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'We refuse to return to New Order': Students protest against controversial bills
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Thousands of university student gather in front of the House of Representatives complex in Central Jakarta on Monday, to protest against what they claim are attempts to roll back the country's political reforms (JP/Ghina Ghaliya)
T
housands of students in at least nine cities across Indonesia took to the streets on Monday demanding an end to what they claimed were ongoing attempts to roll back two decades of political reform in the country.
In scenes reminiscent of the student movement that led to the downfall of the New Order Era in 1998, the university students amplified their demands for the government and the House of Representatives to hold off the passage of a number of controversial bills, including a revision to the Criminal Code (KUHP), arguing that the bills threatened democracy and civil liberties.
In the capital, thousands of activists and students from various universities thronged in front of the House’s compound on Jl. Gatot Subroto in Central Jakarta, blocking road access to Slipi, West Jakarta, as they called for lawmakers to listen to the voice of the people who have rejected controversial articles in the bills.
The protesters chanted and held up banners with slogans ranging from “Reformasi Dikorupsi” (Reform Era is being corrupted) to “Mosi Tidak Percaya” (motion of no confidence), which reflected their dwindling faith in lawmakers and the government
“We declare our motion of no confidence in the House. We are deeply disappointed because our aspirations have fallen on deaf ears and lawmakers do not take out concerns seriously,” said University of Indonesia (UI) Student Executive Body (BEM) chairman Manik Marganamahendra, one of the students participating in the protest.
The widespread protests on Monday followed a smaller protest staged by hundreds of university students in front of the House last Thursday. In all the rallies, the students have raised the same demands while also criticizing the recent trends emerging in the country that activists fear are examples of the alarming state of Indonesian democracy.
The students particularly demanded that the House halt the planned passage of the KUHP bill, which contains a number of contentious articles ─ including restoring a ban on insulting the President ─ that critics have warned could threaten democracy and put civil liberties at risk.
