Palace Hasn't Met Yet, Students Blow Whistles And Call: Jokowi Offside

Student demonstration at the Horse Statue area in Central Jakarta/PHOTO: Diah Ayu-VOI

JAKARTA - Several students on behalf of the Indonesian Student Alliance consisting of BEM All Indonesia (BEM SI), BEM Universitas Indonesia (UI), and several other universities have still not been able to meet President Jokowi or the Palace in today's demonstration.

In the Arjuna Wiwaha Horse Statue area, Central Jakarta, several campus representatives voiced their speeches. The participants of the action sat listening to the oration.

To ignite the spirit, one of the orators invited the masses to chant slogans that offended Jokowi.

"Jokowi offside, Jokowi offside, Jokowi offside!" exclaimed the action participants accompanied by the blowing of the whistle like a soccer referee, Thursday, April 21.

Representing the mass of action, one of the orators admitted that they were disappointed that Jokowi was not currently at the Palace, so they could not directly convey the seven demands of the students.

"We have come here to voice our demands to the president, but today he is not at the Palace", said Vice President of Trisakti University Student Affairs, Nihaya.

Here are the seven demands of students in today's action:

1. Strict action against constitutional criminals and reject the discourse of extending the term of office of the president.

2. Lower the price of basic needs and overcome economic inequality.

3. Taking firm action against all repressive actions against civil society with a strict and non-discriminatory mechanism.

4. Realize scientific, free, and democratic education.

5. Pass the pro-people bill, and reject the pro-oligarchy bill.

6. Realize true agrarian reform.

7. Complete all human rights violations.