Responding to the street protests by students from several universities in Jakarta today, June 12, Amnesty International Indonesia's Executive Director Usman Hamid, said:
"Today, students from various Student Executive Boards (BEM) across Greater Jakarta (Jabodetabek) have again taken to the streets, bringing a number of critical demands that have long been a source of public concern. These include an evaluation of state budget (APBN) allocations, a reduction in the price of basic necessities, an end to the Free Nutritional Meals (MBG) and Red and White Village Cooperative programs, a rejection of the militarisation of civilian space and a demand that the president be open to public criticism.
We emphasise that freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are rights guaranteed by the Constitution and international human rights instruments.
Yet, the state's response in deploying thousands of joint personnel from the National Police (Polri) and the Indonesian Military (TNI) raises concerns about the potential for excessive use of force by the authorities. We urge the withdrawal of military forces from handling demonstrations. We urge the police to be persuasive and not repressive. The state is obliged to listen to their aspirations by correcting its policies.
Aside from this, the massive deployment of police and military personnel in public spaces often creates an intimidating effect on civilians who are exercising their constitutional rights.
Moreover, the involvement of TNI personnel in handling civil protests is highly problematic, because they are trained to fight an enemy, not for crowd control. Therefore, the presence of TNI personnel in securing demonstrations is not in accordance with the TNI's duties and functions, which are to maintain national defence against enemy threats.
Action participants are not enemies but citizens who have the right to express their aspirations peacefully through demonstrations. The state's duty is to provide a safe space for everyone who wishes to demonstrate and to listen to every aspiration expressed by the public.
The government must not turn a blind eye to the dark memory of the August 2025 Tragedy. At that time, excessive use of force by security forces resulted in mass arrests, the criminalisation of activists, the loss of life and injury to civilians, ultimately fuelling further violence.
The August 2025 Tragedy was a human rights violation that must not be repeated. Security forces are obliged to comply with the United Nation's Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms, which require that all action be proportionate, legal, and a last resort.
'Student demonstrations are not a threat to national security that must be met with or confronted with the power of the authorities. Therefore, the security forces must protect freedom of expression, and ensure the safety of every demonstrator'.
More importantly, the president and his officials must listen to and follow up on the demands voiced by students. The state must be able to respond to citizens' criticism and critical demands with an open ear, not with shields, batons, let alone firearms."
Background
Student Executive Boards from several universities in Greater Jakarta took to the streets today to hold a demonstration in Jakarta. They voiced at least five demands: stop wasting the state budget, lower the prices of basic necessities and fuel, end the MBG program, halt the construction of the Red and White Village Cooperatives, end militarism in the civilian sphere and urging President Prabowo Subianto to acknowledge the government's mistakes and not avoid public criticism.
In response to today's demonstration in Jakarta, the Jakarta Metropolitan Police (Polda Metro Jaya) and elements of the TNI deployed 4,151 joint personnel on the pretext of ensuring activity of expressing aspirations would proceed in a safe and orderly manner. The Metro Jaya Regional Police public relations head revealed to the media that 3,651 Polri and 500 TNI personnel were prepared.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Cegah militer tangani unjuk rasa, polisi harus lindungi dan Pemerintah wajib dengarkan aksi 12 Juni".]
