Istiqomatul Hayati, Jakarta – Thousands of workers came out into the streets to commemorate May Day on Saturday May 1. Demonstrators began gathering at three points in the city, at the parking lot of the Danamon Aetna building, the national parliament and the Hotel Indonesia roundabout then began linking up in front of the Radio Republic Indonesia radio station at 11.30am.
The workers came from a number of areas in Greater Jakarta and West Java and included workers from the informal and informal sector, Indonesian migrant workers, factory workers and workers who have been victims of mass dismissals.
One contingents at the demonstration included some 2,000 workers from [state-owned aircraft company] PT Dirgantara Indonesia who were dismissed [last year as part of a government ‘restructuring’ program]. They set off for Jakarta from the West Java provincial capital of Bandung on Friday at 5.30am traveling in convoy of motorcycles and cars and were able to attend Friday prayers in nearby Bogor before arriving in Jakarta at 4pm.
The ex-Dirgantara Indonesia employees then linked up with ex-Hotel Indonesia employees who had been “sent home” because the hotel is being renovated. The workers have been living in the hotel’s parking lot.
[As is usually the case in demonstrations in Jakarta], the commemoration of May Day also did not fail to create a traffic jam. Congestion was experienced from Jalan Sudirman in front of the Atmajaya Catholic University to Jalan Merdeka Barat. A part of the road had been cleared exclusively for rally so a result the Jakarta busway [which is reserved for express busses] between Jalan Merdeka Barat to the Indosat building had to used by motorcycles and cars.
The worker’s demands included calling for the cancellation Law Number 13/2003 and Law Number 2/2004 on labour affairs warning that that welfare of contract workers was not guaranteed [under these laws]. The workers also demanded an end to discrimination against Indonesian migrant workers, the closure of Terminal III at the Soekarno-Hatta airport [which deals with the arrival of overseas workers], opposed the construction of a new terminal for migrant workers in Ciracas, East Jakarta, and called on the state to fulfil its obligation to provide for worker’s safety on the job.
May Day was also commemorated by the Labour Movement for Reform (Gerakan Buruh untuk Perubahan) which is made up of the Tangerang Labour Forum, the Serang Worker’s Union, the Bekasi Workers, the Marunda Workers, Indonesian Migrant Workers and the Union of Migrant Workers and Indramayu Families. Not wanting to be left behind, the action was also joined by the Independent Journalist Alliance and the Islamic Students Association. The demonstrators carried a number of banners and labour organisation flags such as the Indonesian National Labour Front. Alongside the flags and banners, they also carried a shroud stained with blood.
The action was not just aiming at the government of President Megawati Sukarnoputri but it also rejected presidential candidates [from a military background such as recently retired coordinating minister for politics and security] Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and [former armed forces chief] Wiranto.
[Translated by James Balowski.]
