Mursalin Yasland, Bandar Lampung – Hundreds of activists and workers in the Lampung provincial capital of Bandar Lampung took to the city’s street on International Labour Day.

The protesters started the action in front of a well known shopping centre in Bandar Lampung then marched towards the Elephant Monument traffic circle and rallied in front of the busiest shopping centre in the city. In addition to giving speeches, they also handed out leaflets with demands for more attention to be paid to workers’ welfare and labour rights.

The 500 or so protesters came from the group Lampung People’s Struggle (PRL), which is made up of 32 organisations or NGOs that support the struggle for better working conditions. “This is a peaceful action, to fight for workers’ interests, which are increasingly languishing as their rights are trampled on by the hegemony of power”, said one of the activists, Suryadi.

In another part of the city, the Bandar Lampung Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) also used May Day to convey their demands. In a press release the journalists called for safety guarantees and increased wages. AJI said that these demands are urgent in order that journalists can be more professional in carrying out their assignments.

Source: Ratusan Aktivis dan Buruh di Lampung Turun ke Jalan – Republika. Sunday, 01 May 2011

[Slightly abridged translation by James Balowski.]