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Thousands march against Mega on May Day
Laksamana.Net - May 1, 2003
Thousands of Indonesian workers staged May Day protests in several cities on Thursday, calling for wage increases and the resignation of President Megawati Sukarnoputri.
In Jakarta, about 2,000 workers representing various trade unions gathered at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle before marching to the presidential palace.
The protesters accused Megawati and Vice President Hamzah Haz of being "lackeys of imperialists and anti-workers", and demanded they resign for failing to improve the national economy.
Manpower Minister Jacob Nuwa Wea was also urged to resign, on the grounds that he has failed to stop the extortion and harassment of migrant workers by labor recruitment firms.
The crowd waved banners with slogans such as "Increase Wages By 100%", "Create Jobs For the People", and "Stop American Colonialism in Iraq".
The protesters also demanded the government declare May Day a national holiday, and called for assistance for 13 Indonesian workers in Hong Kong infected with the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome.
The rally was organized by
the May 1 Action Committee, which comprises several unions, including the
Indonesian Migrant Workers Union, the Women's Alliance, the
Federation of Metal Workers
Unions (FSPI), and the Indonesian Workers National Front (FNBI).
Rallies were also held in Bandung, West Java; Surabaya, East Java; Medan, North Sumatra; Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara; and Makassar, South Sulawesi.
Labor unions have become
a growing force in Indonesia since the authoritarian regime of former president
Suharto ended in 1998. Trade unionists and protesters risked being
jailed or murdered by the
Suharto regime.
Critics of unionists claim that higher labor costs have prompted some manufacturing companies to leave Indonesia in favor China and Vietnam. But unionists argue that government corruption and red tape are more to blame for the departure of investors.
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