Joint Political Statement; Let's Build National Unity For the Nationalisation of the Foreign-controlled Mining Sector
6:53 AM Posted by National Liberation Party Of Unity (PAPERNAS)
Translation by Vannessa Hearman
National liberation greetings!
Indonesia is a nation rich in natural- (mining and minerals) and
agricultural resources. At a time when the prices of oil and minerals
are high, and in the midst of high agricultural prices, the welfare of
the people has not improved; instead it is declining – not least of
which is the welfare of workers. Why is this? The welfare of the people
and the state of national industry are worsening because of the effects
of the economic policies of the government, since the New Order until
the SBY government, which are wrong and which betray the people and the
1945 Constitution. Unfortunately until now, there is no political action
that has successfully changed this situation yet.
Almost all the mining sector in this country has been handed over to
foreign interests. This has resulted in increases in the revenue of
large mining companies, companies such those belonging to the forces of
imperialism such as ExxonMobil, Freeport, Inco, Newmont, Chevron,
British Petroleum, ConocoPhilips, Freeport, Newmont – these companies
are the biggest robbers of the minerals we produce in this country. They
are the ones that control the largest gas reserves in the world (170
trillion cubic feet); the largest coal exporter in the world (117
million tonne each year); oil resources (9 billion barrels), gold
resources (4.4 tonne), copper, nickel in the soil, silica, mangan,
alumunium, iron ore, zinc, tin and other strategic mineral deposits. The
rise in food prices and plantation products could only be enjoyed by a
few, namely food importers and plantation capitalists who are greedy and
who congregate around the small ruling class.
Wrong government policies on agriculture, such as the liberalisation of
agricultural products; and plantation policies which prioritise exports
have destroyed the agricultural sector and destroyed the people’s buying
power. What have the imperialists, the government and its comprador
opposition left for the people, the workers and for the national
industry? Kerosene queues, scarcity and price rises in gas, electricity,
the nine basic commodities, in fertilisers; cooking oil queues, the
bankruptcy of national industry, mass sackings, low budgetary allocation
for education so that the cost of education is no longer affordable for
the majority of people. People have been limited to just being able to
read and write. As if these attacks were not enough, the rice bowl of
the majority of the poor continues to be plundered politically – the
state budget is plundered to pay for external debt and the debt
inherited from the corrupt conglomerates of the New Order cronies. The
majority who enjoy these debt repayments are imperialist governments and
their capitalists.
This is the basis of our thinking for why this May Day in 2008, we feel
it is necessary to urge again that all the people, all political
elements that care about what happens to the people, that we all unite
and struggle together in all political arenas to end the control of- and
theft by foreign imperialists and the government that acts obediently on
its behalf. This kind of political and economic situation must be
brought to an end. To save the republic, to defend the people and the
workers, Indonesia needs a NEW ROAD, needs A CHANGE IN DIRECTION. A new
road for the Indonesian economy by saving natural resource assets. This
means that imperialist control in the mining industry must be ended. The
demand of the people for nationalisation, for contracts to be renewed in
the mining sector that include provisions for social justice must be
rolled out. This also means that the people’s money, the State Budget
must be rescued from being used for debt repayments. The abolition of
debt repayments and at least a long-term moratorium on debt repayments
must absolutely be two components of the struggle program.
The Change in Direction is a movement to change the economic system,
which has thus far been on the side of the imperialists, change it to
becoming an economic system that is independent, prioritises development
and rescue of the national industry from the jaws of destruction and
death. The economic program will be successful if the structure of
government and power is changed, so that it can consequently implement
public welfare and the advancement of the people through free education
and health care. Because of this, the Change in Direction Movement is a
movement for unity to struggle for a new government, a new president, a
new political party – as our common instruments of struggle.
As it was in the past, and it will be in the future, May Day represents
to us an opportunity for stressing again the struggle program which in
our opinion is important to implement, in order to bring about an
independent economic and political system, one that aims to be
self-sufficient, to ‘stand on one’s own feet’ as Sukarno once said; and
to be socially just.
1. Subsidise the prices of the nine basic commodities so they can be
accessed by the people. At the same time, there must be policies to
normalise the prices of food and plantation products, so that the prices
of these items are accessible for the people, by subdising the price of
inputs, such as fertilisers, seeds and so on, so that people who are
dependent for their livelihoods on the agricultural and plantation
sectors can improve their well-being.
2. To make education and health care free for everybody.
3. To provide cheap energy (oil, gas and coal) for households and
industry. Through cheap supplies of energy, the national industry
(thousands of industrial manufacturers and millions of small and medium
enterprises) can reduce production costs so they can avoid bankruptcy –
with the proviso that some of these savings are directed to improve
workers’ welfare and wages.
4. Provide the bountiful raw materials (nickel, gold, copper, aluminium,
zing, tin, iron ore etc) to develop national industrialisation in the
future. All foreign companies in mining, of course after they have had
their contracts revised to include provisions of greater social justice,
must process their raw materials into semi-processed products in this
country and must prioritise the needs of domestic industry. This is
important to lay the foundation for kickstarting and advancing national
industry.
5. Because of the above, the entire mining sector needs to be
nationalised in stages; all contracts with foreign mining companies must
be redrafted in such a way as to benefit the people and domestic
industry.
6. Protect domestic industry from the ravages of greedy imperialists who
pretend to be advocating ‘free trade’, where in reality the imperialist
countries and their capitalists conduct their ‘free trade’
discriminatively and dishonestly.
7. Abolish foreign debt. The policy of devoting the state budget to debt
repayments must be stopped, within the next 10 to 15 years. All of the
state budget must be prioritised for assisting the recovery of- and
advancing domestic industry and to improve the people’s well-being.
8. The struggle program to alter the economic system and this
pro-imperialist government can only succeed if the entire people’s
movements struggle tenaciously in all political arenas.
As well as continuing to organise the mass movement to demand the urgent
and immediate rights of people, the people’s movements must unite with
intellectuals, artists, religious figures that are on the side of the
people, and nationalist capitalist-democrats to struggle in the
electoral arena, in the general and the presidential elections, local
elections, local Representative Councils, in political parties or as
independents.
The political power of the rulers and the so-called opposition who in
reality simply act as agents of imperialists must be cast aside, as much
as possible, as quickly as possible from their seats in the Central
Government, Regional Government, House of Representatives, Regional
Representative Councils and Regional Houses of Representatives.
This is our call to the nation and people of Indonesia
Indonesian Front for Labour Struggle (FNPBI), National Student League
for Democracy (LMND), Indonesian Urban Poor Union (SRMI), and National
Peasants’ Union.
Happy May Day 2008!
Enough of being a coolie nation, time to rise up to be an independent
nation!
Fly the Three Banners of National Unity:
Abolish the foreign debt,
Nationalise (take over) the foreign-controlled mining industry!
Construct a national industry for the people’s welfare
A new road with a change in direction:
A new economic system
A new president!
A new party!
Jakarta, 29 April 2008
Dominggus Oktavianus
General Chairperson
PP-FNPBI
Lalu Hilman Afriandi
General Chairperson
LMND - National Executive
Marlo Sitompul
General Chairperson
DPN-SRMI
Yudi Budi Wibowo
General Chairperson
KPO-STN
National liberation greetings!
Indonesia is a nation rich in natural- (mining and minerals) and
agricultural resources. At a time when the prices of oil and minerals
are high, and in the midst of high agricultural prices, the welfare of
the people has not improved; instead it is declining – not least of
which is the welfare of workers. Why is this? The welfare of the people
and the state of national industry are worsening because of the effects
of the economic policies of the government, since the New Order until
the SBY government, which are wrong and which betray the people and the
1945 Constitution. Unfortunately until now, there is no political action
that has successfully changed this situation yet.
Almost all the mining sector in this country has been handed over to
foreign interests. This has resulted in increases in the revenue of
large mining companies, companies such those belonging to the forces of
imperialism such as ExxonMobil, Freeport, Inco, Newmont, Chevron,
British Petroleum, ConocoPhilips, Freeport, Newmont – these companies
are the biggest robbers of the minerals we produce in this country. They
are the ones that control the largest gas reserves in the world (170
trillion cubic feet); the largest coal exporter in the world (117
million tonne each year); oil resources (9 billion barrels), gold
resources (4.4 tonne), copper, nickel in the soil, silica, mangan,
alumunium, iron ore, zinc, tin and other strategic mineral deposits. The
rise in food prices and plantation products could only be enjoyed by a
few, namely food importers and plantation capitalists who are greedy and
who congregate around the small ruling class.
Wrong government policies on agriculture, such as the liberalisation of
agricultural products; and plantation policies which prioritise exports
have destroyed the agricultural sector and destroyed the people’s buying
power. What have the imperialists, the government and its comprador
opposition left for the people, the workers and for the national
industry? Kerosene queues, scarcity and price rises in gas, electricity,
the nine basic commodities, in fertilisers; cooking oil queues, the
bankruptcy of national industry, mass sackings, low budgetary allocation
for education so that the cost of education is no longer affordable for
the majority of people. People have been limited to just being able to
read and write. As if these attacks were not enough, the rice bowl of
the majority of the poor continues to be plundered politically – the
state budget is plundered to pay for external debt and the debt
inherited from the corrupt conglomerates of the New Order cronies. The
majority who enjoy these debt repayments are imperialist governments and
their capitalists.
This is the basis of our thinking for why this May Day in 2008, we feel
it is necessary to urge again that all the people, all political
elements that care about what happens to the people, that we all unite
and struggle together in all political arenas to end the control of- and
theft by foreign imperialists and the government that acts obediently on
its behalf. This kind of political and economic situation must be
brought to an end. To save the republic, to defend the people and the
workers, Indonesia needs a NEW ROAD, needs A CHANGE IN DIRECTION. A new
road for the Indonesian economy by saving natural resource assets. This
means that imperialist control in the mining industry must be ended. The
demand of the people for nationalisation, for contracts to be renewed in
the mining sector that include provisions for social justice must be
rolled out. This also means that the people’s money, the State Budget
must be rescued from being used for debt repayments. The abolition of
debt repayments and at least a long-term moratorium on debt repayments
must absolutely be two components of the struggle program.
The Change in Direction is a movement to change the economic system,
which has thus far been on the side of the imperialists, change it to
becoming an economic system that is independent, prioritises development
and rescue of the national industry from the jaws of destruction and
death. The economic program will be successful if the structure of
government and power is changed, so that it can consequently implement
public welfare and the advancement of the people through free education
and health care. Because of this, the Change in Direction Movement is a
movement for unity to struggle for a new government, a new president, a
new political party – as our common instruments of struggle.
As it was in the past, and it will be in the future, May Day represents
to us an opportunity for stressing again the struggle program which in
our opinion is important to implement, in order to bring about an
independent economic and political system, one that aims to be
self-sufficient, to ‘stand on one’s own feet’ as Sukarno once said; and
to be socially just.
1. Subsidise the prices of the nine basic commodities so they can be
accessed by the people. At the same time, there must be policies to
normalise the prices of food and plantation products, so that the prices
of these items are accessible for the people, by subdising the price of
inputs, such as fertilisers, seeds and so on, so that people who are
dependent for their livelihoods on the agricultural and plantation
sectors can improve their well-being.
2. To make education and health care free for everybody.
3. To provide cheap energy (oil, gas and coal) for households and
industry. Through cheap supplies of energy, the national industry
(thousands of industrial manufacturers and millions of small and medium
enterprises) can reduce production costs so they can avoid bankruptcy –
with the proviso that some of these savings are directed to improve
workers’ welfare and wages.
4. Provide the bountiful raw materials (nickel, gold, copper, aluminium,
zing, tin, iron ore etc) to develop national industrialisation in the
future. All foreign companies in mining, of course after they have had
their contracts revised to include provisions of greater social justice,
must process their raw materials into semi-processed products in this
country and must prioritise the needs of domestic industry. This is
important to lay the foundation for kickstarting and advancing national
industry.
5. Because of the above, the entire mining sector needs to be
nationalised in stages; all contracts with foreign mining companies must
be redrafted in such a way as to benefit the people and domestic
industry.
6. Protect domestic industry from the ravages of greedy imperialists who
pretend to be advocating ‘free trade’, where in reality the imperialist
countries and their capitalists conduct their ‘free trade’
discriminatively and dishonestly.
7. Abolish foreign debt. The policy of devoting the state budget to debt
repayments must be stopped, within the next 10 to 15 years. All of the
state budget must be prioritised for assisting the recovery of- and
advancing domestic industry and to improve the people’s well-being.
8. The struggle program to alter the economic system and this
pro-imperialist government can only succeed if the entire people’s
movements struggle tenaciously in all political arenas.
As well as continuing to organise the mass movement to demand the urgent
and immediate rights of people, the people’s movements must unite with
intellectuals, artists, religious figures that are on the side of the
people, and nationalist capitalist-democrats to struggle in the
electoral arena, in the general and the presidential elections, local
elections, local Representative Councils, in political parties or as
independents.
The political power of the rulers and the so-called opposition who in
reality simply act as agents of imperialists must be cast aside, as much
as possible, as quickly as possible from their seats in the Central
Government, Regional Government, House of Representatives, Regional
Representative Councils and Regional Houses of Representatives.
This is our call to the nation and people of Indonesia
Indonesian Front for Labour Struggle (FNPBI), National Student League
for Democracy (LMND), Indonesian Urban Poor Union (SRMI), and National
Peasants’ Union.
Happy May Day 2008!
Enough of being a coolie nation, time to rise up to be an independent
nation!
Fly the Three Banners of National Unity:
Abolish the foreign debt,
Nationalise (take over) the foreign-controlled mining industry!
Construct a national industry for the people’s welfare
A new road with a change in direction:
A new economic system
A new president!
A new party!
Jakarta, 29 April 2008
Dominggus Oktavianus
General Chairperson
PP-FNPBI
Lalu Hilman Afriandi
General Chairperson
LMND - National Executive
Marlo Sitompul
General Chairperson
DPN-SRMI
Yudi Budi Wibowo
General Chairperson
KPO-STN
May 16, 2008 at 12:35 PM
Why papernas, fnpbi, lmnd, srmi, kpo stn, jaker did not participate in may day 2008? not joint with Workers Demands Alliance ( Aliansi Buruh Menggugat, ABM)? Not Joint with National Liberation Front (Front Pembebasan Nasional)to Cancel the fuel price rises and lower prices, but joint with REPDEM (Volunteers for Democracy), led by another former PRD leader, Budiman Sujatmiko, and other groups. REPDEM was recently formally integrated into the PDIP, the party of Megawati Sukarnoputri. Joint with another borjuis organitation?