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Viewing cable 06JAKARTA5486, UNIONS USE MAY DAY TO CONTINUE PROTESTS AGAINST

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06JAKARTA5486 2006-05-01 11:47 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Jakarta
VZCZCXRO9671
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #5486/01 1211147
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 011147Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3526
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 9378
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RHHMUNA/USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 7338
RUEKJCS/DOD WASHDC
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 JAKARTA 005486 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/MTS AND DRL/IL 
DEPT OF LABOR FOR ILAB 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ELAB ECON EINV PGOV PHUM KJUS ID
SUBJECT: UNIONS USE MAY DAY TO CONTINUE PROTESTS AGAINST 
LABOR REFORM 
 
REF: A. JAKARTA 4465 - GROWING WORKER PROTESTS 
     B. JAKARTA 3563 - INVESTMENT CLIMATE PACKAGE 
     C. JAKARTA 1645 - AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES LABOR REFORM 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
1.  (SBU) Indonesian unions used May Day to continue their 
street protests in Jakarta and other major cities against 
earlier government plans to amend the 2003 Manpower Act to 
improve the investment climate.  United firmly against any 
revisions to the law, labor leaders turned out 30,000 or more 
demonstrators, many of whom came in from Jakarta's 
industrialized satellite areas.  The protests at the Palace, 
Parliament and major thoroughfares remained peaceful through 
late afternoon when a heavy rainstorm prematurely ended the 
street action.  The GOI took no chances in the capital and 
organized a massive security presence of some 21,000 
personnel.  In the run-up, Jakarta's police chief spoke of 
using deadly force to stop violence, sparking some 
controversy.  With more than 10,000 demonstrators at the 
gates, parliament members sided with unions and pledged not 
to pass any amendments.  Indonesia's largest union 
confederation has planned another major protest in Jakarta 
for May 3.  With the Government on the defensive and timid in 
the face of protests, and parliament members siding with the 
unions, amending the Manpower Act any time soon appears 
increasingly difficult.  End Summary. 
 
Unions Follow "Success" of April Demonstrations 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
2.  (SBU) Tens of thousands of protestors joined in large 
union-led May Day demonstrations in Jakarta and other major 
cities, continuing protest actions against the Yudhoyono 
Administration's earlier plans to revise the 2003 Manpower 
Act.  The May 1 demonstrations followed the unions' perceived 
success in halting the amendments, which stand at the center 
of the GOI's 2006 investment policy package.  The revisions 
would create greater labor market flexibility by bringing 
matters such as severance pay, contract labor and outsourcing 
more in line with Indonesia's economic competitors. 
Organized labor has united firmly to reject any changes.  In 
the aftermath of some 20,000 workers demonstrating in the 
capital on April 5 against the amendments, President 
Yudhoyono agreed on April 7 to refer the labor law to 
academics and tripartite negotiations, rather than introduce 
government-drafted amendments to the House of Representatives 
(DPR).  Government officials, showing themselves on the 
defensive, questioned why unions would proceed with May Day 
demonstrations when they had already won the point in April. 
 
May 1 Turnout 30,000 Plus in Jakarta 
------------------------------------ 
 
3.  (SBU) The May 1 demonstrations in Jakarta featured some 
30,000 or more protestors, according to our own partial 
observations, police statements and media accounts.  If this 
preliminary estimate holds, the May 1 protests would be 
somewhat larger than the April 5 demonstrations.  Union 
organizers inflated their estimates of attendance, with some 
claiming as many as 200,000 on the streets.  Unions bussed in 
many of the protestors from Jakarta's satellite industrial 
areas, raising some questions about possible outside funding 
for the protest.  Two umbrella labor confederations, the 
Indonesian Prosperity Trade Union (SBSI) and the Indonesian 
Trade Union Congress (KSPI) represented most of the unions 
participating in the May Day action.  Indonesia's largest 
confederation, the All-Indonesia Trade Union Confederation 
(SPSI) did not endorse the May 1 protests, planning instead 
to hold its own demonstrations on May 3. 
 
4.  (SBU) The DPR and the major round-about by Hotel 
Indonesia attracted two large concentrations of protestors, 
each numbering perhaps 10 to 15,000.  Those assembled by 
Hotel Indonesia marched to the presidential palace early in 
the afternoon.  A smaller protest took place outside the 
Manpower Ministry.  Workers carried banners calling for 
rejection of the Manpower amendments and criticizing world 
capitalism.  As of late afternoon, demonstrations in the 
capital proceeded peacefully, apparently avoiding the 
 
JAKARTA 00005486  002 OF 003 
 
 
destruction of public property that marred the April 5 
action.  The only confrontation reported was at the 
Sukarno-Hatta International Airport, where workers attempted 
to block a back access gate.  A heavy rainstorm struck the 
city mid-afternoon, dousing workers' cries and prematurely 
ending most of the street action. 
 
GOI Calls Out Heavy Security Presence 
------------------------------------- 
 
5.  (SBU) In the face of rumors and union leaders' claims of 
100,000 or more workers headed into Jakarta, and loose talk 
of a nationwide strike, the GOI took no chances in the run-up 
to the May 1 demonstrations.  With President Yudhoyono (SBY) 
away in the Middle East, Vice President Jusuf Kalla and 
Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso both noted that SBY had left the 
capital in their capable hands to ensure law and order.  The 
Home Affairs Minister issued instructions to all governors to 
ensure order.  Police called a Level One alert, putting 
two-thirds of police officers on duty nationwide.  Jakarta 
police chief Firman Gani spoke firmly about stopping any 
violence, and repeatedly discussed "shoot on sight" 
procedures should chaos break out.  Police comments drew 
sharp criticism and concern from labor leaders, who offered 
reassurances of orderly protests.  Jakarta police announced 
that the government had deployed over 21,000 security 
personnel, including a reserve of 5,000 soldiers, to guard 
the capital.  By the morning 
of May 1, Jakarta's main thoroughfares featured large numbers 
of uniformed police and public order personnel.  Numerous 
plainclothes officers also mixed with the crowds and 
onlookers. 
 
DPR Caves In Before Sea of Protestors 
------------------------------------- 
 
6.  (SBU) The 10,000 or more demonstrators at the DPR gates 
achieved their desired political victory.  Speaking via 
megaphone to the sea of protestors before the parliament 
building, Ribke Tjiptaning, chair of the DPR's Commission IX 
that handles labor issues, reportedly announced to the 
workers that the DPR "rejects the Government's plan to revise 
the law," and would not take up discussion of any changes. 
"We'll tear up any papers the Government sends to us," Ribke 
told cheering workers.  DPR Deputy Chairman Zaenal Ma'arif 
reinforced this statement.  Earlier in the day, DPR Chairman 
Agung Laksono commented that the Government must rethink its 
plans to amend the Manpower Act. 
 
Yudhoyono Thanks Workers For Maintaining Order 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
7.  (SBU) As protests drew to a close, Vice President Kalla 
conveyed to reporters President Yudhoyono's appreciation to 
the workers for conducting themselves in a peaceful manner. 
Kalla added that he did not believe the DPR had formally 
decided to reject any possible amendments, saying it would be 
premature as these remained under study and the Government 
had not decided on any recommended changes. 
 
Another Large Protest Planned for May 3 
--------------------------------------- 
 
8.  (SBU) Indonesia's largest union confederation, SPSI, 
plans its own demonstration in Jakarta May 3 and has called 
for a similarly large turnout.  The focus of the protest 
action will be the DPR, according to one senior SPSI 
official.  SPSI was the leading union organizer behind the 
April 5 protests, the largest in four years until today. 
SPSI, the successor to the Suharto era union body, did not 
join the other confederations on May 1 in part because it 
rejects the socialist connotations of May Day. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
9.  (SBU) Unions turned out a respectable showing May 1, 
surpassing the April 5 rallies in terms of numbers and 
scoring a political victory at the Parliament.  However, the 
extensive media build up reinforced by the GOI's obsessive 
security precautions ensured the nation's fixation on the 
 
JAKARTA 00005486  003 OF 003 
 
 
union rallies, more so than the 30,000 plus demonstrators on 
the streets of the capital.  Some DPR members' preemptive 
surrender to the union perspective will further complicate 
Yudhoyono's efforts to amend the Manpower Act.  With the 
Government on the defensive and timid in the face of 
protests, and some DPR leaders already siding with organized 
labor, passing the labor law amendments -- the centerpiece of 
the current investment package -- appears increasingly 
difficult. 
PASCOE