HOV Indonesia embraces youth, workers, women, urban poor, and young artists

Since its launch on 28 April 2008, HOV (Hands off Venezuela) Indonesia has become an active medium for discussions on the Venezuelan Revolution, especially around the issue of nationalization of the oil and gas industry in Indonesia, a central demand which has been rallied by nearly all youth and trade union militants, and has been welcomed with great enthusiasm. It has managed to reach out to various marginalized sectors of the population: the youth, workers, women, urban poor, and young artists.

On May 5^th, HOV Indonesia was invited by a group of revolutionary students from UNAS (National University of Jakarta) to talk about political development in Venezuela and the gains made there. The discussion was so informative and inspiring that one student decided to do his thesis on the Bolivarian Revolution. On May 24^th, a couple of weeks later, UNAS became a battleground when hundreds of police brutally attacked students inside the university who were protesting against fuel price increases. Tear gas was shot inside the campus and students were shot with rubber bullets. At the end 148 students were arrested and one student, Maftuh Fauzi, died from a head injury inflicted by the police. As has always been the case, the police and the state deny any responsibility and went as far as concocting a lie that Maftuh died of AIDS!

Women have been the most exploited layer of society in Indonesia. With the recent 30% increase in the price of fuel, women are bearing the brunt of this attack more than anyone else. On May 13^th, HOV Indonesia along with JNPM (Jaringan Nasional Perempuan Mahardhika or the Mahardhika Women National Network) organized a screening of No Volveran in response to this fuel price increase. Attended by dozens of urban poor housewives, this screening of No Volveran was followed by a discussion about the nationalization of the oil industry and how multinational oil companies cause this so-called "energy crisis".

HOV Indonesia was also able to attract the interests of street musicians and artists in the city of Bogor. On June 5, HOV Indonesia was invited by a group of young street artists, known as "Libertan", to talk about the gains made in Venezuela in their monthly political discussion group. "For us who are marginalized," said one of the members of Libertan, "doing the arts is political. And we are hearing that there is a mass movement that is capable of bringing revolution in Venezuela". At the end of the discussion, Libertan and HOV Indonesia agreed to hold more discussion groups in order to widen the understanding of socialism amongst street artists in Bogor.

No Volveran, which was premiered during the launching of HOV Indonesia, has become a very popular documentary. It has been screened by many organizations: youth, women, urban poor, students, and trade unions. The lessons of workers' control in the factory of Sanitarios Maracay is of particular interest amongst the workers. To date, more than 200 copies have been distributed across Indonesia by Rumah Kiri, a member of the HOV Indonesia campaign. This number is more likely to be higher since there are other organizations who are distributing this documentary which HOV Indonesia is not aware of.

The HOV Indonesia website too has become a leading source of information on the unfolding revolutionary process in Venezuela. Many articles have been translated into Bahasa Indonesia, which is providing militants at home with lessons from Venezuela. The launch of Hands Off Venezuela in Indonesia was also mentioned by Telesur, a Pan-Latin American television program (Campaña "Manos Fuera de Venezuela" llega hasta Indonesia).

In such a short time and with a minimal resources consisting of no more than a group of dedicated revolutionaries, the campaign has accomplished many things. As the revolution in Venezuela unfolds, and as the oppressed in Indonesia rise up to their historic task, this campaign will play an even more important role in linking up these struggles.