Yogyakarta to See Another Students Protest Today

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The massive university students’ protest dubbed Gejayan Memanggil (Gejayan is Calling) was echoed again to be held today, September 30, in Yogyakarta.

The demonstration that was predicted to present thousands of students, workers, journalists, activists, and human rights activist will voice many issues, including urging President Joko Widodo or Jokowi to issue a regulation in lieu of law or Perppu on the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Law.

The movement spokesman Syahdan explained the request was made considering the amended KPK Law was an attempt to weaken the anti-graft body, and its independence was also questioned.

The employee status, which will be a state apparatus, was considered to influence the body’s independence. “KPK investigators who are only from the police institution is also problematic,” Syahdan told Tempo, Monday, September 30.

The protest initiated by Aliansi Rakyat Bergerak (Society Movement Alliance) also demanded state devices to stop any repressive and criminalization acts. Recently, pro-democracy activists and student protesters were nabbed by the police.

The mass will also urge the government to retrieve all military components, completely resolve human rights violations, and open democracy rooms as wide as possible in Papua.

“Our move also rejects impunity for human rights violators and demands prosecution against human rights criminals,” Syahdan remarked.

In addition, they demanded the government immediately mitigate disasters and save the victims, prosecute entrepreneurs and corporate business linked to forest fires, and stop granting new permits for large plantation companies.

Other requests include the ratification of sexual violence eradication law, revision of problematic articles in Criminal Code draft bill or RKUHP, protest against draft bills on land, employment, cybersecurity, and mineral and coal.

Today’s Gejayan Memanggil is a follow-up students’ protest on September 23 in Yogyakarta that gathered public sympathy since the rally ran peacefully. The mass also cleaned up garbage in the site. They claimed to have a non-violent demonstration.

SHINTA MAHARANI