If you have been online, or heard about world news recently, you have probably heard of the revolution in Nepal. The government was overthrown due to a majority of Gen Z protestors standing up to the corrution and inequality they saw in their government. In fact, these protests didn’t start there. Many Gen Z protests have happened in countries around the world in recent months.
If you have paid extra attention to the images on social media of these protests, there is something in common. The straw hat pirate flag has been a constant presence with these young protestors, becoming a symbol worldwide to connect and empower their movement.
What is the Straw Hat Pirate Flag?
The flag shown in the image at the top of the article is the Jolly Roger flag. Many who have watched the show, or read the manga, One Piece, already know what it is. According to CNN.com, “To One Piece fans, the flag symbolizes Luffy’s quest to chase his dreams, liberate oppressed people, and fight the autocratic World Government.” It was flown by many of the Gen Z protestors in late 2023 in Indonesia, and has become a symbol for youth protests around the world. The flag was flown in Madagascar, France, Peru, the Phillipines, Morocco, and in the United States, according to npr.com.
Protests in Indonesia started August 25th
According to @Aveworld1, Indonesia has the 4th highest population in the whole world with 270 million people, with 56% of those people living in just 50,000 square miles. If you think about it in terms of size, that is about 5,000 square miles smaller than North Carolina.
The World Bank reports this statistic on their economic status, “68.3 were poor according to the line typical of upper middle-income countries…As always, Indonesia’s national poverty line remains the most relevant measure for country-specific policy discussions.” You can see how this gap in wealth can cause friction for over half of the citizens of that country, confined to such a small part of that country.
The protests started in the weeks before Indonesia’s Independance Day. According to The Guardian, “Thousands of students, workers and activists demonstrated outside the nation’s parliament…against a monthly housing allowance of 50 million rupiah ($US3,075) for MPs, which is almost 10 times the Jakarta minimum wage. The demonstrators demanded the abolition of what they view as lavish allowances, which are in addition to lawmakers’ salaries.” This additional money being given to the government MPs, was in additional to their current pay, a housing bonus. While this was happening, the President cut funds to public agencies, causing the citizens to reach a breaking point; “The anger comes amid strict austerity measures implemented by President Prabowo, including cuts to education, health and public works.”
The protests happened outside of the parliament and additionally featured talks of the military’s growing involvement in the country. This led to clashes between the police and protestors for days. The government negotiated with the protestors, and removing the lawmakers’ bonuses. Though these protests have ended, they became a huge inspiration for other revolutions around the world, and the Straw Hat Pirate Flag flew at these protests.
Protests in Nepal started September 9th
According to mountgloryadventures.com, Nepal is a country that lies between India and China, and is like a bridge between the two, with a beautiful landscape that includes the Himalayas mountains in the north, and is the site of many stunning Buddhist and Hindu temples. Nepal made the news with other headlines due to the Gen Z revolution that took place two months ago. Nepal is home to about 30 million people with 40% of the population being classified as Gen Z.
According to CNN, protests started after Indonesia and became known as the Nepo Kid campaign; “Anger against the government for what many view as rampant, decades-long corruption was already simmering, and it spilled into the streets of the capital last week after the government blocked social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube and X, in a move that was widely criticized by rights groups. Organizers say the protests are not only about the social media ban but also reflect generational frustration at poor economic opportunities.” The unrest came because the government said that these apps were banned to fight against fake news and hate speech, but many Nepalese, who rely on these apps to get news and entertainment from the rest of the world, called this an authoritarian act. This led to clashes between police and protestors that resulted in 19 deaths.
In the end, many government buildings were damaged. Much of the government was forced to resign or leave the country. This revolution showed the world that it is possible to make change by just the sheer number of people fighting for one cause. This was a historical step, and it led to even more protests across the world.
Protests in Madagascar started September 25th
Madagascar is a large island in southern Africa with some of the most unique nature in all of the world, but they are also one of the poorest countries in the world. According to worldbank.org, “Madagascar, the world’s fifth-largest island, lies in the Indian Ocean off the coast of southern Africa. Its population, estimated at 30.3 million in 2023, faces persistently high poverty.”
Many started protesting in September and October due to the inadequate food and water supply and subpar living conditions afforded to lower income people in the country. According to WSUP, “Two thirds of people in the capital Antananarivo live in informal settlements, very little of the city’s waste is treated effectively and only a small area has sewers. This has a huge impact on the health, safety and dignity of those living in low-income communities.” With these conditions, the protests grew larger and larger until eventually an elite group of the Malagasy military joined these protestors and launched a coup against the former president.
In mid-October, the BBC reported, “CAPSAT chief Col Michael Randrianirina said the military would form a government and hold elections within two years…Gen Z protesters will be part of the changes because ‘the movement was created in the streets so we have to respect their demands.'” The former president’s citizenship was revoked by the new government. Though there are doubts of the new government, this event was the start of a new set of protests in the continent of Africa.
Africa has the world’s youngest population out of all of the continents, and it is also the most impoverished continent. The revolutions in Indonesia, Madagascar, and Nepal have inspired much of world’s youth to see the results of taking a stand against corruption and injustice in the world.
What Does this Means for the World?
There is always tension found in the world, whether through protest or war. What has happened recently is something new all together. This is a global movement across continents that has been made possible due to connections on the internet and social media, bringing young people together in ways never available before. The protestors have found a symbol to unite them in their fight against oppressive authority and corruption; the Jolly Rodger flag is flying in, “Indonesia, the Philippines, East Timor, Peru and Morocco.” according to NBCNews.
In full detail, this is a global movement among young people meant to bring down corrupt authority and make the world a more just place to live; this is the start of something bigger in our lifetimes.