Syarif Hidayatullah, Jakarta – Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso is still a popular target of protests by victims of recent floods. Carrying children on their hips, on Wednesday February 21 hundreds of housewives rallied to call on the Number 1 person in Jakarta to resign.

The housewives, who came from the Urban Poor Union (SRMK), started the demonstration at around 10.30am by marching from the National Monument to the City Hall on Jl. Medan Merdeka Selatan in Central Jakarta.

The action was enlivened by speeches and shouts of “The government is flooded with money, the people are flooded with water” and “The government is flooded with money, the people are flooded with disease”.

The protesters also brought a banners with the messages “Corruption is massive, the state foreign debt is massive, the legislator’s wages are massive, the floods were also massive” and “The floods are the responsibly of Sutiyoso, President Yudhoyono and Vice President Kalla”.

Posters meanwhile had messages such as “Houses on the flood plains are prohibited, but apartments are expensive”, “Commercial buildings block the flow of water, the rubbish of the little people is blamed” and “Since the Dutch period the floods have not been solved”.

The protesters then moved off to the offices of the Coordinating Minister for People’s Welfare and the State Palace. (aan/sss)

[Translated by James Balowski.]