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'#ReformasiDikorupsi': Creative, digital campaigns amplify student protests against controversial bills
Hashtags, fundraising, and illustrative posters fill social media in support of the student movement against what protesters regard as attempts to roll back two decades of political reform in the country.
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Illustration showing a girl raising a clenched fist with the words "see you again on the streets, friends" emblazoned beside her. (-/instagram.com/efi_sh/)
Whether it is on the streets or on the internet, there is no stopping young people from speaking their minds.
As more Indonesian youngsters join in protests against the government and the House of Representatives, the digital-savvy ones have turned to the internet to engage the public in support of protest movements that have seen thousands of students staging rallies in cities across the country.
Over the weekend, social media saw many posts amplifying calls for the public to join in street protests on Monday and Tuesday in response to recent events and controversial bills that activists and scholars fear are examples of the alarming state of Indonesian democracy.
Internet users stormed social media with protest hashtags, ranging from #ReformasiDikorupsi (Reform Era is being corrupted), in reference to the two-decade period of political reforms and the country's transition to democracy since the downfall of the New Order era, to #MosiTidakPercaya (a motion of no confidence), which reflected the public's dwindling faith in the House and the government.
On Sunday, young musician Ananda Badudu went further by starting a fundraising campaign at kitabisa.com to gather public support among university students, activists and members of the public protesting in front of the House complex in Jakarta on Monday.
As of 6 p.m. on Monday, the campaign had garnered Rp 55.6 million (US$3,954) in donations, slightly exceeding its target of Rp 50 million.
Ananda regularly announces the progress of the fundraising through his Instagram and Twitter accounts @anandabadudu. He explained that the funds raised would be used to buy food and water for the protesters, as well as to rent platform trucks for making speeches.
