Protests continue over the national fuel price increase in Makassar and they are not showing signs of stopping or slowing down. Yesterday, November 27, the protests peaked with the death of a student during an exceptionally violent clash outside of the Governor's house.
It seems the world tuned in briefly to what is going on here in Makassar when Reuter's photo of a student set ablaze from a miss directed molotov cocktail circulated the globe. The attention, however, ended as fast as it started. Even national media doesn't seem to be placing a high priority on this issue and when they do it is to glorify the violence rather than seek a way to begin open communication between parties involved. Furthermore, it seems the approach of local authorities is much the same with violence as the only tactic employed to literally beat the demonstrators into submission.
It seems the world tuned in briefly to what is going on here in Makassar when Reuter's photo of a student set ablaze from a miss directed molotov cocktail circulated the globe. The attention, however, ended as fast as it started. Even national media doesn't seem to be placing a high priority on this issue and when they do it is to glorify the violence rather than seek a way to begin open communication between parties involved. Furthermore, it seems the approach of local authorities is much the same with violence as the only tactic employed to literally beat the demonstrators into submission.
Finally, this approach has proved fatal.
Students and residents gathered in front of the Governor's complex yesterday and upon breaching the gate police attacked with extreme aggression to stop the progression. When the crowd of hundreds were beaten back by thrown rocks, tear gas, and water canons, what was found when the crowds dispersed was a young man with fatal head injuries.
Students and residents gathered in front of the Governor's complex yesterday and upon breaching the gate police attacked with extreme aggression to stop the progression. When the crowd of hundreds were beaten back by thrown rocks, tear gas, and water canons, what was found when the crowds dispersed was a young man with fatal head injuries.
Reports are mixed among media outlets regarding the identity and age of the victim and so I will not be one to join in in the speculation. The young student though did not need to die. These protests do not need to be reaching such an extreme. Dialogue needs to be initiated and government officials need to be the ones taking this on. The death of this student needs to serve as a wake up call.
It is a sorrowful day in Makassar and no one is sure what to expect in the coming days.
As an aside, researching this event has proven incredibly frustrating. Even in national media sources this death has been pushed down news pages by other stories like the Ferguson riots in the US and when it has been discussed it has been summarized it seems from a single Jakarta Post article. Furthermore, I hesitate to provide many photos because with a strong police influence to reporting, and what one can only guess as politically induced censorship, most images show angered students throwing rocks, excluding not the other of the issue: aggressive tactics by the police.
It is a sorrowful day in Makassar and no one is sure what to expect in the coming days.
As an aside, researching this event has proven incredibly frustrating. Even in national media sources this death has been pushed down news pages by other stories like the Ferguson riots in the US and when it has been discussed it has been summarized it seems from a single Jakarta Post article. Furthermore, I hesitate to provide many photos because with a strong police influence to reporting, and what one can only guess as politically induced censorship, most images show angered students throwing rocks, excluding not the other of the issue: aggressive tactics by the police.