Indonesian People Are Marching To A Mass Meeting: Against The New
Neoliberalism Policy
May 2000

From: The National Front for Indonesian Worker' Struggle (FNPBI)

Having failed with the hearings between Indonesian people and governments, 
Indonesian people will march to parliaments and hold mass meeting on April 
1, 2,000. Many pro democracy organisations have given signals, agreed that 
only mass mobilisation could stop government from implementing the 
neoliberalism economy policy. The last statement from government, 
represented by the co-ordinating ministry for economi, finance and 
industry, Kwik Kian Gie, assured that there won't be any delay on the 
policy implementation. "There is no way that government will delay the policy",
he said. On the discussion with the parliaments, government defended their 
policy and still insisted to continue the policy. Observing the negative responds 
from people, the reformist parliament members called for the explanation 
and urged government to delay it. The last fact from the issue that there 
has been price fluctuation since government assured the policy. Even this 
effort does not stop the people's reaction because the important point will 
not only to delay the high price but to refuse the cut-subsidy. In this 
way, parliament has failed to represent the people's inspiration. They 
didn't try to explore the fundamental problems.

Forced by IMF, the International Monetary Funds, Indonesian government has 
to imply the Structural Adjustment Program (SAP), introduced by IMF. By 
obeying this program, Indonesia will have another chance to get "support" 
from IMF in a foreign debt' form. This program is including the cut 
subsidies on fuel and electricity, education, fertiliser and other related 
things. There is only one explanation from government side: to sufficie all 
national budget and use the fund for the economy recovery.

Many ways have been launched by government to legitimate their policy such 
as declaring that only the wealth will be affected by the subsidies-cut and 
the poor will get support from the real subsidies. Government also used 
some neoliberalism economists to support them. As one of them said, "the 
cut will not worsen the people's life because it will only affect the 
wealth who has enjoyed the subsidies so far". "We have to support 
government as it is the only thing that government can do for the economy 
recovery", she added. One representative from Indonesian Electicity Society 
(MLI) suggested that government does have to increase the electricity.
To perform its accountability, government previously had increased the
official minimum wages (UMR) by 25% to show that government pay attention 
to the people's problem if they carry out the policy. In the fact, by the 
time the policy being implemented, all Indonesian workers will only have 
56% opportunity to cover their standard living costs. Also to get support 
from its loyal corps "the junior state employer" and the rank and file 
soldier, government had increased their salary by 30%. This tactic has been 
succeeded for a while, to soften people, until government decided to 
increase the senior politicians salary by 80% and provide them with some 
luxurious and comfortable allowances, only a day after.

The latter had caused many pros and contras because finally people realise 
that government had played the game. This reactions can be seen from many 
protests of the Indonesian people, everywhere. Hundreds of the Indonesian 
Corps of State Employee (KORPRI) went on hearing to parliament. They 
protested the unfairness of the government. "The top level employee has 
never worked so hard. We, the lowest level, always work hard to do their 
tasks. I can tell how many days in the month they come to work. But now, 
they get the most advantage. What about us?" asked one of the protesters.
At the same time, the united forum of labour organisation (Forum Buruh) 
which was initiated by the National front for Indonesian Worker' Struggle 
(FNPBI) together with the Jakarta Trade Unions (SBJ) and some betraying 
sectors from Indonesian Prosperity Trade Unions (SBSI) and other pro 
democracy movement (NGO's), together held press conference (March 30) and 
announced the plan to call for an actions and hold Mass Meeting in first of 
April, taking place in the parliament building. They also raised the issues 
on the refusal of increasing wages by 25% and demand for increasing by 
100%. Just the day after, many other organisations wanted to join the front 
such as the anti-discrimination organisation (SNB), the teacher 
organisation (FKPB) and the people' anti military organisation (FRAM).

The militant student organisation, the National Student League for 
Democracy (LMND) has been settiing up "protest tend" against the cut 
subsidy on education. They raised the issue cut-subsidy on education which 
leads to many students left university. Started on March 27, they set up 
the tend in the main hall of the Department of Education and Cultural 
Affairs in Jakarta.

Some students also went on hunger strike until they marched to parliament 
to join the mass meeting, on Friday (March 31). Since late in the 
afternoon, thousands students started occupying parliament building.
There is also plan from other student group to go down the street and have 
big protest. Since the last two weeks, many leaflets have been distributed 
massively. The main content is to give awarness to the people on what is 
going on. The student activists from City Forum (Forkot) have been 
dispersing to distribute leaflets containing the high prices of fuel and 
electricity. In group, they went to malls, train and bus stations and many 
public places. One of them gave speech: to make sure that people aware of 
the issue and will take an action against it.

Other sector is that transportation sector called for an action as well. 
They raise they issue that the high price on fuel and electricity will 
cause the drivers lost the opportunity to spend more for the living. There 
will be high price on automotive maintenance which is very expensive. The 
transportation owner association has warned thay they would go on protest 
if government does not increase the transportation' fee which will make 
people to pay more for the transportation.

Knowing that there will be big mobilisation, the head of Jakarta Police
Departement, a day before the protest, warned that Jakarta is under the
urgent situation (Siaga I) until the next announcement. Under this act,
police institution can take some urgent action which they refer as 
disturbing political stability. For this reason, they will have an access 
to put state under the Martial Law.

All at once, just a day before the protest, government announced to delay 
the high price on fuel. Using some populist reason, government understood 
to what people needs. They try to hide their unreadyness because they were 
not well-prepared on the mechanism to support the poor in getting cheap 
fuel. In avoiding the people's anger, government planned to support people 
by giving cheaper price only for the poor.

Even so, this announcement will not stop people from marching to join the 
mass meeting. The problem is not about the time but the fundamental 
question: government should cancel the policy. Even so, government will use 
the march to strengthen its power in bargaining with IMF, who will start 
the review on Letter of Intent (LoI) with IMF, April 1. Government has been 
very worried that IMF will delay its funds, which is supposed to be 
transpired by first of April.

Will government be very keen to listen the people's voices? Will IMF be 
very insisting to delay the funds as they do really have interest from the 
funds lent to Indonesia? Only us, the people of Indonesia can stop it 
through the Mass Meeting. People United Will Never Be Defeated!!!!!

In solidarity,
The National Front for Indonesian Worker' Struggle (FNPBI)