Political Suppression Hits Uni Students' Protest in Yogyakarta
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23 September 2019 09:27 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The supposed massive university students’ protest in Yogyakarta dubbed “Gejayan Memanggil” set to be held today has been suspiciously suppressed after the movement was targeted by numerous online attacks – mainly in social platforms – accusing the protest of being compromised by radical groups and political influences.
The protest is initially aimed to criticize Executive’s and Legislative’s passing of numerous problematic Draft Bills.
“Many buzzers are defaming our movement. But we will continue with it,” said Syahdan, spokesperson of the Gejayan Memanggil movement on Monday, September 23.
A number of university students’ unions that originally declared participation in today’s rally abruptly pulled from joining the movement.
Among many, Sanata Dharma University was one that announced they would pull out from the rally after a meeting took place between its student's executive body (BEM) held a meeting with campus rectors which produced an officially signed circular letter that prevents the campus participating in the Gejayan Memanggil. University management deemed that the unclear goal and figure-in-charge were the main reasons.
The movement rallied online support via crowdfunding platform kitabisa.com to hold a rally at the House of Representatives (DPR) headquarters on September 23-24, which managed to generate Rp22,459,146 up to the publishing of this article.
“You are welcomed to screen us through that platform, whether our movement is pure of not. The funding exclusively comes from the public, we are not [politically-funded] protestors,” Syahdan asserts.
The Gejayan Memanggil rally is one of the simultaneous and nationwide movements to declare a motion of no confidence against the House of Representatives that has failed to involve the public in its decision to pass a number of controversial Draft Bills.
SHINTA MAHARANI (CONTRIBUTOR)
