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