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‘Unsafe at our home’: Activists slam shrinking civic space during G20 Summit
While President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo received praise for success as a power broker on the global stage during a time of war as Indonesia played host to the G20 Summit in Bali, activists at home have deplored restriction of speech around the events.
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A hawker cooks up meatball soup beside police armored vehicles parked near the venue of the Group of 20 Summit in Nusa Dua, Bali on Nov. 12. (AFP/Dicky Bisinglasi)
While President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo received praise for success as a power broker on the global stage during a time of war as Indonesia played host to the Group of 20 Summit in Bali, activists at home have deplored restriction of speech around the events.
Intimidation and political repression have marred the summit with a string of controversial incidents occurring in the leadup to the summit.
Three days before the summit opened on Nov. 15, a mob dismissed an internal meeting held by members of the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute (YLBHI) in a villa in Sanur, Bali, citing a provincial policy that limits public events during the G20 Summit.
The mob demanded to check YLBHI members’ phones and laptops after entering the villa without a warrant with a self-proclaimed team of pecalang -- traditional Balinese security officers -- preventing some participants from leaving the villa compound.
Balinese authorities last month issued a circular restricting activities including religious and traditional ceremonies throughout the week, particularly for residents situated in three districts near G20 venues -- namely Kuta, South Kuta and South Denpasar.
