demands to the government; among others, the existence of social health insurance, the life pension guarantee for formal workers, and the abolition of outsourcing system.
In the meantime, Central Jakarta Traffic Police Chief Comr. Slamet Asenan said in order to avoid severe traffic congestion during the rally; traffic at some locations was diverted.
Traffic from Harmony heading to Merdeka Palace was directed to Jl Juanda, and the traffic from Gambir railway station was transferred to Jl RVeteran Raya; while three was no traffic change on Jl M.H. Thamrin.
Translator: halim
Related Articles:
0 comments:
Post a Comment