Ari Saputra, Jakarta – Commemorating International Women's Day today, global capitalism became the target of sharp criticism. Muslim women from the Islamic organisation Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) said that capitalism promotes the destruction of the family institution, violence against woman and murder.

"Women's political representation in the face of modern democracy is always accompanied by the destruction of the family institution, divorces, pornography and murder", said one of the speakers, Iffah Rohmah during a break in the action at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta on Tuesday March 8.

During the protest, a huge banner was unfurled. The protesters also brought small posters explaining their criticisms of capitalism. "Capitalist democracy fails to honor women", shouted the demonstrators, "Gender equality = capitalistic empty jargon".

Satisfied after giving speeches for around 40 minutes, the women demonstrators, all of whom were wearing veils, disbursed peacefully. The scores of police standing guard only appeared to monitor the action from a distance and were more focused on a workers' demonstration at the same location. (Ari/nwk)

[Slightly abridged translation by James Balowski.]