Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta – Opposing planned fuel (BBM) price increases by the government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice-president Jusuf Kalla (SBY-JK), scores of demonstrators from the National Student League for Democracy (LMND) sealed off a petrol station (SPBU) and the offices of the state oil company Pertamina.
The action which was held on Saturday February 5 began at 9.30am at the Gadjah Mada University (UGM) roundabout in Yogyakarta, Central Java. The demonstrators, who came from a number of Yogyakarta schools of higher education, carried posters, banner and red flags with the symbol of LMND.
One particular poster, black in colour, which was carried by the demonstrators read “If BBM goes up = SBY-JK will be brought down and the people will unite to form an alternative government”. Other posters read “overthrow SBY-JK”, “Cancel the foreign debt”, “Try the corrupters” and “If BBM goes up unemployment increases”.
In a speech the Yogyakarta LMND chairperson Lalu Hilman Afriandi said that fuel price increases are evidence of the fact that the SBY-JK government and the People’s Representative Assembly have failed to bring about the people’s hopes for change. The SBY government is not the solution to solve the crisis.
The promise to eradicate corruption, collusion and nepotism and the try the corrupters within the first 100 days of the administration is obviously just rhetoric. Afriandi said that SBY should use existing evidence to arrest the corrupters and they be called on to prove themselves innocent.
“In other words the mark for SBY’s report [on the first 100 of his administration] is totally red. The government of SBY is unpopular because it hasn’t sided with the people and isn’t pro-democratic”, said Afriandi.
After 30 minutes of speeches at the UGM roundabout, the demonstrators then held a long-march towards the Terban SPBU on Jalan C. Simanjuntak. Along the way speeches were given and leaflets handed out to people.
Before sealing off the Terban SPBU, demonstrators gave speeches at the entrance to the station. As a result people wanting to buy petrol and diesel fuel were forced to give up. When demonstrators arrived the 10 petrol station attendants immediately stepped aside and moved near the office. The petrol pumps were only guarded by Yogyakarta city police officers both in uniform and wearing civilian cloths.
The demonstrators then sealed the petrol pumps while others gave speeches in front of them. A length of white cloth which was used as a head band with the writing “oppose BBM price increases” was tied around the hose and canister of a gas fire extinguisher. The pumps were sealed with a message reading “Sealed: This SPBU will supply [BBM] at the old price”.
From the Terban SPBU the demonstrators continued the long-march towards the Central Java-Yogyakarta Pertamina Trade Office on Jalan Mangkubumi. There they also sealed of the office with the writing “This office has been sealed by the people”. They were not however able to enter the Pertamina office itself because it was already guarded by security personnel and police so they posted the message on the front gate. (jon)
[Translated by James Balowski.]
