Dark Indonesia protests erupt nationwide with students taking to streets

JAKARTA - Public dissatisfaction with the current situation in Indonesia has manifested itself in several movements protesting against the policies of President Prabowo Subianto and his predecessor.

One such movement was a nationwide protest called Indonesia Gelap (Dark Indonesia),which took place on Feb 17.

Thousands of students took to the streets across various cities coordinated by the All-Indonesia Association of University Student Executive Bodies (BEM SI). The demonstration is expected to last for three days, with simultaneous rallies in multiple regions.

In Jakarta, the rally was concentrated at the Arjuna Wiwaha statue on the intersection of Jl Medan Merdeka Barat and Jl MH Thamrin, adjacent to the National Monument (Monas) square.

The protest is also trending on social media with images of the national coat-of-arms, the Garuda, depicted against a black background emblazoned with the hashtag #IndonesiaGelap, known as the Black Garuda.

The protesters claim that Indonesia is not progressing towards its Indonesia Emas (Golden Indonesia) vision but is instead heading into darkness.

In 2024, various memes appeared, joking that instead of Indonesia Emas, the slogan should be Indonesia Cemas (Anxious Indonesia),or even Indonesia Lemas (Weakened Indonesia). THE JAKARTA POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

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