Indonesia Criminalizes Premarital Sex

A new criminal code is being imposed which will restrict sex before marriage. Doing so would result up to a year in jail if charged. Indonesia has democratic structures, but religion undermines them. The law also places restrictions on cohabitation between unmarried couples . Foreigners visiting or temporarily in Indonesia are not exempt from the criminal code. Women are going to be impacted by this disproportionately. The conservative interpretation of Islam is not compatible with a democratic system. Indonesia is placing more restrictions on its citizens personal freedom. The president or state institutions are not to be vituperated. Protests are  now going to have authorized notification before taking place. Expressing views that do not support state ideology could result in punishment. The new criminal codes will go into effect three years. How the law will be enforced and regulated remains uncertain. Indonesia could be falling back into a regime similar to that of Suharto. The awful legacy of the colonial criminal code still haunts the country. Attempts to change it were done in 2019, but failed. The motivation for President Joko Widodo is clear. Upcoming elections are the reason he wanted the bill passed in parliament. Votes can be gained from the more conservative religious constituents and opposition parties can be censored. The law is presented as protecting family values and Islam. What it is designed to do is create a semi-authoritarian regime. Indonesia gradually could be come more theocratic in the coming years. Women, the LGBT, and the tourism industry are going to be negatively impacted. Investments from other nations might be withdrawn from Indonesia. A theocratic regime cannot produce stability or economic progress.  

Ali Khamenei's Remarks on Women

 

Ali Khamenei the Supreme Leader of  Iran stated that "women are the stronger gender." He went on to praise their wisdom, decision making skills, and diplomacy. The irony is that the women of Iran enjoy few freedoms and rights. The morality police targeted women and in highly religious societies various restrictions are placed on them. After a series of protests the morality police were disbanded in Iran. The police force was created in 2006 to ensure the religious values of the Islamic republic. Women were harassed over the dress code. Not wearing a hijab started off with a warning. Then arrests were being made for violations. The Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei could have stopped these abuses. The laudation he gave in this video was more about presenting himself as women's allies. An authoritarian theocracy is never going to advocate for women's rights or well being. The current protests will not dissipate until Iranian women's demands are met. The removal of the morality police is not enough considering decades of grievances.  

President Pedro Castillo Has Been Removed From Office

 

Peru is facing a constitutional crisis. When President Pedro Castillo attempted to dissolve the Congress, more discord emerged . The move was a way to avoid impeachment proceedings. His arrest does pose an issue. If impeachment proceedings never occurred and a formal removal from office never took place this could violate the constitution. President Pedro Castillo has been accused of inciting rebellion and constitutional violations. A trial has not been scheduled nor is there evidence at the moment of corruption. Dina Bolurate has been selected to finish up Castillo's term. That means she will be president until 2026. Peru's situation parallels Bolivia's political crisis. A left-wing president being deposed by right-wing opposition has become too common in Latin America. Leftist governments even though they are legitimately elected, they  are not allowed to rule. Peaceful and orderly transfers of power are disappearing. South America might be reverting to how it was in the 19th century. Extreme political factionalism,  erratic transfers of power, and authoritarian like political structures. According to reports, Castillo appeared to be making an attempt to leave the country. This indicates possible political persecution. Much of the discontent comes from an increase in fuel and fertilizer prices. This caused Peruvians to hold demonstrations. Farmers and lorry drivers were the most effected by the price rise. Imposing a curfew and a state of emergency reduced support for the Castillo presidency.    

Tech Companies Continue Layoffs

 

Tech companies are continuing to layoff workers. This comes at a time when inflation and rising food prices remain an economic challenge. Twitter, Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft have been laying off workers between the months of October to November. The massive amount of job loss demonstrates that the concept of job security is non-existent . Job loss can effect both skilled and unskilled workers. Education was thought to be a  gateway to better career opportunities. Coders and software engineers find themselves vulnerable in a neoliberal capitalist system, even though they have useful skills. It has been cited that the layoffs are  the result of changes in buying behavior of customers. The pandemic might not be over, but there has been some control established. Tech companies claim that it was a hiring spree done during the pandemic and it can no longer afford to keep every worker. The claim lacks cogency considering these companies generate immense profits. Microsoft's programs are used in numerous offices, schools, and for personal computers. The layoffs could be a preemptive measure for large tech companies that suspect a recession is coming. This has not been confirmed by economists, but still could be a possibility. The CEOs of the major tech giants did this for a more obvious reason. Increasing their pay is more important to them than having employees. To counter the effects of thousands of layoffs, the remaining employees will do more work. The change does not ensure an increase in wages or salaries. Promotions are not guaranteed either for extra labor. While motives of are not clear, one assertion can be made with certainty. The global economy is in a poor condition. Other sectors could see mass layoffs in the coming months.