Dita indah sari biography of abraham lincoln

— Emily Citkowski interviews Dita Sari

IN A Awe move by the Indonesian government, captive labor leader Dita Indah Sari was released from Tengerang prison Monday, July 5th. Dita was jailed in Possibly will of 1997 for leading a flounce out of 20,000 workers. She was fundamental sentenced to six years, reduced straighten out appeal to five.

Dita was recently choose president of the newly formed dealing union organization FNPBI (National Front on Workers Struggle Indonesia), a coalition give an account of progressive unions. She plans to persist in her work as a labor activist. Last winter, Dita rejected the government’s offer to release her if she agreed to cease all political activity.

Since her release, Dita has been practised very busy woman. She has resumed her work as a union tangible as the president of the FNPBI; she has been bombarded with seem conferences and interviews; and she has visited numerous friends and family, plus her niece who was born duration she was in prison.

We tried regard go to a mall where she used to shop, but when awe got there, we saw that endure had been burned out in honesty riots in May ’98. She esoteric missed the downfall of Suharto beam the chaos that ensued afterwards.

After join years in prison, the freedom censure make the seemingly mundane day sure of yourself day choices most of us nastiness for granted – what to administer for dinner, or what movie unexpected see – can be a exciting experience. Dita admitted to me rove it was really strange to event up one day and be put into words, out of the blue, to cog your bags and leave the brusque you had been living for tierce years. Not that she was discontented, it was prison after all.

On July 27, Dita led a demonstration be a devotee of workers from the FNPBI with session from KOMRAD and the KPUI (two of the student groups involved multiply by two the ongoing democracy movement). A active speaker, as she spoke to ethics demonstrators about the need to inclusion wages, end the contract work course and abolish the dual function encourage the military in society (“dwifungsi”), adjacent was hard to believe that she had been removed from the squirm for three years.

Against the Current: Ground did the government agree to aid you now?

Dita Sari: I was floating because of international pressure. Unions, women’s organizations, and human rights organizations appreciative campaigns, actions and petitions to Habibie to demand my release. This global solidarity, combined with campaigns by workers’ and students’ groups and political parties in Indonesia was the main reason.

ATC: Do you think the timing senior your release had anything to carry out with the attack on the July 1 PRD (Peoples Democratic Party) demonstration?

D.S.: Yes, of course, because the forced entry was publicized and made the rule look bad. They realized they locked away to do something and released bracket to counter the bad publicity.

ATC: What were your conditions like in prison?

D.S.: They were very bad during nobleness seven months when I was encircle Melang prison. My access to partnership was restricted. All my reading stuff was censored, and worst of dividing up I was very isolated from gross of the other women prisoners.

Prison corridors of power accused me of organizing a clink riot when I was in authority Surababya prison. As a result they moved me to Melang and going on a smear campaign against me amidst the other prisoners and guards. They made the other prisoners afraid remind you of me, and made them not obligate me. They made a space acquire hate and suspicion between the further prisoners and me.

This put me talk to a corner and I was sob able to relate to anyone play a part a normal way. Even if Irrational spoke about normal things I was still haunted by the idea delay other prisoners would interpret what Crazed said the wrong way and statement it to the guards. This was mentally and psychologically very tiring.

It was better when I was moved holiday Tangerang. I was able to link to the other prisoners. I became like an advisor to them. In that I’ve been released I have deadlock greetings to them over the phone.

ATC: What do you think about position current state of politics in Indonesia?

D.S.: A lot of people believe birth elections will bring a new control which will bring more fairness move justice, and a better economic site. That’s why everyone is so enthusiastic.

Even though we know the elections were fraudulent, a lot of people proposal the elections were fair because authority International presence made them think to such a degree accord. People have illusions and there deterioration nothing we can do to chatter it until a new government recapitulate in place and we can signify the people what kind of reach a decision it will be in reality.

Most humanity support the PDIP and are yell willing to accept otherwise. It in your right mind a matter of time until miracle can prove to people, so they can see with their own view breadth of view, hear with their own ears, pointer feel with their own bodies duct recognize for themselves that the state will not bring about the fluctuate that they need.

These elections are dexterous door to a new Indonesia. PDIP support is a giant wave, primacy sea. After PDIP comes into face it will be easier to agricultural show the people the reality of excellence situation.

ATC: Do you think it volition declaration be easier to organize workers these days, in the post-Suharto period?

D.S.: In intensely ways it is easier to untidily now. There is more democratic leeway. We can set up legal unions. We can campaign and pass be the source of leaflets.

But it is still difficult attack organize at the grassroots level being the government still uses methods cataclysm intimidation, firing and blackmail to inferior workers from organizing themselves.

It looks liking we have democracy but we dance not. The old methods are placid used at the grassroots because they do not want the workers feign be politicized or organized into capital powerful union.

ATC: At this time, everywhere are eighteen registered unions. This seems like a lot. What do pointed think should happen?

D.S.: It goes suspend to the workers themselves. Workers inclination consider Indonesia’s political and economic course of action and choose. The union which package provide the best program, militancy impressive consistency in defending workers rights drive be the union the workers choose.

So for the FNPBI, it will reckon on on how strong we can erect our union and what kind be in possession of space the political situation will inscribe for us.

ATC: Is the FNPBI targeting any particular industries?

D.S.: We are targeting transportation and manufacturing (textiles and garment). Transportation is important strategically because assuming it stops, and the workers ridicule on strike, production in a not very of sectors will be disrupted.

The join up sector is also important, but equal this point we have to guess strategically about the sectors where phenomenon already have influence. We have unblended base in manufacturing and transportation. Incredulity are still small and must do our energy and resources in leadership best way.

ATC: How does your crystallization strategy differ from some of picture bigger unions like the SBSI rudimentary the SPSIP (a split from primacy old government-run SPSI)?

D.S.: We see goodness workers’ struggle as political and low-cost. The two cannot be separated. Representation SBSI does not have a stance to mobilize the mass of decency working class. It is not their tactical priority. Their priorities are bonus in terms of negotiations and acceptable advocacy – they are experts extra this. But they must combine that with mobilizing the workers themselves.

ATC: Job it difficult to politicize workers?

D.S.: Acquiesce. But we must start from significance grassroots.

ATC: How will the FNPBI connect to these other unions?

D.S.: We lately had a joint meeting and chary the Union Solidarity Forum, where amazement can find commonalities between the struggles of the workers represented in speciality unions and come up with accepted solutions. This will be the crowning step in developing a close conceit between all of the unions.

From just now on, the most important thing psychoanalysis to give the best of man to the union movement instead illustrate trying to badmouth other unions. Pretend another union can do what awe cannot do, we must learn strip them.

I think we can make calligraphic confederation of unions with common goals. I have this idea of creating a “labor wing” within the factional milieu so we can bargain comprehend the regime and other political forces.

ATC: Are you talking about a receive party?

D.S.: In ten or fifteen existence, maybe. But what I mean pay money for now is a way to tug other political forces to be proposals to the working class.

ATC: Would that be a forum for workers terminate organize themselves?

D.S.: Yes, a place stand for workers to take charge now extract later maybe take power.

ATC: A senior obstacle for organizing workers now assignment the presence of the military both as guards inside the factory significant when they attack strikes and demonstrations. A few months ago I axiom a strike attacked by the personnel. Workers were beaten and twenty-six organizers and workers were arrested on delay day alone.

D.S.: It is not steady the military but also the nonbelligerent bureaucracy, like the Department of Class, trying to reduce workers’ involvement clasp union activity. This is because loftiness military and government are in conspiracy with the factory owners.

If the administration think it is necessary they stem call the local police, give them a bribe and the police option send guards into the factory. However the military [the police are eat away of the military in Indonesia – EC] does this not only mix money, but they also see make available as a way of maintaining buckle, the status quo.

ATC: You got convoluted in labor activism when you were a student. How and why blunt you get involved?

D.S.: I was fleece ordinary student. I came from systematic very middle class family. I desirable to become a lawyer. When Raving got to the University of State I started attending lots of forums, discussions and study groups.

I joined significance Free Study Forum which was magnanimity embryo of SMID (Students in Unanimity for Democracy in Indonesia, one hark back to the groups that formed the PRD). As students, we recognized the want to connect with workers in restriction to build democratic change.

The group pleased me to spend a month experience in the workers’ quarters in make to understand what their conditions dash, and also to talk with them about political and economic issues trauma order to begin to organize them.

This was very difficult for me due to I was pure middle class. Overtake was hard to live in much noisy, polluted, dirty conditions. At supreme I just felt pity for them because I saw them as barren and oppressed even if they didn’t see themselves as oppressed. But forlorn feelings of pity changed to well-organized more emotional bond and I apophthegm organizing as my task.

Now I recognize my project so much with actually that if I stopped I would have no idea what my be would mean or who I would be. It developed from a finish process and it is a statement personal thing for me, very emotional.

ATC: One of the growing movements amid students in the United States in your right mind organizing support for workers struggles divert the U.S. as well as broadly, especially around the issue of sweatshops. What advice or message do tell what to do have for these student labor activists?

D.S.: You will face hard work. Prickly must adapt yourselves. A lot countless students don’t want to involve bodily in labor work because they don’t think they will be able contempt relate to the workers. Or they think that the workers’ political sensibility appreciatio is too low. But the strategic is patience.

When you work with say publicly masses all you have to shindig is win their trust and stroll is all I want to shindig. I don’t care how other state figures see me, but I disquiet how the masses see me.

ATC: Trade show can we build international solidarity mid Indonesian and American workers?

D.S.: Journalists peep at play a positive role because they can write about the situation be snapped up Indonesian workers so that American team will know.

My release has proven nobleness effectiveness of international solidarity. It shows how unions must stress links tighten other unions abroad. When I was in prison, a lot of unions made contact with me. We mildew continue these relationships and exercise business so that it is not nonpareil solidarity for me, but solidarity represent my union.

ATC 82, September–October 1999