Shinta Maharani, Eko Ari Wibowo, Jakarta – Fifteen Student Executive Councils (BEM) spread across Yogyakarta and Central Java have sent a letter of protest to the management of the Populist All Indonesia Student Executive Council (BEM SI Kerakyatan) Alliance after four BEMs resigned from the alliance following a National Conference at the Dharma Andalas University in Padang, West Sumatra, on July 13-19.

The letter highlighted acts of violence at the forum, practical political practices and the BEM SI's closeness to the political elite, which they considered to have harmed the independence of the BEM SI Rakyat.

The fifteen BEMs consist of BEMs from the Soegijapranata Catholic University, the Sanata Dharma University, the Muhammadiyah University in Kudus, the Indonesian Teachers Association (PGRI) University of Semarang, the Muria University in Kudus, the Semarang University, the Wahid Hasyim University, the National Development University, the Semarang State University, the Amikom University of Yogyakarta, the Wijaya Kusuma University in Purwokerto, the Respati University in Yogyakarta, the Yogyakarta State University, the Slamet Riyadi University and the Yogyakarta Multi Media College.

The fifteen BEM chairpersons signed their respective BEM letterheads in a letter dated July 26, 2025. The mass protest letter was initiated by Soegijapranata Catholic University BEM Chairperson Ariendra Wirya Prananda and Muria Kudus University BEM Chairperson Abdullah In'am Maulana.

"We demand the restoration of the integrity of the BEM SI Kerakyatan and encourage the return of a pure and progressive student spirit", said Prananda in a press release sent via WhatsApp on Sunday July 27.

According to Prananda, the 15 student BEMs consider the National Conference to have deviated from the democratic values that should be the basis for the student movement. They urged the BEM SI Kerakyatan central coordinator to impose sanctions on those found guilty of committing violence, evaluate violations of the National Conference's standard operating procedures (SOPs) and restore the organisation's integrity so that it remains a healthy, critical and integral space for student struggle.

Unlike the four other BEMs that announced their resignation from the BEM SI Kerakyatan Alliance, these 15 BEMs are awaiting a response from the letter they sent to BEM SI Kerakyatan. "[We] demanded that the BEM SI Kerakyatan Central Coordinator provide a response within seven days of this statement being made", he said.

The two initiators of the protest letter left have it entirely up to each BEM to decide whether to leave or remain part of BEM SI Kerakyatan. Prior to this, the four BEMs that declared they would resign were the BEMs from the Gadjah Mada University (UGM), the Diponegoro University (Undip), the Tanjungpura University and Sultan Agung University.

They were disappointed because the BEM SI Kerakyatan invited politicians, regional officials, police officers and regional State Intelligence Agency (BIN) officials to the National Conference. Those attending the conference included the general Chairperson of the United Indonesia Party or Perindo, the Minister of Youth and Sports, the deputy governor of West Sumatra, the chief of the West Sumatra Regional Police and the regional head of BIN.

The National Conference also received a wreath of flowers with congratulations and messages of success from the regional BIN. The 15 BEMs consider the attendance of political elites and security forces to undermine the independence of the student movement.

UGM BEM KM Chairperson Tiyo Ardianto believes that the involvement of state officials in the National Conference undermines student independence. "We want to maintain the independence of the movement", Ardianto said when contacted by Tempo on Monday July 21.

Rifaldi, a member of the BEM SI Kerakyatan National Conference committee, stated that the presence of state officials was part of the opening ceremony initiated by the West Sumatra Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda). He emphasised that the invitation was technical and does not affect the movement's independence.

"We are committed to ensuring that this does not interfere with our independence in criticising those in power" , said Rifaldi.

BEM SI Kerakyatan Media Coordinator Pasha Fazillah Afap called the phenomenon of BEMs joining and leaving the national alliance as a common dynamic. "This has happened repeatedly throughout the history of the alliance", said Afap in a statement on Wednesday July 23.

Afap believes that differences of opinion within the student movement are normal as long as they are carried out in good faith and not to shape public opinion that is misleading.

– Eka Yudha Saputra and Novali contributed to writing this article

[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "15 BEM Kirim Surat Protes Munas BEM SI".]

Source: https://www.tempo.co/politik/15-bem-kirim-surat-protes-munas-bem-si-2051694