2020 The year of great trials and tribulations

Thu, December 31, 2020 / 08:39 am

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Wet New Year: Water inundates Jl. S. Parman in West Jakarta on Jan. 1. JP/ Dhoni Setiawan
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Love in the time of corona: A couple on a motorcycle drives past a makeshift gate in a residential area in Citeureup, Bogor regency, West Java, on May 7. The gate displays a banner declaring a “lovedown” instead of a lockdown. JP/P.J.Leo
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Unusual quiet. Istiqlal Mosque in Central Jakarta is unusually empty during this year’s Idul Fitri celebration on May 24. Thousands of Muslims ordinarily gather at the mosque for Idul Fitri prayers, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual event was cancelled. JP/Donny Fernando
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Virtual celebration: Five-year-old Rashan participates in an online commemoration of Indonesia’s Independence Day held by the Al Azhar Kindergarten in Jakarta on Aug.17. The commemoration was held online as school buildings across the country were shut in response to the coronavirus. JP/Seto Wardhana
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Against jobs law: Workers stage a rally in front of the House of Representatives in Central Jakarta on Aug.25. They expressed their opposition to the omnibus bill on job creation and called on the government to do more to prevent mass layoffs during the COVID-19 pandemic. JP/Seto Wardhana
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Pick me up: A COVID-19 patient waits for an ambulance to take him to the Kemayoran Athletes Village emergency COVID-19 hospital in Central Jakarta on Sept. 10. JP/Dhoni Setiawan
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Distance mourning: Family members watch as gravediggers bury the body of a COVID-19 patient at the Pondok Ranggon cemetery in East Jakarta on Sept.14. At the time, space designated at the cemetery for COVID-19 victims was quickly filling up. JP/P.J.Leo
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The fugitive: Graft defendant and former fugitive Djoko Soegiarto Tjandra stands trial at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Nov.2. He was accused of bribing a number of officials, including police generals and a prosecuter. JP/ Dhoni Setiawan
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Justice seekers: A Papuan Students Alliance (AMP) member has his face painted with the colors of the Bintang Kejora (Morning Star) flag during a protest on Jl Medan Merdeka Barat, Central Jakarta on Nov. 16. The protesters demanded that the government thoroughly investigate the killing of Papuan pastor Yeremia Zanambani in Intan Jaya, Papua, and withdraw military and police personnel from the country’s easternmost province. JP/ Dhoni Setiawan
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Polls amid pandemic: A COVID-19 patient casts her ballot as a health officer wearing personal protective gear looks on at a COVID-19 isolation facility that was treating 49 voters in South Tangerang city, Banten, on Dec.9. JP/ Dhoni Setiawan

When floods inundated several regions of Indonesia in early 2020, many people took it as granted that they faced an old enemy. Little did they know about the ultimate adversary of the year until the government admitted its existence in the country in March: COVID-19. Indonesia, it turned out, is not pandemic-proof.

Quarantines and movement restrictions were applied to keep the virus from spreading. These measures forced people to adapt to new ways of working, studying, praying, relaxing and interacting. Most of these activities are conducted virtually. The pandemic, however, got out of control. More people were infected, hospitals became overwhelmed, medical workers fell victim, burial space has become scarcer. More than 9 million workers lost their jobs, propelling Indonesia into a recession.

The trials and tribulations for Indonesia did not stop there, as the country suffered from a regression of democracy.

Those who are critical of the government have had gadgets and social media accounts hacked. Controversial laws such as those on the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and on job creation created turmoil in society, with police using a repressive approach to quell demonstrations. Repression also happened in Papua with the death of a priest, Yeremia Zanambani. Law enforcement authorities colluded with corrupt officials while regional elections made way for new political dynasties.