Makassar – A "Dark Indonesia" (Indonesia Gelap) demonstration by the Islamic Student Association (HMI) in Makassar, the provincial capital of South Sulawesi, blockaded the Trans-Sulawesi highway causing a long traffic jam on Monday February 17.
The mass of students from the Makassar branch of the HMI blockaded the road at the intersection of Jalan Perintis Kemerdekaan by burning old tyres. They also high jacked an open pickup truck which was then used as a platform to express their aspirations.
During the action the demonstrators criticised a number of problematic policies have arisen during the administration of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka.
"Today's peaceful action is to address the problems that are occurring, specifically to try Jokowi", said HMI branch chairperson Muhammad Zulfikar Ridha on Monday.
According to Ridha the problems that are occurring in Indonesia cannot be separated from the results of the last 10 years when the 7th president Joko "Jokowi" Widodo led Indonesia.
"Over the last 10 years. the policies presented during Jokowi's term [in office] will impact on the Prabowo-Gibran regime, so this must be addressed", he said.
In addition, the HMI protesters also highlighted budget efficiency policies in the education sector.
"Reject education budget efficiency, then reject the takeover of people's land, reject PTN-BH-based education", he explained, referring to the Tertiary Education Institution Legal Entities policy that saw cuts to government funding of tertiary education institutions.
The students also rejected revisions to the Mineral and Coal Mining Law (UU Minerba) which allows campuses to manage mines through to the reshuffle of Prabowo's ministers which was not pro-people.
"The Prabowo-Gibran cabinet reshuffle was not pro-people and we ask Prabowo to be explicit about the transfer of the capital city", Ridha said, referring to the controversial Widodo era project to move the national capital from Jakarta to East Kalimantan.
As a result of the action, the lane heading to Maros regency experienced a long traffic jam. However, after expressing their aspirations the students disbanded in an orderly manner.
A number of student groups, including those who are members of the All Indonesia Student Executive Council (BEM SI), plan to hold a marathon of simultaneous actions from Monday to Wednesday February 19 in a number of Indonesian regions. The theme of the demonstrations is "Dark Indonesia".
Aside from Makassar, similar actions have taken place today in Jakarta, Bandung (West Java), Surabaya (East Java) and in Denpasar (Bali). (mir/kid)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Aksi Indonesia Gelap di Makassar, Mahasiswa Tutup Jalur Trans-Sulawesi".]
