Yogyakarta – Street actions demanding a reduction in the price of basic commodities are commonplace. But the action held by the Poor Politic-Indonesian Student League for Democracy (LMND-PRM) at the post office intersection in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta on the afternoon of Thursday February 14 was more interesting then usual. As well as articulating their demands, they also held a theatric action.

Fourteen people with their faces smudged with paint held up a series of huge letters spelling the words “bring down prices” while they performed a coordinated dance. On the stage meanwhile, posters were put up with the protesters demands.

In a statement and speech, action spokesperson Paulus Suryanta G. said that the increase in the price of basic commodities (sembako) and other goods indicates that the government is failing to bring prosperity to the ordinary people.

Wheat crop failures in Australia and France along with disruptions in the export of wheat from Argentina have caused a jump in world wheat prices. As a consequence, since January 1 China and Russia have increased export taxes on cereals five fold. Thus world food security in Indonesia as well as the rest of the world is under threat.

Protesters gave a number of examples if price instabilities including the government’s helplessness in the face of rising soybean prices that are decimating local tofu and tempeh producers. (Ewp)

[Translated by James Balowski.]