Ainur R. Sophia'an and Nana Rukmana, Surabaya/Cirebon – Thousands of sugar farmers and peasants employed by sugar plantations in West and East Java went on strike Thursday to protest sugar imports that have affected the sugar industry at home.

Traffic jams clogged several main streets in Surabaya when more than 3,000 demonstrators employed by state-owned sugar plantations in East Java marched on the provincial legislative building and the governor's office in the city.

While carrying banners condemning President Megawati Soekarnoputri's leadership, the demonstrators called on the President to step down because she failed to provide protection for millions of people earning their living from the sugar industry.

"We are disappointed with the absence of government measures to halt sugar imports that have damaged sugar farmers, 32 sugar factories in the province and millions of people employed in sugar plantations and factories across the country," Marsidik Samaoen, chairman of the Forum of Solidarity for Sugar Farmers, said in a speech in front of the governor's office.

He said the presence of low-priced sugar in the local market has caused many factories to hoard their products and forced the layoff of hundreds of workers.

The imported sugar was allegedly from Thailand, India, Pakistan, China and Brazil. The imported sugar was sold between Rp 200 and Rp 500 cheaper than the local product. The local sugar is sold between Rp 3,200 and Rp 3,600 per kilogram.

East Java Governor Imam Utomo said that he would discuss the imported sugar issue with his sugar team in order to take the necessary measures to protect the sugar industry in the province.

"Sugar imports have been banned and I will ask the police to crack down on local markets and seize imported sugar. We have allowed only food and beverage factories to import raw sugar materials," he said when asked to respond to the demonstrators' demands.

East Java has produced around 885 tons of sugar annually and 396,000 tons of it was supplied to the local market in the province.

In Cirebon, demonstrators called on the Cirebon regency legislature to channel their aspirations to the central government, demanding that the government stop the sugar imports and establish a joint team to crack down on imported sugar in local market.

Anwar Kasmali, chairman of the local chapter of the Indonesian Sugar Producers (APTRI), said the government could protect the local products by imposing higher excise taxes for imported sugar and allowing only sugar factories to import raw sugar materials.

Suryana, chairman of the regency legislature, vowed to bring the demonstrators' aspirations to the President after the latter's arrival from her foreign trip. "The government must respond positively to the sugar community's aspirations," he said in a meeting with the demonstrators.