Thousands of protesters filled the streets of Jakarta and other major cities across Indonesia. Like them, they are raising their voice to express their anger at increasing inequality and government incompetence. The violence broke out last Monday. It was largely a grassroots movement driven by students, young workers, and labour unions who vocalized their dissatisfaction with the sky-high housing allowances and other benefits given to MPs. Tragically, more than 10 have been killed, with the most recent being a teenager, as violence intensifies with dangerous consequences.
Mass protests have now spread well beyond the capital of Jakarta. In South Sulawesi, protesters burned down provincial government offices. Amid this chaos, at least three people were killed. President Prabowo Subianto’s recent budget cuts to fund ambitious social programs, including a free school lunch initiative for primary school students, have further fueled the discontent among the youth.
A Call for Change
These protests have mostly been led by university students who have traditionally held an important place in Indonesia’s political culture. They are now accompanied in their calls for change by young workers, such as Sandi Indriawan, who hails from the outskirts of Jakarta. He emphasized the urgency of their cause, stating, “I feel hopeless for this country. We are all on the street right now to voice our concerns to the people at the top.”
As protests escalated and videos of the murder started spreading across social media, they depicted BRIMOB’s police paramilitary forces using an armored vehicle to charge the crowds of demonstrators. This unfortunate incident led to mass panic and ultimately the death of ride-share driver Affan Kurniawan. Citizen activist Angger Sifa further expressed citizen frustration along these lines. In the words of one protestor, “This month, the price of rice went up, our taxes went up, just so parliament members can raise their salaries.”
As protesters have made clear, their complaints go much deeper than the economic situation. They are challenging what they perceive as government negligence in addressing extreme income inequality and corruption within political circles. The protestors’ demands speak to a deep-seated feeling of disenfranchisement, as they insist upon accountability from their leaders.
Government Response and Growing Tension
In reaction to the civil disorder, Indonesia’s president Prabowo has tried to quell the dissent by removing some of the benefits for politicians. Yet, critics point out, these measures fail to grasp the scope of the problem and don’t address the fundamental underlying issues. Usman Hamid, the Director of Amnesty International Indonesia, pointed to a deep political rivalry between the elites. This tension plays out mainly between President Prabowo and ex-President Joko Widodo.
He stated, “I don’t believe everything started from that conflict. I think it comes from government ignorance, unfair policies on tax, spending cuts, on allowances for parliament that aren’t sensitive.”
At the same time, the subsequent calls by government leaders to label all peaceful protesters as “anarchists” or “terrorists” has only fueled more anger. Mr. Hamid warned against such rhetoric: “It’s dangerous for the head of the government to label peaceful protesters as anarchists, terrorists and treasonous. I think these labels will make things worse.”
The situation has not been helped by rumors and accusations that some of the people taking part in the protests were paid to act. This assertion calls into question the bona fides of the protests and implies possible orchestration by enemy political forces.
Digital Censorship and Public Outrage
As the protests spread, activists adapted and first moved to social media with lightning speed. They adopted it as an important medium for documenting their stories and mobilizing protests. In fact, just last week, TikTok temporarily suspended its live-streaming feature. This decision has eliminated a critical outlet for millions of young Indonesians to engage with the world around them. Yet this action has been met with cries of censorship during an atmosphere of increased aggression.
Sri Meisista, Chairwoman of the Islamic Women Student Association, lamented her bitter disappointment with the current state of Indonesia’s democracy. She’s alarmed by where things seem to be going. She pointed out that education areas are hardest hit by the government’s so-called efficiency savings, as politicians funnel themselves higher allowances. “Education sectors, like the incentive for teachers, was hit bad by the government’s efficiency policy,” she stated.
Since then, the protests have spurred a deeper sentiment among Indonesia’s youth who feel like they are becoming increasingly second-class citizens in their own country. Their demands resound with a desire for real representation and accountability from those empowered to govern us.
