Anarchist Demonstrations Against the Job Creation Law Do Not Get People’s Sympathy
By: Edi Jatmiko )*
Demonstrations against the omnibus law of the Job Creation Law have been heating up in several regions, even resulting in acts of anarchy. The demonstrators even dared to throw stones at the security forces, and even set fire to a police station. The demonstration that led to spontaneous riots made the people no longer sympathetic to the workers.
The workers rallied for 3 days, starting on October 6, 2020. This action was not only held in Jakarta, but also other cities in Indonesia. In a demonstration as well as a mass strike, the workers opposed the omnibus law which was deemed incompatible with the labor climate in Indonesia. They also protested against MSEs being converted into UMP.
Usually society will pay attention to the workers, because of their unfortunate fate. But unfortunately in this labor demonstration, there was no sympathy at all. There are several reasons for this, ranging from violent demonstrations, arbitrary protesters, to those who insist on long march and disobeying health protocols.
The people can only caress their chests at the workers’ demonstrations, which are said to be actions to convey their aspirations, but instead lead to anarchy. How come? In Malang, demonstrators pelted the DPRD and even the City Hall next door, with stones and firecrackers. There was even a bus that became the victim of a demonstration and was eventually damaged, and a security officer was injured.
Meanwhile in Jakarta, the demonstrators moved towards the State Palace. Even though they were intercepted by the authorities, they were still on the way. To express their emotions, they had the heart to burn the police station near the arjuna wiwaha horse statue. The rioters were then arrested and it was discovered that not all of the demonstrators were workers, some were students and civilians.
After being arrested, there were 10 people who showed reactive results after the rapid test. The public is increasingly not sympathetic to the demonstrators, because they insist on demonstrating in the midst of a pandemic. Now it has been proven, some are positive for corona. Tracking will be very difficult, because they come into contact with hundreds of people during the demo.
Apart from violating health protocols, the community was also antipathy to the demonstrators for committing acts of violence. Expressing aspirations is permissible, but preferably in a polite manner. Don’t be with harmful vandalism so that the DPRD building is heavily damaged and the police station is engulfed in flames.
Especially if the demonstrators play the victim. They considered the security forces on guard to be a big enemy, to the point of throwing stones at them. Even though the authorities are only doing their job. If there is tear gas being fired, it does not mean that you hate workers. However, this was done to dampen the anarchy that the demonstrators would take again.
People think that demonstrations filled with anarchy do not always produce positive results. Because the DPR will not immediately cancel the Job Creation Law. In reality, many demonstrators were consumed by hoaxes about the law. Because they read the wrong article in the draft but already believed it, they expressed their emotions when demonstrating.
If the demonstration is carried out peacefully without any damage to infrastructure, the people will sympathize. However, in fact the workers make trouble and are consumed by provocation and anger, but do not feel guilty. Even though the victims are fellow people. They must not be emotional when they are arrested by the authorities, because they are proven to have violated the rules.
The labor demonstration only left ashes and debris from the destruction. Meanwhile, the Job Creation Law is not necessarily withdrawn or revised by the DPR. In fact, this demo was useless. In fact, people are antipathy towards workers who are considered too indignant, and deliberately violating health protocols in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.
)* The author is active in the Cikini Press and Student Circle