People Accuse Front Surround State Palace

By Ulfa Illyas from Media Bersama
translated by Data Brainanta

On May 20, National Awakening Day, waves of mass actions rejecting the fuel price increase gained ground. In Jakarta, around 8000 people united under the People Accuse Front (Front Rakyat Menggugat) carried out protests from the Hotel Indonesia roundabout to the State Palace. They come from such organisations as the National Front of Indonesian Workers' Struggle (FNPBI), National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas), National Students' League for Democracy (LMND), Indonesian Poor Union (SRMI), Indonesian Peasant Council (DTI), PRODEM, Democracy Struggle Volunteers, Students' Action Front for Reform and Democracy (FAMRED), Indonesian Christian Students' Movement (GMKI), Indonesian Nationalist Students' Movement (GMNI), Moslem Student Association (HMI), Indonesian Buddhist Students' Association (HikmahBudhi), ISBO, GMNK, FAM Untirta, and others.

Representatives of some organisations gave political speeches. Banners and flags contained demands for the nationalization of mining industries. They also promoted what they called the Change in Direction Movement, which is a new economic system, a new president, and a new political party.

Dita Indah Sari, chairperson of the People's Democratic Party, said that Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Yusuf Kalla's plan to raise fuel prices for the third time during their period in office is the fruit of a political and economic system that yields to foreign interests. About 90% of Indonesia's oil and gas fields are controlled by foreign multinationals. Meanwhile, the profit-sharing between the government and the corporations is not channeled to meet domestic needs. Instead, almost all petroleum production is exported abroad; thus, the fuel import implemented by the current government is a consequence of foreign domination in the economic sphere, especially the extractive industries.

Dita also stated that Indonesian people need not only a change of leaders but, most importantly, a new way: a new economic system, and a new leadership which can be summarised by the precepts of the Change in Direction Movement.

Rieke Dyah Pitaloka, an artist and TV host, arose from amidst the crowd to state her rejection of the fuel price increase. Moments later, Rizal Ramli, the former Coordinating Minister of Economy during the Gus Dur administration, gave a political speech. He claimed that raising the fuel price is not the last solution. There are many routes that can be taken by the government if only they would take an independent stance on economics and politics, rather than following the dictates of foreign interests. According to Ramli, the government must have the courage to wipe out the mafia that have embellished at least US $2 per barrel from oil imports. A revision of oil and gas profit-sharing schemes between the government and foreign corporations must be carried out to benefit Indonesia.

Marching towards the State Palace, the crowd chanted slogans demanding that the government nationalise foreign-controlled mining industries and repudiate foreign debts. A minor clash ensued in front of the Palace as police attempted to restrain the masses. After addressing political speeches, the crowd headed to the Proclamation Obelisk (Tugu Proklamasi). They planned to stayed there overnight before staging another protest the following day.

Labels: Anti-Neoliberal Imperialism, Indonesian Politics, Labour, News, Peasants, Poor, Students