Jakarta – Workers from the Labor Movement with the People (GEBRAK) will hold a demonstration to commemorate International Labor Day (May Day) on Wednesday May 1.
The central point for the action will be around the Presidential Palace complex in Central Jakarta. Before this however, the workers will hold a long-march from Dukuh Atas.
Indonesian Trade Union Congress Alliance (KASBI) General Chairperson Sunarno said that the long-march will begin at the Dukuh Atas train station, then proceed to the Hotel Indonesia (HI) traffic circle, then on to the International Labour Organization (ILO) building on Jalan Thamrin and finally the State Palace.
"After the HI traffic circle, the plan is to go to the ILO building and the State Palace. So there will be four locations. We'll depart from Jabotabek [Greater Jakarta], Banten, Jakarta and West Java, there are some who will use buses, use motorcycles, so later they will all disembark at Dukuh Atas, then later we'll march to the HI traffic circle, then to Jalan Thamrin", Sunarno explained to CNN Indonesia.
"If possible, [we'll] reach the Palace", he added.
Sunarno said the long-march will begin at 10 am and it is estimated that the action will end at 6 pm, although there is a possibility that it may go on longer.
GEBRAK claims that it has already submitted a notification with the Metro Jaya regional police (Polda) and the national police headquarters (Mabes Polri) related to a permit for the rally and also referring to applicable laws.
"With the coordination, right, we will follow the rules under Law Number 9/1998, on expressing opinions in public. So, the Metro Jaya Polda and also the Mabes Polri have already been notified", he said.
The theme that will be taken in the action tomorrow is, "Jokowi's Oligarchic Regime, Destroyer of Democracy, Failing to Bring Prosperity to the People, Build a Progressive Political Force & Seize the People's Sovereignty".
The groups that make up GEBRAK are an alliance of 30 non-government organisations (NGOs) that are active around labour issues and come form a variety social organisations ranging from workers, farmers, students, the urban poor, fisherpeople, online motorcycle taxi drivers, customary communities and all oppressed communities.
They originate from a number of regions, especially regions with large worker bases such as Jakarta, Bekasi and Karawang. Protesters in areas outside of Jakarta will also convey their demands in front of government buildings in each region.
One of the GEBRAK members, the Indonesian Workers Federation of Struggle (FPBI), claims that the May Day action will be joined by 10-15 thousand protesters. (csp/rts/wis)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Rute Long March Demo May Day di Jakarta".]
