Ratih Syara Maretta, Jakarta – Wednesday March 8 is International Women’s Day. A number of beautiful and stylish women wearing sun-glasses and hats commemorated IWD by holding an action opposing the Draft Anti-Pornography Bill (RUU APP).

The action was centered at the Hotel Indonesia roundabout right in front of Plaza Indonesia on Jl. MH Thamrin in Central Jakarta. The action by around 100 activists from the Jakarta Women’s Coalition only continued for around 15 minutes ending at 10.15am.

They brought banners and white paper cartoons with the writing “Reject RUU APP”. “Attention must be paid to women’s lives. Pay heed to my future”, shouted one of the protesters who was accompanied by a number of small children.

The demonstrators said that the policies of the government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Jusuf Kalla have done great damage to women. “The Draft Pornography Law pays no attention to women’s sexuality”, said action coordinator Vivi Widyawati from the women’s organisation Perempuan Mahardika.

After feeling they had demonstrated long enough at Hotel Indonesia roundabout, the group marched to the National Development Planning Board (Bappenas) on Jl. Diponegoro. “All of the government’s pollicies are issued by Bappenas. It is because of this we are going there, then on to the State Palace”, explained a housewife.

The demonstration was only guarded by around six uniformed police officers. Because the action was orderly it did not disrupt the flow of traffic. (ndr)

[Translated by James Balowski.]