Katarina Pudjiastuti -- At around 3pm today (March 4) protesters calling themselves the Indonesian Anti-Communist Front (FAKI) attacked the East Java Regional Conference of the National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) in Batu City, East Java. The protesters also set fire to Papernas flags and threatened to forcibly break up the conference. As of writing this report, there is still a high degree of tension because the police are not prepared to give a guarantee to provide security to conference participants.
Some 200 participants were attending the first Papernas regional conference from 24 regencies/municipalities across East Java. Also present was the general chairperson of Papernas’ Central Leadership Committee Agus Prioyono.
The actions by FAKI, which were uncivilized, anti-democratic and libelous, is the second of its kind after an attack on Papernas’ founding congress in Kaliurang, Yogyakarta, last January.
According to Papernas East Java regional chairperson, Fajar Aditya, who was contacted by phone, the committee had gone through all of the formal procedures required to hold the conference. Thus the police should have provided protection to and security guarantees for the conference.
What happened on the ground however was that the police left the FAKI demonstrators to commit acts of terror and vandalism. Fajar added that this dereliction of duty was against the law and indicates that the police are still under the influence of institutions or other political forces.
Agus meanwhile said that the conference would continue. “If it cannot be held under normal conditions, then an emergency regional conference will be held, with our own security”, he said. However, continued Agus, “Solidarity and support from all parties is urgently needed to mutually defend democratic space for the sake of creating the people’s sovereignty”.
The conference was originally planned to be held over a period of three days until March 6.
[Translated by James Balowski. Katarina Pudjiastuti is Papernas’ International Relations Officer.]
