Iqbal Fadil, Jakarta – Apes. Perhaps this is what six demonstrators at Plaza 89 in Kuningan, South Jakarta, were thinking earlier this afternoon. Because it was precisely when the demonstration was ending that police arrested them.

The arrests occurred in front of Plaza 89 on Jl. HR Rasuna Said on Tuesday February 28 at 5.30pm. At the time police had been repeatedly asking the demonstrators to disband before 6pm. All of a sudden, several plain-clothed police officers dragged a number of demonstrators to the side of the road.

The arrested are Islah from the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), Wahyu from the Action Study Circle for Indonesian Democracy (LSAD), Ari Arianto from Aceh-Papua Solidarity (SAP), Awing and Ridho from the Indonesian Legal Aid Association (PBHI) and Ruis.

Sensing they were about to be arrested, they even struggled to get free. They were not released however with several police officers instead assisting in ‘securing’ the protesters. Although several of their colleagues had been arrested, the hundreds of other demonstrators were undaunted and continued to sing spirited songs of struggle.

South Jakarta municipal police chief, Police Superintendent Wiliardi, claimed to knowing nothing about the arrests. “The police only arrest people who are guilty”, he said diplomatically. Several police officers that declined to give their names said that the six were arrested on suspicion of provoking anarchy.

Protest ends peacefully

After repeated attempts at persuasion, the 200 or so demonstrators finally disbanded. Earlier they had stubbornly insisted on staying in front of the building where PT Freeport has its offices. After lengthy negotiations they finally ended the action. “You can come here tomorrow and we will stand watch”, said Wiliardi though a loudspeaker.

Police had prepared three trucks and two medium size busses to transport the demonstrators away but the majority declined and chose to walk to the Indonesian Environmental Forum (Walhi) offices in the Mampang Prapatan area of South Jakarta. Protesters used only one of the trucks.

As a result the flow of traffic from Mampang in the direction of Menteng slowed to a crawl because only the fast lane could be used with the slow lane being taken over by the march. (ton)

[Translated by James Balowski.]