Indonesia is at a turning point in its history. The past week has seen the entire country immolated by protests usually framed by MP’s revelation about their fabulous monthly housing allowances of as much as ten times Jakarta’s minimum wage. The citizens’ fury was further fueled by the ongoing economic crisis and the disparity between the classes incessantly ravaged by time.
The breaking point that changed people’s grief into rebellion was the heart-wrenching death of 21-year-old delivery boy Affan Kurniawan, who got hit by a police armored vehicle while on his duty. That tragedy was manifestly a trigger, a call to arms that exploded into the streets, from Jakarta to Yogyakarta, Palembang, Makassar, and many other places, hundreds of thousands of people marched before.Violence erupted shortly after. The government structures, police stations, and local parliaments were set on fire. The mob broke into the houses of the elite government officers, among them the Finance Minister and several MPs, and lugged away the stolen luxury items such as handbags, watches, and sports vehicles, also taking with them even pets. Unfortunately as it is, the riots have so far reported that at least six people have died, with the number reaching up to eight, while over 400 sustained injuries.
As pressure mounted, the President Subianto Prabowo orchestrated moves to soothe the tensions: he rescinded the contested allowances, stopped the MP’s trips abroad, and launched a probe into Kurniawan’s death.Even though the situation was like that, the protests were still sustained with the help of civil society and student groups. A number of demonstrations were postponed primarily in Jakarta’s due to the fear of a violent crackdown by the personnel deployed in military sections and checkpoints that were placed in major cities. According to experts, this event could be a key point marking the beginning of Prabowo’s presidential term. Opponents charge him with the notion of moving toward a dictatorial rule in ordering soldiers to confront public demonstration and they are in doubt about his dedication toward democracy, in particular, when seen against the historical background of Indonesia that has faced troubles.
