Pro-democracy activists rally behind Indonesia’s Constitutional Court

JAKARTA: Pro-democracy activists from all ideological persuasions on Thursday (Aug 20) held a meeting with the Constitutional Court (MK) honorary council to lend their support for the court’s move to defend democratic principles in the country, following its ruling lowering the threshold for parties to nominate a candidate in the regional head elections.

The activists, who included poet Goenawan Mohammad, anti-graft campaigner Zainal Arifin Muchtar, playwright Agus Noor, political commentator Ikrar Nusa Bakti, actor Wanda Hamidah and the widow of Muslim intellectual Nurcholish Madjid Omie Komariah, led a delegation of pro-democracy campaigners to give moral support to court justices, who are currently in a legal standoff against lawmakers at the House of Representatives who wish to annul its recent ruling.

Speaking on behalf of the delegation Goenawan said that the legal standoff had created a crisis situation that could jeopardise the country’s democracy.

Demonstrators knocking down a fence outside the Parliament building in Jakarta on Aug 22, 2024. – AFP

“I think everyone agrees that this is an emergency […] If I couldn’t restrain myself, I’d have to say that we need a revolution. But I know that the cost would be high and I don’t know who’s going to foot the bill,” Goenawan said in a tearful speech.

Goenawan also had strong words for House lawmakers who hastily arranged a session on Wednesday to amend the regional law aimed at blocking the MK ruling.

A protester clashing with the police during the rally on Aug 22. – AP

“The House, for its actions in violation of the Constitution, should be dissolved,” he said.

Earlier on Thursday, thousands of demonstrators gathered outside the House building in Jakarta and across multiple cities in Java, some holding banners accusing Jokowi of destroying democracy.

Authorities fired tear gas at demonstrators in Semarang, Central Java, according to footage from Kompas TV.

Later in the meeting, as a symbol of support from the activists to the justices of the court, the widow of Nurcholish presented a bouquet to the head of the court’s legal division Fajar Laksono.

“Many have spoken out, so I will just give you these flowers. I hope the flowers can calm us down,” Omie said. – The Jakarta Post/ANN