Jakarta – An action by the Voices of Indonesian Mothers movement has highlighted the violence by the authorities against students during the protest actions rejecting the revisions to the Indonesian Military Law (UU TNI) in various regions, including Jakarta.
A number of women from various organisations and communities gathered in front of the Sarinah shopping mall in Central Jakarta on Friday March 28. They highlighted the state apparatus which has carried out repressive actions against students who are voicing the interests of the ordinary people.
Not only that, they also demanded the annulment of the Draft Law on the TNI (RUU TNI) which they consider to perpetuate the power of the armed forces and harm society.
"[There have been] several acts of violence against student actions almost throughout Indonesia, this is clear evidence that the regime is anti-democratic. That this regime is increasingly using military force, the state apparatus to confront critical voices. They are anti-democratic, anti the peoples' voices", activist Ririn Sefsani told journalists on the sidelines of the peaceful action on Friday.
Sefsani, who had previously taken to the streets in the 1998 era as a student, recalled how housewives and mothers gathering to provide solidarity and collected food and milk for hungry protesting students.
The housewives and mothers, continued Sefsani, also prayed for themselves and the comrades who launched demonstrations against the New Order regime of former president Suharto. Reading about what happened back then, she said she does not want to repeat the dark history at that time.
"My comrades and I are still alive, and we do not want the dark history of the New Order to return, therefore we are fighting. These are young women, mothers, housewives, academics, students, teachers", she said.
Meanwhile, student representative Aida Leonardo from the Driyarkara College of Philosophy (STFD) Nation Conscience Movement expressed her gratitude for the support and sincerity of the women at Friday's action.
She highlighted the comments of a female House of Representatives (DPR) member who said that demonstrations are of no use, who went on to say that the government would be willing to listen to criticism if it is discussed nicely. But Leonardo questioned whether the government wanted to listen at all.
"It is not our fault that we have to take to the streets. Because this is indeed our only way to be able to speak out. Even then it's not necessarily listened to", said Leonardo.
In addition to speeches by various organisations and communities, the peaceful action also included the reading of the poem Warning by radical poet Wiji Thukul – who was abducted by the military in 1998 and remains missing to this day – and the singing of the song Ibu Pertiwi (Motherland).
They also brought posters with various messages such as "The TNI is not a political thug", "The TNI guards the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia, it doesn't guard the seats of government officials", "And if we let this happen, our children will be next!" and "To the police: Your mother didn't teach you to beat up the ordinary people".
the Voices of Indonesian Mothers made two demands during the rally, namely stop the violence against student demonstrators and cancel the TNI Law.
"We, Indonesian mothers, will accompany their struggle by also taking to the streets, fighting with our children, against corrupt power", one of the action participants was quoted as saying. (fra/els/fra)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Gerakan Suara Ibu Kecam Kekerasan Aparat ke Massa Aksi Tolak UU TNI".]
