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Batam shipyard resumes operations after racist riot

PT Drydocks World Graha slowly resumed operations Wednesday two weeks after a riot sparked by a racist comment torched cars and damaged buildings at the complex on April 22

Fadli (The Jakarta Post)
Batam
Thu, May 6, 2010

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Batam shipyard resumes operations after racist riot

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T Drydocks World Graha slowly resumed operations Wednesday two weeks after a riot sparked by a racist comment torched cars and damaged buildings at the complex on April 22.

The dock’s management approved the return of only 1,000 of the previous 10,000 workers at the dock.

Thousands of workers began to arrive at 7 a.m. local time Wednesday, queuing at the entrance to the compound, but they were stopped by security guards and police officers.

The majority of workers at the company are contractual workers.

The company had announced operations would resume on May 5 but that only a select few workers would be allowed to being working initially.

A worker from the company’s electrical division, Wahyu, said he and his friends had been disappointed that they were not rehired on the first day the dock was open because their supervisor was in Singapore.

“We have been asked to return home. They said the supervisor would return to Batam tomorrow, but we are still unsure whether or not we will start work tomorrow,” said Wahyu, who was making his way home.

The company provided buses for workers who had been turned away by the dock.

The Riau Islands Police had taken down barbed wire surrounding the company’s main entrance that had been put up after the riot, and police personnel were still securing the location.

PT Drydocks World Graha human resource development senior manager Baharum told the Jakarta Post that the company would allow back all workers in stages.

“For the initial stage, we accepted 1,000 workers, but 2,000 workers showed up. This is likely due to a coordination problem, so the number of workers who have arrived exceeded the limit we had set.

Production activities have started today,” Baharum said.

He said the company had not decided if the workers would be reinstated because many divisions had not returned to full functionality.

“We will recall all the workers in stages, but we cannot set a deadline. We also wish that all operations could begin immediately so workers could start earning money,” Baharum said.

The riot erupted on April 22 when an Indian national worker allegedly racially insulted an Indonesian worker.

The rioting left a number of cars destroyed and some buildings damaged, and also prompted expatriate workers at the dock to flee to Singapore.

Four workers were taken to hospital for medical treatment.

An Indian community group later apologized for the comment made by the Indian national, who is one of its members.

Baharum said the Indian expatriates would not begin work on the first day the dock was reopened.

On the company website, Denis Welch, chief executive of Drydocks World — Southeast Asia, expressed his thanks to the company’s workforce at Batam for “their restraint, calm and loyalty in light of last week’s regrettable incident”.

Welch also pointed out that one of Drydocks World’s key objectives in Batam was to increase the skill levels and overall number of locally recruited employees.

“People in this region are experienced and pleased to work together regardless of race or color.

Shipbuilding and repair is an international industry and we must continue to work together in a united manner and atmosphere of mutual respect,” he said.

 

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