Medan – Hundreds of protesters from the National Liberation Front (FPN) demonstrated at the North Sumatra Regional House of Representatives building and the offices of the North Sumatran governor on Friday May 16 against the government’s plan to increase fuel prices by 30 percent.

In speeches they also expressed their opposition to direct cash assistance (BLT, paid to the poor as compensation for the planned price hikes), called for the repudiation of the foreign debt, and for the nationalisation of mining, oil and gas industries under the control of the people.

The National Liberation Front is made up of the Association of Islamic Students (HMI), the Indonesian Student Secretariat (SMI), the Indonesian Christian Students Movement (GMKI), the Urban Poor People’s Network (JKRM), the North Sumatra Politics for the Poor-National Farmers Union (STN-PRN Sumut), the North Sumatra Politics for the Poor-Indonesian Student League for Democracy (LMDN-PRM Sumut), the Perempuan Mahardhika National Network (JNPM), the Indonesian Youth Front for Struggle (FPPI), the Poor Peoples Political Union (PPRM), the Poor People’s Union (SRM), Himbar, the North Sumatra Islamic University Faculty of Social and Political Science Student Executive Council (BEM Fisip UISU), Barmas, Bercak, Pamor North Sumatra, the Poor Peoples Struggle Front (FPRM), the Indonesian National Students Movement (GMNI), Himabem, the Marhaen’s People Movement (GRM), the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), AMPR, Satma PP, SMM and the Politics for the Poor-Indonesian National Front for Labour Struggle (FNPBI-PRM).

The protesters also called for education that is free, scientific, democratic and with a populist vision, an end to public order operations against street buskers, petty traders and street children, decent and affordable housing for the people and an end to price increases of basic commodities.

According to the demonstrators, the government’s reasons for increasing fuel prices by 30 percent – in order to hold down the debt and safeguard the state budget – are extremely contradictory and are being used to manipulate the people’s consciousness. In reality they said, the fuel price increases will have an affect on all sectors of the people’s economy. “Therefore reject the fuel price increases without compromise and call for the nationalisation of foreign assets”, said one of protesters. (m19/m14)

[Translated by James Balowski.]