Ramadhian Fadillah, Jakarta – The Myanmar Embassy has again been rocked by demonstrations. Following an action by monks, this time it was the turn of the Confederation of Prosperity Labor Unions (KSBSI). Wearing various types of red clothing, they held the action in front of the Myanmar Embassy on Jl. Agus Salim in Central Jakarta on Wednesday October 3.

Unlike the earlier action, this one was enough to cause a minor traffic jam on Jl. Agus Salim affecting traffic heading towards Jl. MH Thamrin. Understand that the demonstrators numbered around 100 and took up half of the road.

During the action they displayed the white KSBSI flag and brought a verity of posters with demands such as “Hang General Than Shwe” and “Release Aung San Suu Kyi and the other pro-democracy activists”. “We are demanding that Myanmar be temporarily expelled from its membership in ASEAN until the situation improves”, said KSBSI president Rekson Silaban.

According to Silaban, in economic terms, owners of capital must withdraw their investments from Myanmar until the military junta can no longer sustain itself. “We appeal to Indonesian business to withdraw [their investments] from Myanmar and put economic pressure on the regime”, he said.

They continued the action by going to the ASIAN Secretariat to hand over a petition demanding that Myanmar be expelled from ASIAN. (mly/nrl)

[Translated by James Balowski.]