Indonesians around the world have expressed their frustration with the government’s policies through a series of protests, ignited by a tragic incident involving an Indonesian delivery rider’s death. In photos: Demonstrators marching in support of the “17+8” initiative. This movement of 17 emergency demands and eight long-term goals calls attention to indispensable issues such as housing allowances for members of Parliament, while ordinary people cannot even afford the rising cost of living. The climate strike movement has continued to build this momentum, with millions striking in New York, Melbourne, Berlin, and other cities.
Marya Yenita Sitohang, one of the leading voices behind the protests, spoke to their success at uniting anger against the Indonesian government. “We are all angry and this protest validates the same feelings in everyone,” she stated. As protests erupted across various countries, they united individuals who share a common sentiment of disappointment and frustration with governmental policies that appear disconnected from their struggles.
Protests Across Borders
The protests have, for the first time, brought together Indonesians from all walks of life — students, academics, even members of the diaspora. In New York, as many as 250 people showed up on September 1 to raise their demands on the doorstep of Governor Hochul. Janty Jie, an Indonesian community member in Germany, noted that around 110 protesters there shared similar feelings of anger and disappointment toward their government. “The government forgot they are working for us, not the other way around,” Jie remarked.
The “17+8” campaign has quickly become an important template for these protests, spreading rapidly around the world. At Melbourne’s Federation Square over 400 members of the Indonesian diaspora came together to show solidarity with the movement. Indy Kana, a participant in the Melbourne protests, articulated the importance of engagement: “Participating in the movement and voicing our thoughts is a way of giving back to them, by enriching discussions and developing the idea of a good future for Indonesia and how to get there.”
Protesters have used inventive tactics to voice their anger. They have not backed down from speaking out, despite strict limitations on public protest and the costly permit needed to hold a march. Hillary Hardy, a Japanese-Indonesian activist living in Japan, pointed out the difficulty of mobilizing protests in an anti-immigrant atmosphere. “We didn’t get the permit from the police to do a rally or peaceful march, so that’s the extent of what we could do,” she shared.
A Unified Call for Change
Now, protesters across the world have picked up that same list of demands, originally written by Indonesian civil society groups. Through education and mobilization, the movement seeks to draw international attention and thereby create international pressure against the Indonesian government. In Canberra, Avina Nadhila, a coordinator for Indonesian protests at the Australian National University (ANU), stressed that their gathering was about amplifying voices: “So the Indonesian government is aware of what they are doing and that their action is witnessed by the world.”
To those protestors, these protests are the most fundamental expression of what makes democracy so important. “This is our way of running democracy so the government will listen to their people not just in Indonesia, but outside of the country,” Nadhila asserted. They hand-delivered the open letter outlining the 17+8 demands to Indonesia’s parliament. For many advocates involved in this move, this is the culmination of many years of advocacy.
The rejuvenated spirit of solidarity Protest across the country has been very united and peaceful. For most participants, government policies understandably have a direct impact on their families remaining back home. Jie noted that “people who normally did not really care joined the protest because the government’s policy could directly impact their family back home.” This increasing awareness and inspiration has crystallized into a powerful movement that’s striking a chord with millions of Indonesians at home and abroad.
Voices from the Ground
As the protests spread from region to region around the world, they draw attention to the underlying local and international issues of governance and representation. Bernadette Nathania Sukieche, another participant, expressed her unwavering connection to her homeland despite frustrations: “We’re still Indonesians, no matter what, and we can’t give up on Indonesia even though we’re often hurt and oppressed by the government.”
The movement shines a light on important issues, like housing allowances for parliament members. At the same time, average Americans are facing increasing cost-of-living pressures. This gap between government largesse and the plight of the public infuriates many protesters. Sitohang noted this disconnect poignantly: “This is an organic movement that happens all across the world because us, as Indonesians, are truly disappointed with what the government has done.”
These protests are proving contagious across borders. They show us what’s possible through collective action, but that we must continue to uplift the grievances expressed by communities everywhere—from here to Jakarta to Accra to Berlin.
