Smoke billowed in front of the Indonesian Parliament Building, angry demonstrators faced off with heavily armed police officers.A protest over sky-high allowances for members of parliament has turned into a nationwide riot, and the most sensitive nerve in memory has been touched again.
A police armored vehicle knocked down the driver of an Internet taxi motorcycle during the conflict, killing him, completely igniting the anger of Indonesian society.。What started as a protest against members of Congress about a $3000 monthly housing allowance has now turned into a full-blown social unrest sweeping Indonesia's major cities.
Now, Riots have spread from the capital Jakarta to Makassar, Surabaya, Bali and other places. Demonstrators stormed the Parliament Building, set fire to government buildings, and even ransacked the residences of the Finance Minister and several MPs。Videos circulated on social media showed smoke billowing on the streets, shops looted, and the entire country seemed to be in a silent war.
Sky-high subsidies and bloodshed have ignited the backlog of anger
The root cause of this crisis lies in the deepening gap between rich and poor and structural contradictions in Indonesian society-- Members of Congress receive a monthly salary of up to $6000, while the average monthly income of ordinary Indonesian is only about $190, a gap of more than 30 timesThis huge income gap is particularly dazzling in the context of weak economic recovery after the epidemic.
What makes the public even more angry is thatIn addition to high salaries, lawmakers also enjoy a monthly housing allowance of $3,000—— This is equivalent to ten times the minimum wage in Jakarta and almost 20 times the monthly minimum wage in poor areas。In a country where there is stillNearly 26 million people live in countries below the poverty line, and this privileged treatment has sparked widespread social outrage.
On August 25, the first batch of demonstrators gathered in front of the Parliament Building in Jakarta to protest the apparent injustice. They put forward clear demands: raise wages, lower taxes, and abolish the Job Creation ActThese demands reflect the real dilemma of ordinary Indonesian people under the rising cost of living and employment pressure.
However, the real trigger for the full-scale riots was the tragic incident that occurred three days later: A 21-year-old online taxi motorcycle driver Kunyawan was run over and killed by a police armored vehicle during the conflict。The incident quickly spread through social media, sparking nationwide anger and quickly escalating otherwise peaceful protests.
From peaceful protests to nationwide riots, violence rapidly escalates
The bloodshed caused protests to quickly spread from Jakarta across the country and turn violent.In Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi Province, demonstrators set fire to the parliament building, killing at least three people and injuring five others.
Soon, Parliament buildings in West Nusa Tenggara, Central Java and West Java provinces, as well as the Governor's Residence of East Java Province, were set on fire。The resort island of Bali was not spared, and police had to use tear gas to disperse the crowd.These incidents show that anger has transcended purely economic demands and turned into questioning the entire political system.
In the early morning of August 31, Rioters ransacked Finance Minister Mulyani's residence in suburban Jakarta, stealing electronics, paintings and other valuables。The homes of several MPs were also looted. This attack on the private homes of senior government officials shows the people's deep dissatisfaction with the ruling elite.
Videos circulating on social media showed that Senator Saroni, who often flaunts his countless luxury cars, has his luxury cars destroyed。These pictures further stimulated people's emotions and exposed the deep cracks in Indonesian society.
Analysts point out thatThe riots reflected widespread anger among Indonesia's younger generation against corruption and privileged classes, which were organized through social media to form a powerful protest force.
Shadow of history and practical concerns, will the Chinese Exclusion Crisis repeat itself?
As the riots continued, many analysts began to worry about the worst possibility--Will this crisis turn into a riot against Chinese again?This issue affects the nerves of countless people and reminds people of the darkest chapter in the history of this country.
There have been painful lessons in history, During the Asian financial crisis in 1998, Indonesia's economy collapsed and social grievances broke out, making Chinese scapegoats.
At that time, thugs systematically looted Chinese shops, supermarkets and factories. A large number of Chinese women were sexually assaulted. The family businesses of generations of many Chinese families were reduced to ashes overnight。The tragedy killed about 1200 people, most of whom were Chinese, and economic losses amounted to billions of dollars.
1965-1966 During the 1990s, there were also large-scale anti-Chinese incidents in Indonesia.Chinese Americans have been slandered as "communist sympathizers" and targeted for purges, with an estimated death toll ranging from 500,000 to 3 million。These historical wounds have not yet been fully healed. Whenever social unrest occurs, the ghost of Chinese exclusion will resurface.
The current situation in Indonesia does show worrying signs. Some Chinese shops have been "purchased for zero yuan" by people fishing in troubled waters. Although Jakarta's Chinatown is currently relatively calm, many businesses have taken precautions.。
Vehicles on display were removed from a BMW showroom and armored vehicle guards appeared near a large shopping mall。Police also blocked roads leading to areas where the Indonesian Stock Exchange and several international banks are located-- These measures show the authorities 'concern about the situation, but also raise fears of a repeat of history.
Analysts point out that Compared with 1998, Indonesia's current political environment has changed。The establishment of democracy has made it more difficult for governments to incite ethnic conflicts to divert attention, and social media has also made it harder for violence to be covered up.。However, economic hardship and social dissatisfaction may still be directed in the direction of ethnic groups, which is the most worrying possibility.
Indonesian President Prabowo has announced that he will no longer participate in China's September 3 military parade and apologized to China. He has announced a reduction in parliamentary allowances and a thorough investigation of driver deaths。In his televised speech, he promised reform, but also emphasized: " Lawless violence will never be tolerated.”
The military warned that it would take "tough measures against thugs and looters," but the real problem--Structural contradictions such as the gap between rich and poor, high youth unemployment, and people's loss of trust in the authorities--Whether it can be solved is the key to determining Indonesia's future direction. According to statistics, The unemployment rate among Indonesian youth aged 15-24 is as high as 20%, a figure that has attracted more attention after the riots.
The international community is closely following the development of the situation in Indonesia andThe stability of Southeast Asia's largest economy is not only related to the well-being of 270 million Indonesians, but will also affect the economic and political landscape of the entire region.。At this critical moment, Indonesian leaders need to show wisdom and courage to avoid a repeat of historical tragedies and lead the country towards true reconciliation and reform。
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Urgently cancel my visit to China! Protests continue for a week and escalate, and Indonesia's president encounters his first major crisis in office-Shangguan News