Thousands protest against graft and forest fires in Indonesia

If we burn, you burn with us. Well, that was the message on placards held aloft as thousands of Indonesians took to the streets, turning their anger against the government into a loud call for change. From Jakarta to Bandung and Makassar, students and civil society groups protested against President Prabowo Subianto's policies, alleged corruption, economic hardship, and the government's handling of devastating forest fires. In the Indonesian capital, protesters converged on a central roundabout, roundabout, waving banners, chanting slogans and flashing a three-finger salute that's associated with rebellion in the Hunger Games film franchise. Now, some wore gas masks as anger over the fires and toxic haze spilled onto streets. The demonstrators want the government to declare a national emergency to mobilize more resources to fight the fires. They say that the placards aloft community is struggling to breathe with children and infants among those who are suffering from respiratory problems. I am here purely from my anxiety because the government the longer we leave it is not better there are many experts there are many advisory councils why not get better the point of view of the government is always from the point of view of capital not in favor of the average people who are experiencing strong economic pressure and that is the root of the problem or the tone depth of the government towards the people who are experiencing pressure according to forest monitoring group Nusantara Atlas more than 1.9 million hectares have been destroyed by fires in the nine months to September but the anger goes beyond the environmental crisis the protesters are also targeting rising prices a weakening currency alleged government corruption and what they describe as the erosion of democratic rights but some demonstrators also called on the government to reconsider spending on populist programs, including Prabowo's free meal scheme, amid pressure on household finances. While police have deployed around 14,000 personnel along with soldiers to secure the demonstrations in Jakarta, tensions rose as officers formed human barriers to hold back the crowd, with some protesters throwing plastic water bottles. And the forest fires have also become a regional concern, with toxic haze spreading across borders and affecting relations with neighbouring countries, that's including Singapore and Malaysia.