Indonesian farmers greet Lamy’s visit with protests, API staff arrested

By Ika Krishnayanti, Bina Desa

February 21, 2007

Jakarta, Indonesia — Mass actions delivered by civil societies to protest World Trade Organization (WTO) have been spread out all over the world. The Director General of WTO Pascal Lamy’s visit in Jakarta last February was the most welcome by various protests conducted by several peasant organizations, NGOs, and other civil society groups. Since very early in the morning, several groups of people organizations such as API, Bina Desa, Konphalindo, and other groups has been patiently gathering and waiting for Lamy’s appearance during his staying at Hotel Borobudur. On February 21, they waited for him just several steps from the meeting room where the meeting took place. The meeting itself was participated by Lamy, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Republic of Indonesia (Mr. Hasan Wirayuda) and the Minister of Trade (Ms. Mari E. Pangestu). Meanwhile Federasi Serikat Petani Indonesia (FSPI) also conducted mass action outside the hotel.

The group of API, Bina Desa, and Konphalindo held a huge banner titled: “SP SSM Stop Preaching Save Southern Market!” in front of the meeting room door. It is clear that developing countries have been plundered of their natural resources by very powerful developed countries that have been secretly practicing collusion with capitalists.

Unfortunately, the protestors had to wait for Lamy in vain since he did not step out of the meeting room yet. The hotel security did not allow the protestors holding the banner to show their demand. Subsequently, the hotel securities tried to take the banner from the protestors’ hands. The protestors struggled to defend what they demanded. After a couple of minutes, the hotel securities grabbed Fuad Bahari (API’s advocacy staff), dragged him outside the hotel, and threw him into a police car that has been waiting in the hotel parking lot. The police run the car to the nearest police station along with Fuad and the banner. Fortunately, other protestors, Tina Napitupulu (Advocacy staff of Bina Desa), Ipung (Executive Director of KONPHALINDO), and one civil society’s representative have safely escaped from the hotel securities.

“We don’t do anything violent here!” shouted Fuad Bahari repeatedly to the press who covered the whole action in the protest venue. “We don’t destroy or do anything chaotic! We are trying to express the demands of peasants and civil society who have been marginalized by WTO!”. Tina also shouted the same expression.

Fuad was kept in the police station and interrogated for almost 5 hours — no phone calls to contact friends. He was subsequently released without any charges. (Excerpted from API’s Press Released on February 22, 2007).