Jakarta – On Tuesday November 10 an alliance of social organisation grouped under the Labour Movement with the People (Gebrak) held a long-march from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) representative office on Jalan MH Thamrin in Central Java to the nearby Arjuna Wiwaha Horse Statue on Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat.
The action was part of several demonstrations against the recently enacted Omnibus Law on Job Creation.
During the march – which began at around 1.25 pm – Indonesian Trade Union Action Committee (Kasbi) education department head Agus Arwani called for civil disobedience as a response to the government's enactment of the law.
"We call for civil disobedience comrades", said Arwani during a speech from the command vehicle.
Arwani said that the administration of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Vice President Ma'ruf Amin no longer behaves in a humanitarian way towards the little people in Indonesia. This is because the government has instead enacted the Jobs Law which only benefits the oligarchy.
"Because the state no longer has any sense of humanity or a humanitarian character. So today, from Jakarta, in Surabaya [East Java], in Makassar [South Sulawesi], in Jambi, in Lampung [South Sumatra], all of us as the ordinary people declare a motion of no confidence [in the government]", said Arwani.
A number of different labour, farmer, activist and student organisations which are part of Gebrak took part in the action. They brought paraphernalia such as flags, banners and posters rejecting the enactment of the Omnibus Law and the oppression of the little people.
The protesters – who formed a line and linked arms during the march – shouted slogans and sang songs rejecting the repression of the people.
Jalan MH Thamrin in the direction of Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat was closed by police during the march. (rzr/wis)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Long March ke Patung Kuda, Buruh Serukan Pembangkangan Sipil".]
