27-12-2023 (JAKARTA) Hundreds of Indonesian workers took to the streets on Wednesday (Dec 27) to voice their grievances against working conditions at a Chinese-funded nickel-processing plant. The protest follows a tragic explosion at the plant over the weekend, claiming at least 18 lives and leaving dozens injured. The incident occurred as workers were repairing a furnace at PT Indonesia Tsingshan Stainless Steel (ITSS) plant in the Morowali Industrial Park on Sulawesi island, a crucial hub for Indonesia’s nickel production.
Sulawesi’s rich mineral deposits, particularly nickel, play a pivotal role in electric vehicle battery and stainless steel manufacturing. China’s increasing investment in the sector has led to growing discontent among workers regarding pay and working conditions.
Footage captured by AFP showed hundreds of workers participating in the protest outside the complex. Demonstrators presented a list of 23 demands to the management, as outlined in a letter sent to the police by worker unions. Among the demands were improved maintenance of smelters, enhanced health clinics for emergency situations, and the mandatory learning of the Indonesian language by Chinese workers.
Protesters, rallying through loudspeakers, emphasized the value of human life over production, declaring, “No production is worth a life!”
One of the victims of the blast was Muhammad Taufik, a 40-year-old welder, survived by a wife and two children. Taufik’s cousin, Parlin Hidayat, revealed that ITSS had compensated the family with 600 million rupiah (US$30,625) after the incident.
Currently, 30 people are still undergoing treatment in hospitals for injuries sustained during the explosion. Dedy Kurniawan, a spokesperson for Morowali Industrial Park, stated that the company had addressed some of the protesters’ demands but did not specify which ones.
Tsingshan Holding Group, the world’s largest nickel producer and China’s leading stainless steelmaker, holds a majority stake in ITSS. The industrial park, where ITSS operates, is also majority-owned by Tsingshan in collaboration with local partner Bintang Delapan.
This incident is not the first of its kind in the Morowali Industrial Park. In January, two workers, including a Chinese national, lost their lives during a riot at a nickel smelting plant, sparked by protests over safety conditions and pay.
