Violence erupts as Indonesian police block anti-IMF-WB protest
14 October 2018
The People’s Global Conference against the IMF-World Bank (PGC) vehemently condemns the violent dispersal of the protest action of the Gerakan Rakyat Menentang (GRM/People’s Movement Against IMF-World Bank) by the Indonesian police.
Around 50 members of the GRM trooped to Nusa Dua, Bali today to voice out their opposition to the agreements forged in the IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings 2018. They were met with violence by the police, military and other state forces in civilian clothing who prevented them from coming near the venue of the Annual Meetings.
“The Jokowi Government is giving space to the IMF-World Bank to continuously rob and make people suffer thru the ‘new’ agreements in this year’s meetings. But on the other hand, he has been using state police forces to repress the people’s dissent. By doing so, Widodo has further exposed himself as an authoritarian leader and a terror to his own people who are against the anti-poor and anti-development policies and programs of the IMF-World Bank,” said Mohammad Ali, coordinator of the GRM.
“The alternative meetings held by people’s movements are meant to offer to the world alternative solutions which are free from imperialist intervention and dominance. The PGC is not a threat at all to the security of the Indonesian people, especially in Bali. But of course the PGC is a threat to IMF-World Bank’s lies”, Ali stressed. Bev Longid, IPMSDL Global Coordinator aired her anger at the relentless suppression perpetrated by state forces here in Bali. “This is the latest in a series of attempts by the IMF-World Bank, in complicity with the Jokowi regime to harass, intimidate and derail the growing movement against the IMF-World Bank. They have tried, but failed to shut down the PGC these past few days.”
Longid added, “The IMF-World Bank and Jokowi’s paranoia is getting the better of them. They keep on trying to suppress the people but in reality, they are only adding more fuel to the growing rage against them. In the end, they have paved the way to the further strengthening and broadening of the peoples’ unity around the world.”