Tris Jumali, Yogya – Hundreds of students from the National Student Front (FMN) and the People’s Struggle Front (FPR) held a long-march from the Abu Bakar Ali parking area to the Yogyakarta Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) building in the centre of the Central Java city on Wednesday March 8.
The action, which was to commemorate International Women’s Day (IWD) 2017, did not just involve women but men also took part in the protest.
With spirit the women who led the speeches shouted their demands to the Yogyakarta regional government. The protesters made 10 demands, including among others rejecting low wages, safety and healthcare guarantees for women workers and calling on the government to provide free healthcare to women.
Not long after the FMN and FPR gave speeches on the grounds of the Yogyakarta DPRD, the Yogyakarta Women’s Struggle Committee (KPP) arrived and added to the mass of demonstrators in front of the DPRD. The groups made joint speeches at two locations.
Women taking part in the action could be seen carrying cardboard posters with demands such as “A 100% wage rise” and “Feminists against Fascism”.
After the FMN and FPR had finished giving speeches, they continued the action at the zero kilometre point in front of the central post office. Demonstrators from the KPP meanwhile began entering the grounds of the DPRD building. (*)
[Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service. The original title of the report was “Memperingati Hari Perempuan International Dua Kubu Massa Bersamaan Datang ke Gedung DPRD DIY”.]
