Merie Wanderer

with my current platform, allow me tell you about what's happening in Indonesia. today, massive student-led protests are taking place against the incompetent and self-serving regime. one of the most pressing issues being raised is the BURNING DOWN of our forests and lands, which has been happening for months. you might have heard about the fires in Kalimantan/Borneo, as neighboring countries also suffer from the haze, but they're happening across other islands too; Sumatra, Papua, Sulawesi, Maluku, and even multiple mountains in Java. beyond the loss of people's homes, clean air, and clean water, we're watching our native wildlife and irreplaceable biodiversity along with centuries-old traditional sites disappear before our eyes. yet the government has been UNWILLING to take meaningful action. instead, our public servants have been trying to silence our voices online, turning down foreign aid, and waging psywar against other countries, all without even acknowledging the severity of the situation. budgets for disaster relief, education, and healthcare have been reallocated to the Free Meal Program, the president's flagship campaign promise, which ironically has reportedly poisoned ~40,000 children in less than 2 years, with no one being held accountable. today, in jakarta alone 14,000 police and military personnel were deployed to confront demonstrators. This is the reality of the repressive, anti-criticism government the Indonesian people are currently facing. and you know what? WATER CANNONS were prepared. water cannons that have never been used to fight the fires are now being aimed at the people. today is the Youth Pledge Day, when indonesian youth pledged to fight for freedom 98 years ago. may this freedom find us again. Long live resistance.