Indonesia: Protests against Omnibus bill planned nationwide November 5-13

Event

Unions and activists are calling for nationwide demonstrations between Thursday, November 5, and Friday, November 13, to denounce the controversial Job Creation Law, also known as the "Omnibus" bill.

On Thursday, students have called for a demonstration outside the East Kalimantan (Borneo island) office of the People's Representative Council of Indonesia (DPRD). Associated rallies were also called for at Taman Kamboja in Banjarmasin (South Kalimantan) on Thursday.

The Alliance of the Workers' Movement with the People (GEBRAK) have called for rallies in 60 cities nationwide between Friday, November 6, and Friday, November 13. Demonstrators are set to gather near the Indonesian National Police headquarters in South Jakarta between November 6 and Tuesday, November 10. The locations for rallies between November 10 and November 13 were not immediately clear.

Further demonstrations are to be expected across the country in the coming days and weeks. A heightened security presence and localized disruptions are possible in the vicinity of all demonstrations.

Context

The Omnibus bill was passed into law on October 5, and opponents believe the bill will undermine labor rights in Indonesia and weaken environmental protections in favor of big business.

Advice

Those in Indonesia are advised to monitor the situation, avoid all demonstrations and political gatherings, and heed any instructions issued by local authorities.