Indonesian protesters begin hunger strike as bill to protect domestic workers stalls in parliament

By NINIEK KARMINI
Associated Press

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian domestic workers and activists have begun a hunger strike to protest against the parliament’s delay in passing a bill to protect domestic workers. Lita Anggraini of the National Advocacy Network for Domestic Workers said sunrise-to-sunset fasting protests on Monday were happening simultaneously in the capital, Jakarta, and other cities, and they will be held every day until the bill is passed. In Jakarta, about 40 fasting activists from the Domestic Workers Alliance sat under tents in front of the parliament compound. Indonesia has some 4.2 million domestic workers, according to a 2015 survey. That’s the most in the world. President Joko Widodo in January had called on lawmakers to pass the bill in parliament.