Jakarta – Student and Labor organizations have joined with the May 1st Action Committee to stage a major demonstration at Jakarta Police Headquarters today.
The coalition will demand the police to conduct a thorough investigation over the deadly attack by an unidentified mob on laborers of PT Kadera Indonesia, who staged a strike last Thursday in the Industrial compound of Pulogadung in East Jakarta. The attack killed a laborer who was hit by bomb shrapnel.
The coalition will demand the police to conduct a thorough investigation to bring the perpetrators along with the mastermind of the attack to justice. According to a press release sent to the Observer, the coalition which named itself the 2001 May 1st Action Committee, will depart from the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) office in Jl. Diponegoro, Central Jakarta, and make their way to Jakarta Police Headquarters before noon today.
The organizations that have formed the coalition are National Front for Indonesia Labor Struggle (FNBI), Jakarta Legal Aid Institution (LBH), National Student League for Democracy (LMND), Maritime and Fishery Labors Union (SBMNI), Network for People Culture Workshop (Jaker), Jabotabek Labor Union (SBJ), Shangri-La Hotel Labor Union, Independent Labor Union (SBM) and Indonesia Independent Labor Association (GSBI).
The coalition will protest the violence that took place during the laborers strike when at least 500 unidentified people without warning besieged the 300 laborers who were peacefully appealing for a salary raise.
The attackers were brandished with machetes and other sharp weapons. Tens of laborers were wounded when the attackers swung their machetes and weapons at the laborers who could only retaliate the attack with their bare hands.
Eyewitnesses said that shortly after the attack was launched, explosive matter which allegedly failed to pass through the factory fences, exploded outside the fences.
A short time later, the explosion claimed a laborers life. Kimun Efendi (21) suffered fatal wounds after shrapnel from the explosion lacerated several parts of his body. Two of Kimuns colleagues suffered the similar wounds as well as burns. They remain in critical condition.
On Friday, PT Kaderas lawyer Amir Syamsuddin announced the companys remorse over the violence that marred the protest, and strongly denied the allegation that the unidentified mob was organized by the company.
Syamsuddin said PT Kadera will consider withdrawing its investment in Indonesia if such violence and riots continue. The company closed its operation soon after the incident on Thursday.
Around 90% of PT Kadera Indonesia shares are owned by a Japanese investor. The company provides supplies to furnish Toyota cars for the Indonesian market.