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Makassar students show solidarity with Kendeng farmers
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A show of solidarity: Ten students under the banner of the Indonesian Islamic Students Movement (PMII) Makassar put their feet into concrete blocks in a rally on Thursday to show their solidarity with Kendeng farmers. (JP/Andi Hajramurni)
T
o show their solidarity with Kendeng farmers from Pati, Central Java, who are fighting against the construction of a cement factory in their area, dozens of students under the banner of the Indonesian Islamic Students Movement (PMII) Makassar staged a rally on Thursday, during which they cemented their feet into blocks.
“This is a form of our solidarity with our sisters and brothers from Kendeng,” said rally coordinator Anzal. He was one of 10 students who cemented their feet into blocks during the rally held under a flyover in Makassar, South Sulawesi.
They criticized Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo’s decision to give permission to state-owned cement maker Semen Indonesia to build a cement factory in Rembang despite a Supreme Court ruling in favor of the lawsuit filed by the Kendeng farmers against the project.
“The Central Java governor’s policy, which allows the construction of the cement factory in Kendeng is a human rights violation. It will also damage the environment,” said Anzal.
(Read also: Jokowi’s short meeting with Kendeng farmers ends in tears)
PMII Makassar called on President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to cancel the construction permit of the Rembang cement factory. They also rejected the eviction of local residents by using development and urban planning as a pretext.
In the rally, protesters also chanted shalawat (Islamic songs in praise of Prophet Muhammad) and read out Surah Al Fatihah to commemorate Patmi, 48, a female farmer from Kendeng who died of a heart attack after staging a rally in front of the State Palace on March 21. (ebf)
