STUDENTS IN SULAWESI DEMONSTRATE OVER FUEL PRICES

C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 000928 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/PD NSC FOR E. PHU E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/12/2018 TAGS: PGOV PINS ID SUBJECT: STUDENTS IN SULAWESI DEMONSTRATE OVER FUEL PRICES REF: JAKARTA 871 Classified By: Pol/C Joseph Legend Novak, reasons 1.4(b+d). ¶1. (U) This message was coordinated with Consulate General Surabaya. ¶2. (C) SUMMARY: Students in Makassar, South Sulawesi, demonstrated on May 6-7 to protest rises in fuel prices. During the May 6 rally, demonstrators threw rocks at police and--in the resulting melee--there were some minor injuries. Pol/C--who visited Makassar to do a public outreach event on May 7--was told that student politics were always very turbulent in the area, but concerns about prices were real and spreading. The recent rallies could presage more demonstrations if the GOI increases fuel prices as it has said it will do. END SUMMARY. ¶3. (U) TENSION ROILS CAMPUS: Fuel price rises are sparking demonstrations in Indonesia. On May 6, hundreds of students from the Islamic State University of Alaudin in Makassar, South Sulawesi Province in central Indonesia, demonstrated against fuel price hikes. The local police moved to end the demonstration but were met with some resistance from the crowd. Media reports state that a small number of protesters threw rocks at the police. In response, the police chased the students in a bid to end the violence. Several protesters, police and reporters were injured during the scuffles, but none seriously. ¶4. (U) On May 7, a smaller number of students took their protest against fuel prices to the local Makassar residence of Indonesian Vice President Yusuf Kalla. (Note: Kalla was not in at the time. He is from Sulawesi and often visits Makassar.) The demonstration was peaceful and no arrests or injuries were reported. ¶5. (C) REAL CONCERNS: Pol/C--who visited Makassar to do a public outreach event on May 7--was told that student politics were always very turbulent in the area, but concerns about prices were real and spreading. Pol/C's contacts stated that students (who were more interested in "flavor of the month"-type politics) were more worked up over the matter than the general population at this time. That said, the general public was becoming increasingly concerned with price hikes for fuel and for food. ¶6. (SBU) During Pol/C's May 7 visit, the streets of Makassar--a large city of over a million people--were calm, with little sign of tension or of a sizable police presence. Pol/C's outreach event at Hasinuddin University regarding the U.S. elections went off without a hitch in front of a crowd of friendly students, for example. ¶7. (C) MORE DEMONSTRATIONS TO COME?: The recent rallies could presage more demonstrations if the GOI increases fuel prices as it has said it will do. On May 12, there were at least two large peaceful rallies focused on the issue in Jakarta, for example, The political impact could be profound: there is already evidence that price hikes and the general state of the economy had some impact on recent gubernatorial elections. HUME