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‘The time is now’ for Jokowi to address human rights abuses, activists say
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Activists of the Solidarity Network of Victims for Justice attend the 574th Kamisan, a weekly silent protest, in front of the Presidential Palace in Central Jakarta on Feb. 14, 2019. (The Jakarta Post/Dhoni Setiawan)
F
or more than one decade since Jan. 18, 2007, Maria Catarina Sumarsih and a crowd of people have stood across the Presidential Palace every Thursday with umbrellas in hand, demanding the government to bring closure to past human rights abuses.
Known as Kamisan, the silent protest has become a beacon of the enduring plight of activists and human rights abuse victims’ relatives. Every week, they speak out against impunity and demand that rights violators be brought to justice.
The calls again reverberated on Thursday, as Kamisan entered its 660th day. Coinciding with International Human Rights Day on Dec. 10, the protest this time around was celebrated virtually, as has been the case since March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Now, 10 months into the pandemic, Maria said she was longing to resume the Kamisan rally on site once the health crisis ended, saying that the event had allowed her to meet and interact with many people over the years.
“For us, the families of the victims, Kamisan really has a lot of benefits, not only as a place to meet others but also to exchange ideas for our next efforts,” Maria told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.
The pandemic has not deterred her from seeking justice for her son, Atma Jaya University student Bernardinus “Wawan” Realino Norma Irmawan, who was among those who died during massive student protests in 1998.
Read also: Online Kamisan: Activism goes digital during COVID-19 pandemic
