| 28 Aug 2002
Indonesian Protestors Shot During Labor Rally
Take action now!
Dear Friends,
Please read and take immediate action in relation to the case
of two labor rights activists who were shot during a demonstration
against proposed legislation that would roll back workers rights
in Indonesia. A sample letter is included
please take the time to send a letter today to protest the use
of violence against people exercising their right to free speech.
The Garteks union will hold another big demonstration at the West
Java Parliament on Thursday, August 29 to demand the release of
the activists still being detained by police and to demand a halt
to the processing of the two draft laws that were the focus of
the earlier rally. They are requesting solidarity actions at Indonesian
Embassies around the world. Why not fax or hand deliver copies
of your protest letters to the Indonesian Embassy in your country?
For more information on this case, please contact Garteks at
garteks@hotmail.com
Please read these two articles about the recent demonstrations
that have been held in Indonesia to protest Nike and Reebok's
plans to cut orders to their Indonesian suppliers.
Appeal for action: Nike/PT Doson &
Sample email to Nike
Labor Rights Activists Shot in Cimahi Bandung, Indonesia
source: Garteks-SBSI; Behindthelabel.org
On Monday, 19 August 2002 workers and others in Cimahi Bandung,
the capital of West Java, Indonesia held a huge demonstration
(15,000 garment workers are reported to have participated) against
drafts of two laws: a draft of a law on industrial relations dispute
settlement and the draft law on placement and protection of employment.
Participants included the local Garteks union, university students,
NGO representatives, and others. Two trade unionists were shot
by police during this demonstration. Garteks is requesting that
letters be sent to the president of Indonesia protesting this
incident.
Information on the incident
There were about 8000 people moving from the PT. GISTEX Nanjung
Cimahi area to the West Java Parliament building at about 8 a.m.
on the morning of August 19th. They were stopped by the police
from Cibabat Area at approximately 12 o'clock, on Pasteur Street.
While field negotiations were taking place, unexpectedly onlookers
threw stones at the demonstrators. It remains unclear who these
people were. This stone throwing created chaos.
Suparjo (chairman of GARTEKS at PT Indo Putra Cimahi) tried to
calm down the demonstrators by waving his hands. Iptu Gultom (a
police officer) grabbed his hands. Suparjo tried to release his
arms, causing the police officer to drop his gun from his hand.
Suparjo tried to help the police pick up his gun, intending to
give it back to the police officer. But the police officer was
knocked down by the crowd. Next, the police officer retrieved
his gun and shot Suparjo in his left calf. Suparjo was brought
to the police station at 9 p.m after he was discharged from M.Toha
Cimahi Hospital in West Java.
At 7 a.m. that same morning another group of 5000 demonstrators
moved from Cibaligo to the West Java Parliament with the same
demands against the drafts of the two laws. They were stopped
by the West Bandung Police as they arrived at Padjajaran. Field
negotiations took place and the group was allowed to continue
their procession. But at that time Tatang (leader of GARTEKS local
union in Cimahi West Java) was taken to the police station on
Doctor Oten Street. The group of demonstrators were stopped by
the police again. The police tried to scatter them. But some of
the demonstators successfully reached the parliament building.
Another rally coordinator, Syarif Hidayat, was allegedly shot
in the head. He was also taken to a hospital, treated and released.
At this time approximately 31 people from various organizations
are still being detained at the Cimahi and Cibabat Police stations.
They report that while being interrogated interrogation they were
beaten by the police. Also they reported that their hair was shaved
off by the police. Tatang is still being interrogated in relation
to the incident. This incident would not have happened if the
police did not stopped the demonstrators. Still a big question
is why, when the police stopped the demonstrators, unknown people
began to throw rocks at the demonstrators. It is also unclear
why the police stopped the demonstrators in the middle of their
march and not at the beginning.
The police have an obligation to protect the demonstrators, not
repress them, because Indonesian law guarantees freedom of speech.
Therefore Garteks is seeking support in protesting this matter.
Background on the draft laws
Source: Behingthelabel.org
 The
protestors were representing a new coalition of trade unions that
are opposing the two draft laws, which are referred to as KABB.
The coalition includes Garteks, FNPBI (the national Front for
Indonesian Workers Struggle), Gaspermindo, TSK, and others.
The coalition fears that the far-reaching nature of KABB, which
promises to overhaul existing labor laws in favor of expanding
international investment, will wipe away many of the hard-won
labor rights of Indonesians, such as the right to strike.
"Under the bill on the settlement of labor disputes (sic),
the government would allow striking workers to be tried by the
courts," said Etty Rostiawaty, a rally coordinator and leader
of FNPBI. "And under the bill on labor development and protection
(sic), striking workers are subject to fines of Rp 400 million
and four years in prison."
KABB, which if adopted could go into effect as early as September,
are a result of pressure from international agencies, specifically
the International Monetary Fund (IMF), to restructure the Indonesian
economy. An IMF report released earlier this year cautioned that,
"a continuation of the recent upward trend in minimum wages
risks undermining Indonesia's competitiveness," and urged
the government to reconsider its minimum wage policy.
Although Indonesia's economy has rebounded following the crisis
of 1997-1998, the monthly minimum wage is currently only about
Rp 400,000 (about US$46). More than two-thirds of the population
still currently makes less than the international poverty line,
set at $2 a day. And the World Bank estimates that a similarly
large proportion of the people "suffer inadequate access
to basic social services and proper nutrition."
Yet many international corporations, like Nike and Reebok, have
reportedly used the raise in minimum wage as the rationale for
fleeing Indonesia in favor of even lower wages and relaxed labor
policies in China and other parts of southeast Asia.
Recent decisions by Nike and Reebok to move production out of
Indonesia have resulted in large rallies by workers to protect
their jobs.
On August 20, over 3,000 workers marched through Jakarta to protest
the withdrawal of orders by Nike from its PT Doson factory. The
move could leave approximately 7,000 workers jobless. On July
29, over 1,000 workers took to the streets to protest Reebok's
decision to pull its orders from their plant, PT Primarindo. Over
5,400 workers stand to lose their jobs following the Reebok move.
Sample letter -- please adapt and send today!
To: Megawati Soekarnoputri
President
Republic of Indonesia
Jalan Veteran No. 18
Jakarta Pusat
Indonesia
Tel. 62-21 384 5627
Fax: 62-21 384 5001
Subject: Incident at Cimahi
Dear President Soekarnoputri,
We are contacting you to express our concern regarding the incident
that happened at Cimahi West Java, Indonesia on August 19th. A
peaceful demonstration was stopped by police, attacked by onlookers,
and in the end two demonstrators were shot by police. We are saddened
to learn of the repression of the right to free speech and the
use of violence against peaceful demonstrators.
We call upon you to use your influence to press for the release
of the demonstrators who are still being detained. And importantly
we urge you reconsider the two draft laws which were the focus
of the demonstration. We understand that the two proposed laws
-- a draft of a law on industrial relations dispute settlement
and the draft law on placement and protection of employment would
undermine workers rights. Indonesian workers have gone through
a long process of struggle to earn these rights; please do not
take them away.
Sincerely,
[insert your name here]
Garteks requests that CCs of your letters be sent to:
1. KAPOLRI
Jalan Trunojoyo No. 3
Jakarta
Telp. 62-21 7260208
Fax. 62-21 7260208
2. KAPOLDA Jawa Barat
Jl. Sukarno Hatta 748
Ujung Berung
Cimahi
Jawa Barat
Telp. 62-22 7802632
Fax. 62-22 7813131
3. KAPOLRES Cimahi
Jl. Raya Cibabat 333
Cimahi
Jawa Barat
Telp. 62-22 663 3903
Fax. 62-22 665 2314
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