A number of video clips, appearing to show Chinese expatriates hitting Indonesian workers during the clash at PT Gunbuster Nickel Industry (GNI), went viral on Saturday night on social media prompting initial speculation that the expatriates may have been to blame for inciting the violence.

However, in a press briefing on Monday, National Police chief Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo said that these video clips were posted out of context and were designed to incite Indonesian workers, as the clash actually stemmed from calls for workers to go on strike on Saturday.

“[Saturday’s clash] started with a call for a strike, which led to a debate [among the employees]. Then, there was an attempt to force [workers to go on strike], but this was met with opposition,” Listyo said. “And then the incitement [stemming from the video clips] of the expatriates hitting Indonesian workers went viral.”

Police are still looking deeper into the incident, Listyo added, saying that at least 71 people had been arrested so far, 17 of whom have been named as vandalism suspects.

Read also: Workers clash at Central Sulawesi nickel smelter, killing two

With the company set to resume operations on Tuesday morning, Listyo said that more reinforcements would be sent to GNI to aid the 548 police and military personnel already securing the plant.

"The smelter will resume operations tomorrow morning. I ask that people and employees not be easily provoked," he said.

There are about 11,000 Indonesian workers at the GNI plant and 1,300 foreign workers, Listyo said.

Concerns over foreign labor, particularly Chinese, have compounded in recent years due to fears that the large numbers of Chinese workers coming into the country will take jobs away from local communities, a sentiment often abused to incite violence in labor rallies.

Read also: Renewed mistrust of foreign labor tests Indonesia-China relations

GNI launched the smelter in late 2021, with an annual capacity of 1.8 million tonnes and total investment estimated at US$2.7 billion, in Sulawesi, which has seen a recent investment boom in nickel, which is used in the production of electric vehicle batteries.

The company, together with law enforcement officials, have begun an investigation, GNI’s board of directors said in a statement. “During the investigation, the company hopes that all parties can remain under control, have a clear and conscious mindset in processing the available information, especially regarding all ambiguous news, which has the potential to cause misperceptions about the events that occurred,” the statement said.

Demand for better safety, pay

According to Central Sulawesi Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Didik Supranoto, as reported by kompas.com, tensions between workers and company owners had run high since Friday, when the two sides met to negotiate for better safety conditions and pay.

The demands came following an incident in December, when two GNI workers died in an explosion at the facility.

The company, however, was unwilling to meet all of the worker’s demands, Didik said, adding that this prompted calls to stage a strike on Saturday.

Read also: Activists call for better geothermal safety after fatal accident

The December incident was one more in the country’s lengthy list of industrial accidents, which have been on the rise since 2020, according to a report from the Workers Social Security Agency (BPJS Ketenagakerjaan).

Mediation

Manpower Minister Ida Fauziah told reporters on Monday that workers and GNI had managed to reach an agreement following a discussion that was mediated by the local labor agency.

“Next, we will oversee the implementation of those agreements,” Ida said, without providing further details on the agreement struck between the two parties.

Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita said that it was in the country’s interest for GNI and its workers to see eye-to-eye in order to create “a conducive business climate that complies with prevailing regulations".

“Nickel smelters play an important role in [the country’s efforts to] downstream industry […]. The ministry is also currently preparing guidelines for mineral-based industries, which will regulate [workers’] incentives, obligations and rights,” he said.

Coordinating Maritime and Investment Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan will summon GNI's management next week, undersecretary for investment and mining Septian Hario Seto said, as reported by Reuters.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Monday that the Chinese embassy in Indonesia had been in contact with Indonesian authorities about the incident. "China will continue to maintain close communication with the Indonesian side and promote a lawful and appropriate resolution to this incident," he said, as quoted from Reuters.