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| Southeast Asia |
| Indonesia: Muslims protest hikes, urge govt to quit IMF, impose Shariah |
| 2003-01-11 |
| Jakarta Post Some 1,000 Muslim activists from the Hizbut Tahrir (Party of Liberation) marched through Indonesian city of Surabaya on Saturday to demand the government to overturn recent hikes in fuel and utility prices, exit the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and impose sharia, agencies reported. They claimed its application would prevent prices from rising beyond the reach of the country's legions of poor. "Y'see, it's simple: Somebody raises prices, you cut their heads off." The government hiked fuel, electricity and telephone prices by up to 22 percent last week to meet demands by the country's international lenders, mainly the IMF, to reduce budget deficits and increase economic growth. The increases have sparked several days of demonstrations by workers and students in several cites across the country, but by Indonesian standards the protests have been small. Protest organizer Fakih Syarid said the government should run the economy according to Islamic principles. "We must apply a strong system to solve the problem of price hikes, and the answer is in sharia," he said without elaborating. That's because there was nothing to elaborate on. If the only tool you own is a hammer, it's amazing the number of things that need whacked. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |
| #1 The problem is, they're right as far as the IMF is concerned. The IMF suggested, and Indonesia complied, with raising the prices on government controlled energy and telephone products and services. I believe this is in lieu of a tax increase but since these industries are state-run, it's the same thing. Nearly every IMF 'reform' offered to countries that are in debt to them include two things: 1) massive tax increases and 2) a currency devaluation. If and when the latter happens, all freakin' hell will break loose with the Jihadis. |
| Posted by: Raj 2003-01-11 13:51:32 |