Sustaining transnational activism between Indonesia and Hong Kong

This article explores the relationship between Migrant CARE, a migrant labor NGO in Indonesia, and the Indonesian Migrant Workers Union in Hong Kong and their potential to advocate for better protection of migrant workers’ rights by the Indonesian government. Indonesia’s transition into democracy, Hong Kong’s promotion of civil rights and the United Nations International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Their Families provide opportunities for advocacy activism for Indonesian migrant workers and the possibility of cross-border cooperation of organizations in these two places. Previous studies show cross-border linkages of activism between Indonesia and Hong Kong but they do not pay attention to the factors that could promote sustaining the network. This article shows that both organizations have different strategies, alliance formations and ideologies in their activism. The differences between these organizations weaken their advocacy.