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Organizations rally at City Hall against public protest restrictions
Jakarta Post - November 10, 2015
The protest, held in front of Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama's office at City Hall, was organized by residents who belonged to the Unity of Jakarta Residents (PRJ).
The group included members of various organizations, such as the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH), the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) and the Congress Alliance of Indonesian Labor Unions (KASBI), among many others. "Ahok is limiting free speech! Ahok is limiting democracy!" the protesters chanted.
Article 4 of the regulation, which was signed late last month, stipulates that protesters will be allowed to stage protests at only three venues: Parkir Timur Senayan at the Bung Karno Sports Complex in Senayan, Alun Alun Demokrasi located at the House of Representatives complex and Silang Selatan, located at the National Monument (Monas) park. All three areas are located in Central Jakarta.
Workers, students and residents usually stage their protests in front of government offices, such as those at City Hall and the State Palace, and rarely in the allowed places listed in the regulation. One of the public's favorite areas, the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle, is also not on the list.
Articles 5 and 6 of the regulation also state that protests should be conducted between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. and that the noise level of the sound systems should not exceed 60 decibels, similar to the noise level of a conversation at a restaurant, an office, background music, or an air conditioning unit at 30 meters.
One protester, Wahidin, said the regulation "castrated" democracy. "Ahok must remember that he can be governor today thanks to democracy. He cannot limit freedom of speech," the worker told reporters on the sidelines of the protest.
Furthermore, LBH Jakarta lawyer Oky Wiratama said the institute would ask the city to revoke the regulation, as it overlapped with Law No. 9/1998 on freedom of speech.
"We will try to get the regulation revoked. Law No. 9/1998 already clearly regulates freedom of expression. Further restrictions are unnecessary. Besides, who will listen if people protest at Monas or Parkir Timur Senayan?" Oky asked.
Separately, Governor Ahok said that he was content with the regulation and would not revoke it. He said that the regulation did not limit freedom of speech, but rather "regulated its delivery".
"I am not limiting freedom of speech. I am regulating it based on existing laws. Protests may not be held at vital installations according to Law No. 9/1998," Ahok told reporters at City Hall on Monday.
According the Article 9, paragraph 2 of the law, protests may be held at public spaces except at state palace areas, places of worship, military headquarters, hospitals, air or seaports, train stations, bus terminals, or vital national assets. Vital national assets are buildings or businesses that are related to the livelihood of many people, the interest of the state, or to state revenue. Protests may also not be conducted during national holidays.
Ahok maintained said that regulating the volume of sound systems was necessary as many residents would be bothered by the noise, especially during working days. "Many people are disturbed by the sound," he insisted.
However, he acknowledged that he had made mistakes when drafting the regulation and he would make minor revisions. "We will revise the regulations. Residents may carry out protests other than at the three allowed locations as long as it is not a vital installation like the State Palace," he said.
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