JAKARTA: Hundreds of women dressed in pink and wielding broomsticks marched to Indonesia’s parliament on Wednesday, demanding an end to police abuses and extravagant government perks, as protests that have rocked the country entered their second week.
The protests, which erupted after rising cost-of-living pressures collided with anger over lavish privileges for MPs, turned deadly when young motorcycle taxi driver Affan Kurniawan was killed after being run over by a police vehicle.
Women at the frontlines
At Wednesday’s rally, members of the Indonesian Women’s Alliance (IWA) — a coalition of 90 women’s organisations, labour unions, rights groups and indigenous communities — carried broomsticks as symbols of their resolve to “sweep away the dirt of the state, militarism and police repression.”
“Protests are not crimes, but rather democratic rights inherent in every citizen,” activist Mutiara Ika told BBC Indonesia.
The IWA said their pink attire symbolised bravery, echoing the historic role women played in mass demonstrations that helped topple Suharto’s authoritarian rule in 1998.
Other demonstrators wore green, the colour of Affan’s rideshare uniform, dubbing it “hero green.” Online, supporters fused the colours into a movement of “brave pink” and “hero green,” flooding social media with solidarity filters.
A wave of casualties and outrage
The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation reported that at least 10 people have died since the protests began in late August, some allegedly from police violence, while more than 1,042 people have been hospitalised nationwide.
The UN human rights office has called for “prompt, thorough, and transparent investigations” into Jakarta’s handling of the unrest.
Amnesty International Indonesia’s Executive Director Usman Hamid urged swift government action:
“The state must immediately meet all the demands of the people during the demonstrations before further casualties occur.”
National Human Rights Commission Chairperson Anis Hidayah described the situation as “worrying,” citing ongoing violence by authorities.
“These actions are the result of a very limited space for dialogue. When people want to express their problems and difficulties, the space seems to be available but not easily accessible,” he said.
Prabowo’s balancing act
Even as protests swelled, President Prabowo Subianto flew to Beijing, posing alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at China’s Victory Day military parade — despite previously saying he would cancel the trip.
Days earlier, Prabowo promised to roll back perks for lawmakers, one of the protesters’ key demands. On Sunday, he announced cuts to certain allowances funded by the state.
While welcomed, protesters argued the reforms were insufficient.
Herianto, a former central coordinator of the All-Indonesian Students’ Union, told BBC:
“It is not only about one issue, but about long-standing concerns with inequality, governance and accountability. Symbolic changes are important, but people expect deeper reforms, particularly in areas that affect ordinary citizens such as agricultural policy, education and fair economic opportunities.”
The road ahead
The broom-wielding demonstrations underline a growing frustration that symbolic reforms will not be enough. As one protester’s banner read: “We sweep because we are not being heard.”
For President Prabowo, the challenge is twofold: managing domestic anger at home while projecting authority on the global stage. Whether “brave pink” and “hero green” will push the government toward deeper reforms could shape not only Indonesia’s political stability but also its democratic future.
Source: BBC
