Indonesian workers protest at Chinese-funded nickel plant after 18 killed in explosion

Demonstrators in Sulawesi gave a list of 23 demands, including smelters be better maintained, to Indonesia Tsingshan Stainless Steel’s management

‘They hope there will be no more incidents like this in the future, let him be the last victim,’ said a family member of a welder killed in last week’s blast

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Relatives weep during the funeral of a worker killed in the nickel plant explosion at a cemetery in Polewali Mandar, Indonesia, on December 26. Photo: AP

Published: 1:47pm, 27 Dec 2023

Hundreds of Indonesian workers protested on Wednesday against conditions at a Chinese-funded nickel-processing plant where an explosion killed at least 18 people and injured dozens more over the weekend.

The accident occurred on Saturday morning on Sulawesi island as workers repaired a furnace at a plant owned by PT Indonesia Tsingshan Stainless Steel (ITSS) in the Morowali Industrial Park.

Sulawesi is a hub for the mineral-rich country’s production of nickel, a base metal used in electric vehicle batteries and stainless steel, and China’s growing investment in the sector has stoked unrest over pay and working conditions.

Images seen by AFP showed hundreds of workers taking part in the protest outside the complex.

Demonstrators gave a list of 23 demands to management, according to a letter sent to police by unions representing the workers.

The demands included that smelters be better maintained, health clinics be improved to deal with emergencies and Chinese workers be required to learn the Indonesian language.