Jakarta - Demonstrations and riots to protest the increase in the nine basic needs and demands for political reform which have erupted in several cities and regions during the period over the month of January up to 19 February l998 have resulted in 3 deaths, 921 detentions and 14 disappearances. Thus data obtained as a result of investigation issued by the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI), The Independent Committee to Monitor General Elections (KIPP), and the Foundation for Social Studies and Advocacy (ELSAM), Wednesday, Feb. 18.
The joint statement issued by Bambang Widjojanto, SH (YLBHI), Mulyana W. Kusumah (KIPP) and Aderito de Jesus Soares (ELSAM) is a compilation of data obtained from the wage of "mass riots" or mass anger. Data was obtained from Sentani, in Irian Jaya, Banyuwangi, Bondowoso, Tuban, Pasuruan, Jember, Unjungpandang, Palu, Ende, Bima, Central Lombok, Cirebon, Padelangan, Subang, Indramayu, Jatiwangi, Sumedang, Bandung to Buleleng in Bali.
According to this statement, mass anger was caused by the economic crisis which has seriously emburdened the majority of the people, beginning with the increase in the price of basic needs, the "disappearance" of goods from the market, mass lay-off, shortened working hours and salaries which are rapidly losing their real value, all of which are concrete problems faced by the people.
The joint agreement with the IMF and the introduction of the Currency Board System, the statement continued, only serve to rescue and protect the interests of the large economic actors and ignore the impact on the majority of ordinary people.
However, the statement continued, government reactions have become increasingly repressive. The attempt to implement Act No.5/PNPS/l963 as a justification for detention and dealing with peaceful demonstrations by various social groups, such as the Red-White Brigade in Jakarta, child laborers in the Global March campaign, or the FPPMG activists in Garut, kidnaping of 14 activists, and the threat to "shoot on the spot", as well as the tapping of telephone lines by the police, are manifestations of the government's repressive actioins in dealing with social protest and unrest.
Furthermore the religious regimentation revealed in the statement by the Minister of Religion, Tarmizi Taher, about 20 million people descended from the PKI (Indonesian Communist Party) roaming around, pushes the Indonesian people, who have already lost their jobs or whose income is eroding, into a corner.
At the end of their statement, YLBHI, KIPP and ELSAM reiterated that human rights in Indonesia are being violated, in particular, the three basic freedoms of citizens, first, the right to freedom of opinion, freedom to organize and associate; secondly, the disappearance of the guarantee for civil security of citizens, such as the freedom from arbitrary detention, freedom from torture, freedom from kidnaping (disappearance), and freedom from fear; thirdly, the failure of the government to facilitate the people's economic rights.
Detailed data on arrests, detention, kidnaping and violence from January to 19 February l998 issued by YLBHI, KIPP, ELSAM state the following: Arrest and Detention in Bondowoso (9 people), Banyuwangi (29 people), Tuban (104), Pasuruan (28), Ende NTB (9), Palu (34), Jember (5), Bima NTB (15), Jakarta (140), Cirebon (30), Central Lombok (10), Padelangan (16), Bogor (22), Buleleng-Singaraja (12), Subang (198), Indramayu (1), Jatiwangi (44), Sumedang (28), Bandung (3), Lemahabang (5), Brebes (20), Pamanukan (145), Bandung (5).
Kidnaping: Drs. Lucas da Costa (Lecturer, Unwiku), 6 students from East Timor taken by the military from their lodgings in Surabaya; Desmond J. Mahesa (Nusantara Legal Aid Foundation), and Pius Lustrilanang (Secretary General, Aldera); 5 students of the Garut Students Communication Forum: Deri, Maruli, Wanto, Chepi, and Gunawan. Shootings in Brebes (Losari): 2 dead: Darmani (22) and Amran (22), and 6 seriously wounded. Cirebon: 1 dead, 3 seriously wounded. Bekasi: one student seriously wounded.