INDONESIA IN FLAMES

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INDONESIA IN FLAMES: PROTESTS TORCH PARLIAMENT, LEAVE 3 DEAD Indonesia just saw one of its deadliest protest escalations in years. Makassar, South Sulawesi: An angry mob set the local parliament building ablaze late Friday. At least 3 people were killed inside, 5 more hospitalized after jumping to escape the flames. Bandung, West Java: Another parliament torched. No deaths reported. Surabaya: Protesters stormed regional police HQ, torching vehicles and smashing fences. All this comes after 5 straight days of unrest across the country, sparked by revelations that every lawmaker in Jakarta pockets a $3,000/month housing allowance - nearly 10x the minimum wage. Public fury exploded after the death of 21-year-old Affan Kurniawan, a food delivery rider run over by a police armored car during clashes. Now the protests have gone national: from Medan to Papua. Nearly 1,000 people arrested in Jakarta alone. Amnesty International slammed the crackdown: “No one should lose their lives for exercising their right to protest.” Indonesia’s parliament thought the scandal was about greed. Now it’s about blood. And with parliament buildings literally burning, the government faces a crisis it can’t water-cannon away. Source: NY Post