In Jakarta, around 1000 people, the majority women from the Women's Claim Alliance (APM), commemorated March 8, International Women's Day (IWD), by condemning increases to fuel prices and calling for a reduction in prices and the resignation of President Megawati Sukarnoputri.
The women's movement in Indonesia emerged in the mid-1980s, along with the rise of the pro-democracy movement struggling against the authoritarian regime of former President Suharto. Over the last 20 years, there have been new and quite meaningful advances in the movement.
Discussion groups mushroomed in thousands of non-government organisations that were taking up women's issues and street actions were coloured by the women's movement.
@COLUMNCONTRA = However, one unresolved question was "Can there be a joint platform for this movement?" and "Why has the women's movement remained fragmented?"
On March 8, for example, one organisation commemorated the day with a book launch at a luxury hotel and other groups held seminars, while others organised art exhibitions on women's issues. In a corner of the Hotel Indonesia roundabout in Central Jakarta, a group of housewives carried pots and pans and condemned the recent price increases, while in the afternoon 1000 women held a demonstration which marched to the presidential palace chanting "Reduce prices, overthrow Mega[wati]!".
Compared to women's movements that have developed in other countries, where the normative issues have already shifted to those being taken up by the anti-neoliberal movement, the movement here has been left behind.
The destruction of the women's movement by the Suharto's New Order regime was appalling. All political participation was suppressed and the freedom to organise was cut off completely. Two decades have since passed, and a new struggle is emerging from scratch to reestablish meaningful political rights.
The government's decision to increase the prices of basic goods at the end of 2002 hit women very hard. Indonesian women live in a very patriarchal society, where they are limited to attending to household affairs. Women were the most affected by the increase in the price of basic goods and medicines. Their anxiety is easy to see in the market corners and on public transport.
Women are becoming aware that these price incenses did not just fall from the sky, rather they are a result of policies intentionally implemented by the Megawati government in accordance with the desires of its master: the imperialist countries. Imperialism implements these policies the policies of neoliberalism as a solution to overcome the global economic crisis. So the organising of women to become a force of resistance is very important. The birth of APM was based on such conditions.
There have been two large actions carried out by APM. The first action in January 2003, a week after the latest price increase, involved around 800 protesters the majority being women from non-government organisations or housewives. This mobilisation was repeated at IWD, involving some 1000 people.
The demands raised at these protests were advanced from the demands which have emerged in previous actions. Anti-imperialism and anti-militarism are no longer just another ingredient, instead opposing price increases and violence against women are now grounded on this understanding.
The birth of a more advanced social order, socialism, is the only thing which can end the oppression of women. The basis for the liberation of women is the return of women to involvement in the productive sectors of society. Without working consistently to achieve this, it will be impossible to create a new society which is socially just.
A new history is in the making. The mobilisation of thousands of women raising political issues is a new victory. This was perhaps the largest action since the mobilisations organised by Gerwani (a mass women's organisation affiliated to the Indonesian Communist Party) in the 1960s.
There is great potential for the women's movement. Education and mass mobilisations, along with building a front between the women's movement and other forces will not be an easy job, but it is a task which is appropriate and one which must be begun now.
[This is abridged from the current issue of Pembebasan, the monthly newspaper of the Indonesian People's Democratic Party. Previous editions of Pembebasan are archived at <http://www.asia-pacific-action.org/southeastasia/>. Translation by James Balowski.]
From Green Left Weekly, July 2, 2003.
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