Surabaya students ‘walk backwards’ to protest fuel price hikes

Detik.com – February 17, 2005
Students hold 'walk backwards' protest against fuel price hikes (Pos Kota)
Students hold 'walk backwards' protest against fuel price hikes (Pos Kota)

Budi Hartadi, Surabaya – There are many ways to express opposition to fuel price increases. On Thursday February 17, scores of students from the University of Airlingga (Unair) Student Executive Council (BEM) chose to demonstrate by walking backwards to the East Java provincial parliament in Surabaya.

Before holding the walking backward action, the demonstrators held speeches opposing price increases in front of the State Grahadi Building on Jalan Gubernur Suryo. “The policies of the government of SBY-Kalla [President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono-Vice president Jusuf Kalla] and their ministers have failed, because they only side with the big companies and ignore the economic [needs] of the little people”, shouted one of the demonstrators.

The president of Unair BEM, Bagus Wiyono, told journalists that the action was held because they had heard rumors that the government would increase fuel prices today. “As a result of this news public unease has grown. What’s more it’s added to by increases in the price of a number of basic goods”, he said.

According to Wiyono, in a critical situation such as this the government should conduct an audit of the state fuel company Pertamina. In this way the public would know where the subsidies which are being given to Pertamina are going. “What’s more the issues being raised by the government [to justify cutting subsidies], it’s not clear what direction they are going”, explained Wiyono.

After giving speeches in front of the Grahadi Building, the demonstrators held the walking backwards action to the Surabaya parliament which was quite far away, around 300 metres.

The action became somewhat heated when the demonstrators were about to enter the grounds of the parliament. This was because scores of security personnel from the South Surabaya Sectoral Police forbid them from entering.

As well as giving speeches, the demonstrators also sung songs of struggle and brought posters reading “Reject fuel [price increases] right now” and “The people’s misfortune, Pertamina’s profit”. (asy)

[Translated by James Balowski.]