SBSI vows to continue protest

The SBSI labor union in East Kalimantan said that the labor protest and strike at coal mining giant PT Kaltim Prima Coal (KPC) and oil and gas firm PT Vico Indonesia would continue until the demands of the employees had been fulfilled.

"The strike will continue? Because we're fighting for our rights and we're supported by the public," Wuaya Kawilarang, the East Kalimantan coordinator of the SBSI labor union was quoted by the local Kaltim Post daily.

Kawilarang was responding to reports that the protesting employees, grouped in the SBSI labor union, at KPC and Vico would end their strike and protest following the recent agreement reached with several local community groupings. The meeting was facilitated by the East Kalimantan police chief and regional military commander.

Kawilarang said that the SBSI people had been forced to sign the agreement.

"We have stressed that we have not yet ended the strike," he said.

He added that the protesting employees who were fighting for their rights had been treated unfairly because the local authority had resorted to security approach.

But Kawilarang said that the protesting employees were no longer continuing the blockade of KPC production facilities nor the blockade of Vico's main gate.

He said that if the production facilities were not yet working at KPC it was because the operators had joined the strike.

He said that the protesting employees at Vico were no longer blockading the gate but they were merely holding a peaceful demonstration. (*)