Moksa Hutasoit, Jakarta – Hundreds of workers form the Indonesian Metal Workers Trade Union Federation (FSPMI) demonstrated at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) building to declare their support for the KPK that is in the midst of a conflict with the national police (Polri).
“Workers are ready to become the advance guard”, shouted a worker’s representative in a speech atop a truck parked in front of the KPK building on Jl. Rasuna Said in South Jakarta on Friday February 6.
Arriving in waves, there appeared to be around 400 workers taking part in the action, all wearing black clothing with organisational logos on the back of their shirts.
“This is not just a KPK problem, but an Indonesian problem”, said another speaker. “If there are 1 thousand people to support the KPK, we will be one of them. If there is only one person left supporting the KPK, it will definitely be us”, shouted the speaker to applause from other demonstrators.
A short time later, protesters from the Save Indonesia Alliance (ASI) arrived. They however took up a slightly different theme, “Save the KPK and Save Polri”.
Not surprisingly, a contest of amplifiers took place. When a person from the ASI give a speech, the workers immediately turned the music to full volume. In general, the protesters from the ASI were young people who were passive in giving speeches, unlike the workers who were full of energy.
The two groups of protesters were only a short distance apart and were only separated by three fences erected by police that limited the two organisation’s movements.
The action was afforded ‘super’ tight security with police officers on guard at the entrance to the KPK building while members of the paramilitary Mobile Brigade (Brimob) were on alert inside the building.
A mobile water cannon that was present earlier has begun to be withdrawn well away from the KPK building. The reason being that the slow lane on Jl. Rasuna Said was taken over by demonstrators and has now been closed by police.
As of 3.05pm, the action was still continuing will more protesters arriving. The situation remained favourable.
[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service. The original title of the report was Ratusan Buruh Demo Dukung KPK, Jalur Lambat Rasuna Said Ditutup.]
