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Jan 28, 2010

Indonesia politics
Protest against SBY govt



Thousands of Indonesians rallied across one of the world's most corrupt nations Thursday to demand President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's government take action to end widespread corruption among politicians, police and other public officials. -- PHOTO: AP



Indonesian protesters shout slogans while holding signs reading 'free education and health' during a rally marking the 100th day of President Yudhoyono's second term in Jakarta, Indonesia. -- PHOTO: AP



Protesters spear pictures of Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and vice president Boediono during an anti-corruption protest in front of the finance ministry office in Jakarta. -- PHOTO: AFP



Indonesian activists wear mask of (from left to right) Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Vice President Boediono and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono depicting them as arrested corrupters during a protest marking 100th day since President Yudhoyono's second term in Jakarta, Indonesia. -- PHOTO: AP


JAKARTA- THOUSANDS of Indonesians took to the streets on Thursday to condemn the performance of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's government after its first 100 days in office. Demonstrations were held outside the presidential palace in Jakarta and other cities including Surabaya, Makassar and Ambon, where protesters tried to storm the governor's office and burned a poster of Mr Yudhoyono.

Some 10,000 people from a cross-section of civil society and labour groups gathered peacefully at the palace, waving banners and shouting slogans against corruption and perceived mismanagement in Mr Yudhoyono's second and final term. Others protested against a new regional free trade area with China, as well as 'neoliberal' economic policies personified by Vice President Boediono, a former central bank chief. Banners displayed by the mainly labour activists at the palace read 'Change the regime, change the system' and 'Reject SBY' - a reference to the president's nickname.

'In 100 days, have we tasted the fruit of our labour?' shouted one of protesters with a loud speaker. The crowd replied with a resounding 'No!' As he did during another day of protests in December, Yudhoyono left the capital to attend to official business in the provinces, and made no comment to address the demonstrators' concerns. Workers expressed fears the new free trade area (FTA) between China and six founding members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), which took effect this month, would result in factory closures and job losses.

'The Asean-China free trade agreement is what you get from a government that is neoliberal and capitalistic,' rally coordinator Agus Supriyanto told reporters, even though the agreement was initially signed back in 2002. 'We reject the ASEAN-China FTA. We'll lose our jobs, we can't compete with cheap Chinese products... Today we're here to tell the parliament to reject ACFTA.' -- AFP