Hundreds of Indonesians gathered on Wednesday in central Jakarta to protest economic hardship, corruption and the government’s handling of fires whose toxic smoke is affecting thousands, Digi24 reports via AFP as cited by Agerpres. Placards included “There is no clean air under a corrupt government” and “Hungry? Eat the rich!”.

Demonstrators made the three-finger salute inspired by the dystopian Hunger Games saga. Sekar, 37, told AFP she came to make her voice heard out of empathy with those enduring months of fires and haze amid currency depreciation and price rises; she said she wanted to protect students.

Police said about 14,000 officers and soldiers were deployed in Jakarta. Clashes broke out near Bundaran HI; some people threw half-empty plastic water bottles at security forces, Digi24 says.

Much anger targeted President Prabowo Subianto, whose popularity two years into office is said to have hit historic lows amid accusations of widespread corruption and growing authoritarianism, according to the same source. One placard used the nickname “Wok” for the head of state.

The SADAR organising committee called for a national emergency to free resources against the fires. Deforestation monitor Nusantara Atlas, cited via Digi24/AFP, estimates more than 1.9 million hectares were destroyed in the first nine months of the year. Anette Mau, 47, of the Alliance of Indonesian Mothers, spoke of the haze’s impact on babies.

Singapore’s foreign minister Vivian Balakrishnan said the day before that the haze “is not a natural phenomenon” and that the fires were triggered by human activity. Demonstrations also took place in Bandung, Yogyakarta, Malang and Makassar. RoAdevăr uses a Wikimedia Commons image, not Digi/Profimedia photos.

Source: „Ți-e foame? Mănâncă-i pe bogați!” Proteste în Indonezia | Digi24