INDONESIA: Workers demonstrate at legislature

annual session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)

were relatively small, the final day of the session, August

18, drew thousands of protesters onto the streets.

The majority were from the Indonesian National Front for

Workers Struggle (FNPBI), Democratic People's Party (PRD) and

National Student League for Democracy (LMND). They were

demanding a 100% wage increase for all workers, the repeal of

the military's social and political functions, the abolition

of military seats in parliament and an end to violence against

workers.

They were joined by 150 farmers from Bandung, West Java,

calling for an inquiry into the abduction of four peasant

activists from outside the MPR on August 14. In Bandung,

students from the Bandung Indonesian Youth Front rallied to

demand the return of the peasant activists. Some 250 PRD and

FNPBI demonstrators organised a "long march" to the provincial

MPR in Medan, North Sumatra, to raise similar demands.

Protesters from a number of major universities in Java grouped

in the Indonesian Students Network (JMI) demonstrated in front

of the Presidential Palace during the August 17 Independence

Day ceremonies. They called for democratic reforms to the

constitution, the removal all remnants of Suharto's New Order

regime from government and the expulsion of the military and

police representatives in the MPR.

Student also demonstrated at Suharto's residence, where they

burned coffins marked with the names of Suharto, his family

members and cronies.

FNPBI leader Romawaty Sinaga will be speaking at public

meetings in Australia in late August and early September. The

tour is being organised by Action in Solidarity with Indonesia

and East Timor and Unionists Against Corporate Tyranny. Visit

the ASIET web site at <http://www.asiet.org.au>.

BY JAMES BALOWSKI

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