Indonesian police fire water cannons, tear gas to disperse protesters

The Indonesian Police fired water cannons on September 24, to disperse off more than thousands of students gathered in various cities protesting against new laws on corruption. Students from various universities assembled in large numbers to show their anger against the law passed by Indonesia's Parliament which reduces the authority of the Corruption Eradication Commission, an important body in combating domestic graft in Indonesia. The President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo on September 20, ordered a delay in the vote of parliament on the new criminal code that would substitute the Dutch colonial-era set of laws. He said that the new parliament should put the bill into consideration next month.

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Protests turning violent

The students also protested outside the Parliament building located in the capital city of Indonesia, Jakarta. The protesters even set fire on the tires at the time of the day and burnt down shops and public properties during the night. The attacked places included a toll gate and a police post near the parliament. The police over there used water cannon and tear gas to break up the huge crowds throwing rocks. The protests are happening in all major cities of Indonesia and have been growing from the last 2-3 days. In some cities, the protests have turned really violent leading to clashes between the demonstrators and security forces. These protests are raising questions to the governance of Joko Widodo after he won a second term by campaigning for clean administration.

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Security tightened 

The Indonesian President encountered riots in the month of May from the losing candidate, Gen.Prabowo Subianto's followers. However, those riots did not get much support due to their biased political interests. The recent demonstrations happening across the nation are not linked to any political party or group. They are in fact conducted by university students and have been a part of the political changes in the country's past as well. The security in various cities mainly Jakarta have been tightened while the protestors are demanding a delay in voting on the new criminal code. There are over 20 thousand soldiers deployed to protect the main areas of the Indonesian capital. 

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(With inputs from AP)