Jakarta – Protesters from a number of different social organisations held demonstrations in front of the House of Representatives (DPR) building in Jakarta on Thursday August 22 to protest proposed revisions to the Regional Elections Law (UU Pilkada).
The actions took place from Thursday morning and continued into the night. Some demonstrators even arrived on the night before when they found out the DPR wanted to ratify the revisions to of the Regional Elections Law on Thursday morning.
Although in the end the DPR decided to cancel the revisions of the law, the mass actions on Thursday may well show that the people can still give the people's representatives a lesson.
DPR members pelted with bottles
The actions appeared to be calm and orderly from the morning until noon. But riots began when three DPR members wanted to meet with the protesters. They were the chairperson of the DPR's Legislation Body (Baleg) Wihadi Wiyanto, Baleg deputy chairperson Achmad Baidowi or Awiek and Baleg member Habiburokhman.
When they were about to meet with the demonstrators, the three representatives of the people were held back at the parliamentary complex exit gate because the protesters kept abusing them.
"The DPR is stupid, the DPR is stupid", shouted the crowd.
The three council members almost turned back because the situation was not favourable, but in the end they came out to meet the protesters.
Although they met with the demonstrators accompanied by Labour Party Chairperson Said Iqbal, the three did not get a warm welcome, and were pelted with bottles and various other items when they were about to speak from the demonstrator's command vehicle.
In the midst of the rain of missiles, Habiburokhman stated that the DPR would not enact the revisions to the Regional Elections Law. The protesters however did not believe him until finally the lawmakers got down from the command vehicle and returned to the DPR building.
But the three DPR members also had trouble walking back because of the large crowd, even though they were escorted by police. The demonstrators also kept throwing bottles at them and Habiburokhman was even hit in the head several times.
"Earlier we were hit several times, that’s one of the risks of the representatives of the people. In the past when it was us demonstrating in front [of the DPR] we liked to throw things too, so now that's okay. The point is that it's our people's aspirations that we're fighting for", said the politician from president elect Prabowo Subianto's Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra).
Protesters break down DPR fence
The presence of three DPR members did not reduce the tensions at the demonstration. The protesters were divided into two groups, namely those gathered at the main entrance gate to the DPR on Jalan Jenderal Gatot Subroto as well as those at the Pancasila Gate or the DPR's rear entrance gate.
The situation at the rear entrance began to heat up at around 2 pm when a number of participants forced their way into the parliamentary complex grounds to meet with DPR Deputy Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, also a senior member of the Gerindra Party.
"Bapak [Mr] police officers, if you don't want things to get difficult, call Sufmi Dasco. Call Sufmi Dasco", challenged a student in a speech in front of the Pancasila Gate on Thursday afternoon.
Sections of the fence surrounding the DPR were broken down one by one. A concrete fence in front of Jalan Gatot Subroto collapsed, while at the Pancasila gate students succeeded in breaking down the iron fence.
Police responded to this with acts of repression and tried to disperse the crowd. Demonstrators and police pushed and shoved each other and the police also sprayed water from water cannons and fired teargas at the protesters.
Police repression
After the sun set, the repression by the police became even more intense. Police fired teargas to disperse the crowd and officers riding trail motorbike were also mobilised to push back the protesters. The demonstrators scattered in disarray and not a few of them fell and were arrested by police.
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician Adian Napitupulu said that least 50 protesters were arrested by the police and those who were arrested were also injured.
"Earlier we saw some inside, there were some whose lips were split. They were from the BSI Kramat [98 University]. But we've asked for a lawyer, they filled out a power of attorney document", said Napitupulu at the Jakarta Metro Jaya Regional Police station on Thursday evening.
Napitupulu also asked the police to immediately release the protesters emphasising that they are fellow Indonesians who love Indonesia in a different way. "Now, they love Indonesia, love the Constitution. So, there is no reason to detain them for a long time", said Napitupulu.
Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid condemned the police violence against the protesters.
"They (the action participants) are not criminals, but citizens who want to criticise government officials and state institutions. Even if it violates the law, it should not be treated with brutal actions", said Hamid.
Meanwhile the head of the Metro Jaya Regional Police's public relations division, Senior Commissioner Ade Ary Syam Indradi, claimed not to know about the 50 protesters arrested by police.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Riuh Unjuk Rasa di DPR: Anggota Dewan Diteriaki, Massa Jadi Korban Represi".]
