Surabaya – Protesters calling themselves the Surabaya People's Challenge Alliance held a demonstration in front of the Grahadi State building in Surabaya, East Java, on Monday June 15. The action was held as a form of protest against a number of government policies that are considered detrimental to society.
According to CNN Indonesia's monitoring at the location, the crowd, most of whom were dressed casually, unfurled posters and banners with a tone of protest. They also took turns delivering speeches.
"This country has chronic disease, impunity, oligarchy, corruption and the abduction of activists", said one of the speakers through a megaphone.
Surabaya People's Challenge Alliance action coordinator Muhammad Ichsan Aditya said that the action took up eight main demands, which were a response to a number of policies enacted by the government and the House of Representatives (DPR) recently.
"This is our response from the Surabaya People's Challenge Alliance to take up eight of the most crucial demands which today is our response when the Polri [National Police] Law was passed recklessly and when the 2025 TNI [Indonesian Military] Law became a red carpet militaristic practices that today is increasingly widespread and massive", said Ichsan.
Apart from highlighting the ratification of the National Police and TNI laws, the protesters also criticised the implementation of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) and the Red and White Village Cooperatives programs. Ichsan believes that these programs were carried out without careful planning and without going through adequate academic studies, thereby burdening the state budget (APBN).
"The MBG program which we remember has inflated the APBN in terms of education and in other important aspects which of course has inflated society's rights", he said.
This action was also a response to national economic conditions which, according to Ichsan, are increasingly worrying. He highlighted the weakening of the rupiah exchange rate against the US dollar, which is approaching 18 thousand rupiah, with the potential for further weakening according to predictions by a number of economists.
Ichsan added that this situation was made worse by the trend of increasing fuel (BBM) prices. He believes that a potential crisis could occur in various sectors due to all these factors.
"Due to this condition, we see that there is starting to be an increase in BBM [prices] and so on, which of course means that in the future we cannot imagine [what will happen] if we will run out of stock and so on. Of course, a crisis could occur in all sectors starting from the economy on the basis of APBN wastage that has been carried out by the administration", he said.
On the other hand, Ichsan also highlighted human rights issues which he said were still far from being resolved. He said that a number of cases of gross human rights violations have not yet obtained justice.
"Today we are still witnessing gross rights violations that still cannot be prosecuted", he said.
The Surabaya People's Challenge Alliance also highlighted the impact of militaristic practices on indigenous communities. Ichsan said that indigenous peoples' rights to their land and natural resources were increasingly threatened by exploitation carried out during the era of President Prabowo Subianto's administration.
"The issue we are taking up is that through the practice of militarism, the rights of indigenous peoples to their nature, and also the exploitation of nature that has been carried out by the Prabowo administration", he said.
Ichsan emphasised that they are urging the DPR to revoke a number of laws which are deemed to have been passed hastily. They also demanded that the government immediately carry out reforms within the National Police, especially regarding the alleged criminalisation of activists.
"We hope for a commitment from the government regarding what is happening in today's economic situation. We demand that the DPR revoke [the National Police Law revisions], and the government issue regulations regarding the reckless enactment of the law, as well as demanding action for what the police are doing, starting from the criminalisation of activists to the reform of Polri that we hope for", he said.
Ichsan explained that today's activities represent the opening action of the Surabaya people's movement which would continue with subsequent actions on a larger scale.
"This is part of our response, the response of the ordinary people of Surabaya and the Surabaya people's movement. We hope that there can be actions in the future that are even more massive. Today maybe an opening for actions in the future that are even more massive", he said.
He gave assurances that today's protest would be peaceful and conducive, with the protesters filling the action with a series speeches, poetry readings and theatrical performances.
This demonstration was not only attended by students, but also academics, workers and other elements of civil society, including hawkers, online motorcycle taxis drivers (ojek) and street vendors.
"Don't discriminate against poor people, yeah please. We also want to be prosperous and want justice, so I joined in selling from my cart like this, I'm proving I can do it, if the government sees me, please don't increase BBM prices, just lower it, we're really ask for help, don't be like this Pak [Sir]", said Ike Wijayanti (40), a roving coffee seller who also took part in the speeches.
The following are eight demands of the Surabaya People's Challenge Alliance action:
1. Revoke the 2026 National Police Law
2. Revoke the 2025 TNI Law
3. Return the military to the barracks
4. Stop the MBG program
5. Stop the Red and White Village Cooperatives program
6. Lower fuel prices
7. Stabilise the value of the rupiah
8. Stop the exploitation of nature
(frd/isn)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Demo Aliansi Surabaya Menggugat Suarakan 8 Tuntutan".]
