Yesterday, August 29, Indonesian people launched mass actions in Jakarta condemning the outright and long-standing neglect of the Indonesian government on the demands of its people. The protest was a response to a government policy mandating wage increases for parliamentarians amidst unemployment, high inflation, and rising prices and taxes imposed on the people. Reports reveal that 580 members of the parliament receive an additional housing allowance worth USD 3,000 in addition to their hefty salaries. This amount is said to be 10 times the minimum wage in Jakarta and 20 times the monthly minimum wage in poorer locations in Indonesia. On top of this, members of the Congress have been spewing rhetorics that demean the genuine concerns of the people and ignoring their demands for better social and economic conditions.
Amidst the anti-people policies and narratives peddled by the Indonesian government, protests have been going strong in the past couple of months. Police brutality was the government’s response – beating people, and arresting students and workers who just want decent jobs and wages, better social protection, and overall social justice.
The recent protest which happened yesterday took a more violent turn as a police tactical armored vehicle ran over Affan Kurniawan, a 21-year old motorcycle delivery rider, and killing him. Affan was in the middle of work when the protest took place. He was in no way a participant of the action.
The Initiatives for Workers’ Solidarity in Asia Pacific (IWSAP) condemns this brutal police act which has been, time and time again, used to silence workers and people’s dissent. More so, IWSAP condemns the Indonesian government’s unjust policy of increasing the wealth of government officials while the majority of the population is reeling in poverty, hunger, lack of jobs, and low wages among others. Workers are the first to be disenfranchised under such conditions as they bear the burden of subpar economic and fiscal policies, and ineffective social services. Just like Affan, young workers are forced to take on multiple informal jobs to help their families survive and fund their education.
What happened to Affan and what is happening in Indonesia is an eye-opener to the struggles of young, informal workers, and the people of Indonesia and the region.
Working people in Asia Pacific are faced with the same reality of state neglect and violence on top of economic difficulties that result from anti-people and neoliberal policies. In this context, workers must band together to further strengthen their assertion for justice, rights, and welfare. In the same vein, IWSAP stands in solidarity with the people of Indonesia and their struggle for jobs, decent wages, rights, welfare, and against corruption.
Let us demand justice for Affan and for all workers who continue to fight exploitation, oppression, and violence from the state and its forces.
#JusticeForAffanKurniawan #JusticeForIndonesianPeople #WorkersUnite