Indonesian students plan further protests against Chinese workers on Sulawesi

Two demonstrations were held last month, including the most recent one on Tuesday, when more than 100 Chinese workers arrived in Kendari city in Southeast Sulawesi province, according to CNN Indonesia. Hundreds of students blockaded the city’s airport but the Chinese workers managed to make their way out of the arrival hall under tight police security.

“We are planning a third chapter of the demonstrations on July 6 and 7 as we are expecting more Chinese workers to arrive on those days,” said Sulkarnain, the head of the Kendari branch of the Islamic Students Association (HMI) who goes by one name. “We are aiming for some 2,000 people comprising students and members of the public.”

Sulkarnain said the workers were not technical experts and their jobs could be performed by local workers from Southeast Sulawesi.

“Many local workers have been made redundant or asked to stay home [by employers] during the pandemic yet foreign workers are being brought in here,” Sulkarnain said.

The Chinese workers were hired by Chinese-backed mining company PT Virtue Dragon Nickel Industry (VDNI) and PT Obsidian Stainless Steel (OSS) to install 33 pieces of smelter equipment belonging to PT OSS in Southeast Sulawesi.

The Jakarta Post quoted the companies as saying they needed to bring in the Chinese due to a lack of capable local workers and that, once the equipment was ready, the company would hire 3,000 local workers. The foreign workers were expected to be in Indonesia for six months and return to their home country once the installation has been completed.

PT VDNI external affairs manager Indrayanto, who goes by one name, was quoted as saying that if the 500 foreign workers from China were denied entry, about 3,000 local jobs would be at risk.