Indonesia: move into the factories and spread this revolution to the working class!

Young people and students have played a leading role in this revolutionary movement. Millions of poor workers have taken to the streets across the country. This is enough to demonstrate the power of the working class and make the ruling class tremble. But it is not enough to win our demands, let alone achieve our ultimate goal, which is a fundamental transformation of our lives and society, and the abolition of the exploitation, oppression and impoverishment of the working class, while the rich continue to get richer.

To that end, the working people must mobilise their strength as the working class, that is, they must use their economic weight as the class that drives the wheels of the economy. It is the working class that creates wealth in society, not the employers or corrupt rats like Ahmad Sahroni [Indonesian member of parliament who called demonstrators “the stupidest people on earth”]. The power of the ruling class remains intact because their control over the economy and their bank accounts remains untouched.

The next step needed to intensify this revolutionary movement is for the working class to use its economic power by launching a general strike. This will deal a crushing blow to the ruling class. In addition, a general strike will give the working people even greater confidence that they are indeed the masters of society. No light bulbs shine, no factories run, no planes fly, no ports function without the permission of the working class.

This is what the ruling class fears, so they co-opt reformist labour movement leaders like Said Iqbal, Andi Gani, and others. These leaders are instructed to control the workers so that they do not join the wave of demonstrations, for the regime is very afraid that this revolution will spread to industrial areas.

Therefore, our next crucial task is to bring the explosive revolutionary spirit to the factories, to the industrial areas. Without the involvement of the working class – the only revolutionary class – this revolution will not achieve a decisive victory.

Comrades and students, let us go to the factories to meet the workers!

Call out to our fellow workers:

Join us in fighting this oppressive regime! This is the same House of Representatives that has suppressed your wages and sided with capitalist employers.

Form strike committees to organise mass strike action! Organised workers are strong workers. With the weapon of the general strike, we can change the world.

Form workers' defence guards to resist police violence! The police who have arrested, beaten and killed your fellow students and pupils are the same police who arrest, beat and kill you. Do not let our blood be shed again. Resist the violence of the state with workers' organisation.