Budiarti Utami Putri, Jakarta – International Women’s Day (IWD) 2020 protesters have voiced their opposition to the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation (RUU Cilaka). This opposition was as one of the demands taken up during an action today along the length of Jl MH Thamrin in Central Jakarta on Sunday March 8.
Indonesian Trade Union Congress Alliance Confederation (KASBI) Chairperson Nining Elitos said that the all encompassing law proposed by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo will make things difficult for the ordinary people.
“The RUU Cilaka, those who are harmed will not just be workers, not just traditional communities, coastal communities, not just the urban poor, but our nation’s next generation, the youth”, said Elitos in a speech.
Elitos said that the draft law was exactly the same as other problematic draft laws which were opposed by demonstrators in September last year during rallies at the House of Representatives (DPR) building. The demonstrations by university, high-school students and the ordinary people in September resulted in the death of five young people.
The commemoration of IWD today was joined by thousands of people from various social organisation who shouted slogans such as “The people united reject the RUU Cilaka”.
Elitos said that the large number of participants at the action today shows that there is a problem which is casting a shadow over the people. She said that the protesters from various different social groups wanted to ensure that the government sides with the ordinary people.
“We are growing bigger, today’s fight is a fight so the regime sides with the ordinary people”, shouted Elitos.
The IWD protesters filled the length of Jl MH Thamrin in the direction of the Horse Statue. After gathering in front of the General Elections Supervisory Board (Bawaslu), the protesters plan to march to the nearby State Palace.
Aside from opposing the Omnibus Law, there were a number of other demands taken up at today’s IWD: Prosecuting case of violence against women; building a comprehensive protection system for women; the abolition of gender discriminative policies; enacting the Draft Law on the Elimination of Sexual Violence and the Draft Law on the Protection of Domestic Workers; rejecting the Draft Criminal Code, the Draft Law on Family Resilience and; an end to development which only sides with investors.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was “Massa Serukan Tolak Omnibus Law di Aksi Hari Perempuan Sedunia”.]
