Mega Putra Ratya, Jakarta – A number of protest actions will colour Jakarta today with at least nine demonstrations expected to inundate various parts of the capital. Watch out for traffic jams!

According to the Metro Jaya regional police Traffic Management Centre (TMC) website for Wednesday December 2, workers from the Indonesian Trade Union Congress Alliance (KASBI) and PT Uni Enlarge Industry Semarang employees will hold an action in front of the Chinatrush Bank offices at the Tamara Centre building on Jl. Jenderal Sudirman in South Jakarta and the Department of Labour and Transmigration on Jl. Gatot Subroto, also in South Jakarta.

Another action will be held by the Red-and-White Militia Joint Forum (FB-LMP) at the Constitutional Court building on Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat in Central Jakarta.

Following this, the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (WALHI), the Indonesia Farmers Union (SPI), the Anti-Debt Coalition (KAU), the Action Study Circle for Indonesian Democracy (LSADI), Oxfam and the Institute for Essential Services Reform (IESR) will be protesting at the United States Embassy on Jl. Merdeka Selatan in Central Jakarta.

The next demonstration will be held by the Urban Poor Consortium (UPC) at the Jakarta Regional House of Representatives DPRD building on Jl. Kebon Sirih in Central Jakarta.

Then the Indonesian General Insurance Association (AAUI) will hold an action in front of the Government Goods and Services Procurement Policy Agency (LKPP), the SMESCO building on Jl. Gatot Subroto in South Jakarta and the Finance Ministry’s Capital Markets Supervisory Agency on Jl. Lapangan Banteng in Central Jakarta.

Meanwhile the Migrant Workers Defense Team (TPBMI) Alliance for Families of Indonesian Worker Victims and the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI) will be demonstrating at the Department of Labour and Transmigration on Jl. Gatot Subroto and the United Arab Emirates Embassy on Jl. Singaraja Block C4 in the East Kuningan are of South Jakarta.

A group calling themselves the Voice of Indonesia (SI, Solidarity Supporters of the Indonesian People’s Mandate) will hold an action at the National Education Department offices on Jl. Jenderal Sudirman in Central Jakarta.

Then the Social Movement to Safeguard the People’s Money (Gempur) will be demonstrating in front of the Vice Presidential Palace on Jl. Merdeka Selatan in Central Jakarta.

Meanwhile the SPI will be protesting in front of the Department of Trade offices on Jl. Ridwan Rais in Central Jakarta.

Looking at the large number of protest actions today, the TMC Is appealing to road users to avoid or find alternative roads to the routes that will be used by demonstrators. (mpr/lrn)

[Translated by James Balowski.]