ISS alumna Melisa Try Hatmanti, associate researcher at the Center on Child Protection and Wellbeing at Universitas Indonesia (PUSKAPA), wrote an opinion piece for The Jakarta Post on the recent wave demonstrations in Indonesia.
Sparked by public anger over economic inequality and the controversial allowances of lawmakers, the rising solidarity movements reflect growing discontent. The unrest is rooted in unresolved issues from earlier struggles. Many also fear that the country may once again fall under a military regime.
Below, we share a summary of her article – the full version is available to subscribers.
Pink stands for resistance
Mass demonstrations against the government have recently erupted in Indonesia, sparking a viral movement that turned pink into a symbol of resistance. Protesters wear pink in the streets, while online users added a pink hue to their profile photos.
The movement began with the image of a woman in a pink hijab standing defiantly against riot police. Her presence carried weight not only because of the colour, but also because she was an ibu (mother) – a figure with deep cultural resonance in Indonesia.
As government policies increasingly clashed with the interests of citizens, more people took to the streets, eventually joined by the ibu-ibu (plural of ibu). Traditionally associated with domestic roles under the ideology of ‘State Ibuism,’ they are now reclaiming motherhood as a political identity, challenging stereotypes that women belong only in the household.
Hatmanti points out that this is not new. Indonesian women have a long tradition of activism and what we see today is a revival of that legacy. Their presence on the frontlines highlights a striking irony: while the state seeks to use motherhood to limit women’s role in public life, that same role legitimises their dissent. As Hatmanti argues, ibu-ibu are not just participants but central figures in the struggle for justice and democracy.
Find the full article over in the The Jakarta Post.
- Researcher
