Ridho Danu Prasetyo, Faieq Hidayat, Jakarta – The All Indonesia Student Executive Council (BEM SI) held a protest action in front of the House of Representatives (DPR) building in Senayan, Central Jakarta, on Thursday September 4.
The action, which was joined by students from various campuses, was titled "Save Indonesia" and took up 13 demands.
BEM SI representative Eko Prayogo said that although the demands were formulated by BEM SI itself, overall they were no different from the 17+8 People's Demands that have widely articulated on social media.
"Actually, there not much different from the 17+8 demands voiced on social media", said Prayogo in front of the DPR building on Thursday.
He said that the demands are still the same because the government has still not provided any response to the previous actions titled "Indonesia (C)emas 2025" (Anxious Indonesia 2025), a play on the government's much touted vision of "Indonesia Emas 2045" (Golden Indonesia 2045).
"So far, we, students, and civil society have taken to the streets several times. But there has been no response from either the executive or legislative branches", he said.
Furthermore, Prayogo also emphasised the need to release all demonstrators arrested by the police during the series of demonstrations over the past week.
Meanwhile the BEM SI's 13 demands are as follows:
1. Reduce DPR members' allowances now! The people are suffering, their representatives are partying, end the lavish lifestyles that rest on the people's suffering!
2. Pass the Asset Forfeiture Bill! Arrest and prosecute the corruptors and confiscate all their assets, exterminate those white-collar rats!
3. Completely reform the National Police (Polri) and the DPR! Cleanse the mafia, disband the power cartels and create institutions that are truly pro-people!
4. Release our comrades immediately! Stop the criminalisation of the student and people's movements!
5. Strongly condemning the repressive actions of the authorities! Stop the beatings, stop the tear gas, stop firing live ammunition at the people!
6. Completely reevaluate the Red and White Cabinet! Dismiss failed ministers, expel the oligarch whisperers, the people need leaders, not puppets!
7. Reform the Military Court Law! Don't allow impunity, try the human rights violators in people's courts, not sham courts!
8. The Criminal Code KUHP must side with the people! The law must not be a tool for criminalisation, the people need justice, not oppression!
9. Bring to justice police officers who kill the people! The people's blood is not a sacrifice, the rule of law must be enforced impartially!
10. Demanding 19 million jobs from the vice president! So this promise isn't just empty words, prove it to the people!
11. Improve the welfare of teachers and lecturers! Education comes from prosperous educators, not those left to suffer!
12. Reject the five military battalions and courts at Indonesian universities! Campuses are academically free spaces, not military bases!
13. Reject the dual-function positions in the government! End the dual power system that only perpetuates the oligarchy!
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Demo Selamatkan Indonesia di DPR, Ini 13 Tuntutan BEM SI".]
