In Indonesia scioperare non sara' piu' un diritto - Clean Clothes Campaign

["Ersilia Monti" <ersilia.monti at mclink.it>]

FONDO MONETARIO INTERNAZIONALE: IN INDONESIA SCIOPERARE NON SARA' PIU' UN
DIRITTO - Clean Clothes Campaign

Per il Fondo monetario internazionale il costo del lavoro in Indonesia e'
troppo elevato. La polizia spara nel corso di una manifestazione di protesta
contro l'approvazione di un disegno di legge che smantellera' i diritti dei
lavoratori indonesiani. Due sindacalisti restano feriti. Nike e Reebok
annunciano la chiusura di due fabbriche che fara' perdere 12 mila posti di
lavoro.

(notizia ricevuta dal sindacato indonesiano del tessile-abbigliamento
Garteks. Per maggiori informazioni: garteks at hotmail.com)

Il 19 agosto migliaia di persone hanno dato vita a un'imponente
manifestazione a Cimahi Bandung, la capitale di Giava Occidentale, in
Indonesia, per protestare contro due disegni di legge che rischiano di
assestare un duro colpo ai diritti acquisiti dai lavoratori indonesiani in
anni di dure lotte condotte principalmente nell'industria per l'
esportazione. Fra i manifestanti, sigle sindacali, studenti universitari,
rappresentanti di ong, e una massiccia presenza di lavoratori dell'
abbigliamento. I due spezzoni di corteo che si dirigevano verso il
parlamento di Giava Occidentale sono stati ripetutamente bloccati dalla
polizia e fatti oggetto di lanci di sassi da parte di individui non meglio
identificati, circostanze che hanno dato luogo a disordini. Due sindacalisti
sono rimasti feriti da colpi di pistola sparati dalla polizia, 31 persone
sono state arrestate e sottoposte a interrogatori nel corso dei quali sono
state picchiate e rapate a zero.
Il sindacato Garteks ci chiede di inviare una lettera o un fax alla
presidente dell'Indonesia Megawati Sukarnoputri per chiederle di far luce su
quanto avvenuto e usare la sua influenza per rivedere i due progetti di
legge contestati, e di inviarne copia all'ambasciata indonesiana in Italia
(alla fine del messaggio trovate i testi da copiare e inviare. Se non
riuscite a inviare il fax in Indonesia, spedite una lettera).

I MOTIVI DELLA PROTESTA

Il governo indonesiano e' in procinto di varare due provvedimenti di legge
che preannunciano lo smantellamento progressivo dei diritti acquisiti dai
lavoratori indonesiani in anni di dure battaglie. Le prime due misure che
potrebbero entrare in vigore gia' a settembre riguardano il diritto di
sciopero. Chi si astiene dal lavoro potra' essere chiamato a comparire
davanti a un tribunale e rischia pene che vanno da una multa di 400 milioni
di rupie (pari a circa 45 mila euro) a 4 anni di carcere. E' uno dei primi
risultati delle sollecitazioni rivolte dal Fondo Monetario Internazionale
all'Indonesia per risollevare l'economia del paese che soffre ancora le
conseguenze della crisi finanziaria che ha investito l'Asia nel 1997-1998.
Un rapporto del FMI, uscito all'inizio dell'anno, metteva in guardia il
governo dal perseverare in una politica di crescita dei minimi salariali al
fine di non perdere competitivita' sul mercato internazionale (da notare che
le retribuzioni minime mensili non superano i 46 dollari). Piu' di due terzi
della popolazione vive al di sotto della soglia di poverta' fissata in 2
dollari al giorno e la Banca Mondiale stima che altrettante persone soffrano
in Indonesia di malnutrizione e di un accesso inadeguato ai servizi sociali
primari. Malgrado i proclami etici, imprese multinazionali come Nike e
Reebok, preoccupate dall'aumento dei minimi salariali, non si sono fatte
scrupolo negli ultimi mesi di chiudere attivita' in Indonesia per
trasferirle in paesi con costi del lavoro piu' bassi e legislazioni piu'
deboli, principalmente in Cina e in Vietnam. Fra luglio e agosto, 3 mila
operai della Nike e un migliaio della Reebok sono scesi in piazza a Jakarta
per protestare contro l'annunciata chiusura di due fabbriche che tagliera'
oltre 12 mila posti di lavoro (nel testo originale del messaggio trovate due
articoli sulle manifestazioni contro Nike e Reebok).


LETTERA/FAX DA INVIARE ALLA PRESIDENTE DELL'INDONESIA CON COPIA ALL'
AMBASCIATA INDONESIANA IN ITALIA

To: Megawati Sukarnoputri
President Republic of Indonesia
Jalan Veteran No. 18
Jakarta Pusat
Indonesia
Tel. 0062-21 384 5627
Fax: 0062-21 384 5001

Ambasciata di Indonesia
Via Campania 55
00187 Roma
tel. 06-4200911
fax 06-4880280


Subject: Incident at Cimahi

Dear President Sukarnoputri,

I am contacting you to express my concern regarding the incident that
happened at Cimahi West Java, Indonesia on August 19th. A peaceful
demonstration was stopped by police, attacked by onlookers, and in the end
two demonstrators were shot by police. I am saddened to learn of the
repression of the right to free speech and the use of violence against
peaceful demonstrators.

I call upon you to use your influence to press for the release of the
demonstrators who are still being detained. And importantly I urge you
reconsider the two draft laws which were the focus of the demonstration. I
understand that the two proposed laws -- a draft of a law on industrial
relations dispute settlement and the draft law on placement and protection
of employment would undermine workers rights. Indonesian workers have gone
through a long process of struggle to earn these rights; please do not take
them away.

Sincerely,

(nome e cognome ed eventuale organizzazione di appartenenza)


---------------------
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Campaign, inviate un messaggio a :
ersilia.monti at mclink.it

Ersilia Monti
(Coordinamento lombardo nord/sud del mondo - Rete di Lilliput Nodo di
Milano)
P.le Governo Provvvisorio 6
20127 Milano
tel.02-26140345
email: ersilia.monti at mclink.it
-------------------


>
>
> -----Messaggio originale-----
> Da: owner-cleanclothes at xs4all.nl
> [mailto:owner-cleanclothes at xs4all.nl]Per conto di clean clothes campaign
> Inviato: mercoledi 28 agosto 2002 17.44
> A: cleanclothes at xs4all.nl
> Oggetto: [cleanclothes] appeal for action: activists shot in Indonesia
>
>
> Dear Friends,
> Please read and take immediate action in relation to the case of two labor
> rights activists who were shot during a demonstration against proposed
> legislation that would roll back workers rights in Indonesia. A sample
> letter is included  please take the time to send a letter today to protest
> the use of violence against people exercising their right to free speech.
> The Garteks union will hold another big demonstration at the West Java
> Parliament on Thursday, August 29 to demand the release of the activists
> still being detained by police and to demand a halt to the processing of
> the two draft laws that were the focus of the earlier rally. They are
> requesting solidarity actions at Indonesian Embassies around the world.
Why
> not fax or hand deliver copies of your protest letters to the Indonesian
> Embassy in your country?
>
> For more information on this case, please contact Garteks at
> garteks at hotmail.com
>
> This message ends with two articles about the recent demonstrations that
> have been held in Indonesia to protest Nike and Reebok's plans to cut
> orders to their Indonesian suppliers.
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
> ------------------
> Labor Rights Activists Shot in Cimahi Bandung, Indonesia
> source: Garteks-SBSI; Behindthelabel.org
>
> On Monday, 19 August 2002 workers and others in Cimahi Bandung, the
capital
> of West Java, Indonesia held a huge demonstration (15,000 garment workers
> are reported to have participated) against drafts of two laws: a draft of
a
> law on industrial relations dispute settlement and the draft law on
> placement and protection of employment. Participants included the local
> Garteks union, university students, NGO representatives, and others. Two
> trade unionists were shot by police during this demonstration. Garteks is
> requesting that letters be sent to the president of Indonesia protesting
> this incident.
>
> Information on the incident
>
> There were about 8000 people moving from the PT. GISTEX Nanjung Cimahi
area
> to the West Java Parliament building at about 8 a.m. on the morning of
> August 19th. They were stopped by the police from Cibabat Area at
> approximately 12 o'clock, on Pasteur Street. While field negotiations were
> taking place, unexpectedly onlookers threw stones at the demonstrators. It
> remains unclear who these people were. This stone throwing created chaos.
>
> Suparjo (chairman of GARTEKS at PT Indo Putra Cimahi) tried to calm down
> the demonstrators by waving his hands. Iptu Gultom (a police officer)
> grabbed his hands. Suparjo tried to release his arms, causing the police
> officer to drop his gun from his hand. Suparjo tried to help the police
> pick up his gun, intending to give it back to the police officer. But the
> police officer was knocked down by the crowd. Next, the police officer
> retrieved his gun and shot Suparjo in his left calf. Suparjo was brought
to
> the police station at 9 p.m after he was discharged from M.Toha Cimahi
> Hospital in West Java.
>
> At 7 a.m. that same morning another group of 5000 demonstrators moved from
> Cibaligo to the West Java Parliament with the same demands against the
> drafts of the two laws. They were stopped by the West Bandung Police as
> they arrived at Padjajaran. Field negotiations took place and the group
was
> allowed to continue their procession. But at that time Tatang (leader of
> GARTEKS local union in Cimahi West Java) was taken to the police station
on
> Doctor Oten Street. The group of demonstrators were stopped by the police
> again. The police tried to scatter them. But some of the demonstators
> successfully reached the parliament building.
>
> Another rally coordinator, Syarif Hidayat, was allegedly shot in the head.
> He was also taken to a hospital, treated and released.
>
> At this time approximately 31 people from various organizations are still
> being detained at the Cimahi and Cibabat Police stations. They report that
> while being interrogated interrogation they were beaten by the police.
Also
> they reported that their hair was shaved off by the police. Tatang is
still
> being interrogated in relation to the incident.
> This incident would not have happened if the police did not stopped the
> demonstrators. Still a big question is why, when the police stopped the
> demonstrators, unknown people began to throw rocks at the demonstrators.
It
> is also unclear why the police stopped the demonstrators in the middle of
> their march and not at the beginning.
>
> The police have an obligation to protect the demonstrators, not repress
> them, because Indonesian law guarantees freedom of speech. Therefore
> Garteks is seeking support in protesting this matter.
>
> Background on the draft laws
> Source: Behingthelabel.org
>
> The protestors were representing a new coalition of trade unions that are
> opposing the two draft laws, which are referred to as KABB. The coalition
> includes Garteks, FNPBI (the national Front for Indonesian Workers
> Struggle), Gaspermindo, TSK, and others.
>
> The coalition fears that the far-reaching nature of KABB, which promises
to
> overhaul existing labor laws in favor of expanding international
> investment, will wipe away many of the hard-won labor rights of
> Indonesians, such as the right to strike.
>
> "Under the bill on the settlement of labor disputes (sic), the government
> would allow striking workers to be tried by the courts," said Etty
> Rostiawaty, a rally coordinator and leader of FNPBI. "And under the bill
on
> labor development and protection (sic), striking workers are subject to
> fines of Rp 400 million and four years in prison."
>
> KABB, which if adopted could go into effect as early as September, are a
> result of pressure from international agencies, specifically the
> International Monetary Fund (IMF), to restructure the Indonesian economy.
> An IMF report released earlier this year cautioned that, "a continuation
of
> the recent upward trend in minimum wages risks undermining Indonesia's
> competitiveness," and urged the government to reconsider its minimum wage
> policy.
>
> Although Indonesia's economy has rebounded following the crisis of
> 1997-1998, the monthly minimum wage is currently only about Rp 400,000
> (about US$46). More than two-thirds of the population still currently
makes
> less than the international poverty line, set at $2 a day. And the World
> Bank estimates that a similarly large proportion of the people "suffer
> inadequate access to basic social services and proper nutrition."
>
> Yet many international corporations, like Nike and Reebok, have reportedly
> used the raise in minimum wage as the rationale for fleeing Indonesia in
> favor of even lower wages and relaxed labor policies in China and other
> parts of southeast Asia.
>
> Recent decisions by Nike and Reebok to move production out of Indonesia
> have resulted in large rallies by workers to protect their jobs.
>
> On August 20, over 3,000 workers marched through Jakarta to protest the
> withdrawal of orders by Nike from its PT Doson factory. The move could
> leave approximately 7,000 workers jobless. On July 29, over 1,000 workers
> took to the streets to protest Reebok's decision to pull its orders from
> their plant, PT Primarindo. Over 5,400 workers stand to lose their jobs
> following the Reebok move.
>
> Sample letter -- please adapt and send today
>
>
> To: Megawati Soekarnoputri
> President
> Republic of Indonesia
> Jalan Veteran No. 18
> Jakarta Pusat
> Indonesia
> Tel. 62-21 384 5627
> Fax:  62-21 384 5001
>
>
> Subject: Incident at Cimahi
>
> Dear President Soekarnoputri,
>
> We are contacting you to express our concern regarding the incident that
> happened at Cimahi West Java, Indonesia on August 19th. A peaceful
> demonstration was stopped by police, attacked by onlookers, and in the end
> two demonstrators were shot by police. We are saddened to learn of the
> repression of the right to free speech and the use of violence against
> peaceful demonstrators.
>
> We call upon you to use your influence to press for the release of the
> demonstrators who are still being detained. And importantly we urge you
> reconsider the two draft laws which were the focus of the demonstration.
We
> understand that the two proposed laws -- a draft of a law on industrial
> relations dispute settlement and the draft law on placement and protection
> of employment  would undermine workers rights. Indonesian workers have
gone
> through a long process of struggle to earn these rights; please do not
take
> them away.
>
> Sincerely,
>
>
> [insert your name here]
>
> ----------------------------------------
> Garteks requests that CCs of your letters be sent to:
>
> 1. KAPOLRI
> Jalan Trunojoyo No. 3
> Jakarta
> Telp. 62-21 7260208
> Fax.  62-21 7260208
>
> 2. KAPOLDA Jawa Barat
> Jl. Sukarno Hatta 748
> Ujung Berung
> Cimahi
> Jawa Barat
> Telp. 62-22 7802632
> Fax.  62-22 7813131
>
> 3. KAPOLRES Cimahi
> Jl. Raya Cibabat 333
> Cimahi
> Jawa Barat
> Telp. 62-22 663 3903
> Fax.  62-22 665 2314
>
>
>
> Additional articles about the recent demonstrations in Indonesia against
> Nike and Reebok's plans to cut orders with their Indonesian suppliers
>
>  >Nike Workers In Indonesia Protest Production Cutbacks
>  >
>  >JAKARTA, Aug. 20 (AP)--Banging cans and waving anti-Nike banners, about
> 4,000
>  >workers staged a peaceful protest Tuesday in the Indonesian capital over
> the
>  >footwear company's plans to cut back production.
>  >
>  >Angry workers in recent weeks have staged a serious of protests over
plans
> by
>  >Nike Inc. (NKE) and Reebok International Ltd. (RBK) to terminate
contracts
>  >with local producers. One such protest featured the burning of a giant
> Reebok
>  >shoe.
>  >
>  >Workers at Nike-contracted factories expect the cutback could cost 7,000
> jobs
>  >while those making Reebok products fear 5,400 workers will be laid off.
>  >
>  >Protesters clogged traffic Tuesday as they marched through central
Jakarta
> to
>  >the U.S. Embassy. Carrying banners, they demanded Nike compensate
laid-off
>  >workers.
>  >
>  >They said Nike's local contractor - PT Doson Indonesia - has offered
> workers
>  >compensation from $66 to $132.
>  >
>  >"Nike has no social responsibility," said Rustam Aksam, president of the
>  >Indonesian Textile, Garment and Leather Worker's Union. "They are just
>  >exploiting the workers, getting their profit and then leaving."
>  >
>  >Nike confirmed it will terminate a contract with Doson Indonesia in
> November.
>  >But the company said it will continue to work with 47 other factories
that
>  >employ 123,000 workers.
>  >
>  >It has offered Doson workers continued medical care, loans and training.
> But
>  >it has called on Doson Indonesia to provide other compensation.
>  >
>  >"We understand the concerns of Doson Indonesia workers and we have
> emphasized
>  >to the management of Doson Indonesia our expectation that they meet all
> their
>  >obligations to the employees in the event that layoffs occur," said Jeff
>  >DuMont, general manager of Nike Inc. Indonesia.
>  >
>  >Many foreign manufacturers have moved their operations to Vietnam and
> China,
>  >where productivity is higher and wages are lower.
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
> ----------------
>
> Reebok workers protest in Indonesia
> By Associated Press, 7/29/2002
>
> JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) More than a thousand Reebok workers protested
> outside the American Embassy in Jakarta Monday over a cut in orders they
> claimed left 5,400 workers without jobs.
>
> It was the fifth protest this year at the U.S. Embassy staged by workers
> from the factory in the central Indonesian city of Bandung which makes
shoes
> for Reebok, the world's second largest athletic shoe maker.
>
> ''Reebok are killers!'' ''Reebok are exploiters!'' the protesters chanted.
>
> Agus Hariyadi, a protest organizer, said the Massachusetts-based shoemaker
> had reneged on a promise to keep up shoe orders.
>
> Foreign-based shoe manufacturers employ at least 300,000 workers across
the
> country. Most of the products are for export.
>
> Monday's protesters work at a factory in Bandung run by PT Primarindo Asia
> Infrastructure, one of several Indonesian companies making shoes for
Reebok.
>
> Reebok said in a statement that it recently cut or ended orders to three
> factories, one in China, one in Thailand and the Bandung factory. Reebok
> said the Bandung factory had the worst quality and delivery records of any
> of its plants in Indonesia, and that it was too far from the company's
local
> engineering center.
>
> Reebok said it had encouraged the factory to look for other buyers last
> September and that the company would assist the workers ''to ensure the
> factory pays affected workers appropriate severence wages in accordance
with
> Indonesian law.''
>
> ''The decision to terminate a business relationship with a valued business
> partner is never an easy one,'' said Reebok, which said it still employs
> 19,700 Indonesia workers at three factories on the island of Java.
''Reebok
> regrets any hardship this decision may cause to P.T. Primarindo factory
> workers and their families.''
>
> Many U.S. manufacturers have moved their operations to Vietnam and China,
> seeking to avoid social turmoil that has been part of Indonesia's uneasy
> transition to democracy following the 1998 fall of ex-dictator Suharto.
>
>
>
>
>
> Clean Clothes Campaign
> PO Box 11584
> 1001 GN Amsterdam
> The Netherlands
> tel: + 31 20 4122785
> fax: + 31 20 4122786
> e-mail:ccc at xs4all.nl
>
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>