Indonesian students march in Jakarta with eight demands on independence, economy and military role

Students from the University of Indonesia (UI) and the National Student Front (FMN) held a demonstration in Central Jakarta on Tuesday (18 August), putting forward eight demands covering economic policy, corruption, agrarian reform, disaster management and the role of the military and police in civilian affairs.

The demonstration, held under the banner #MerebutKemerdekaan, or #ReclaimIndependence, came a day after Indonesia marked the 81st anniversary of its independence.

The students had planned to gather at the Hotel Indonesia Roundabout (Bundaran HI), but their movement towards the site was blocked by police. The group was stopped on Jalan Sudirman, about one kilometre from Bundaran HI, before continuing towards the roundabout on foot.

Students continue towards Bundaran HI

The students had initially travelled from the UI campus in Depok towards Central Jakarta.

According to BBC News Indonesia, dozens of buses that had been hired to transport the students subsequently cancelled, forcing them to use public transport to reach Jakarta.

UI student representatives attempted to negotiate with police to allow the group to proceed to Bundaran HI, but the request was rejected.

The students then got out of the vehicles they had been using and continued on foot.

Police repeatedly instructed the protesters not to force their way forward. The students nevertheless continued marching while delivering speeches and chanting slogans.

The group included students wearing UI's distinctive yellow jackets.

At around 2pm, according to Kompas, the group was stopped on Jalan Sudirman. Students were instructed not to continue towards Bundaran HI in the vehicles they had been using. They subsequently formed a line and marched towards the roundabout.

Eight demands presented

The demonstration's eight demands addressed a range of political, economic and social issues.

The students called for:

1. An end to what they describe as the state's colonisation of its own people.
2. An end to corruption, collusion and nepotism.
3. The implementation of genuine agrarian reform.
4. Lower prices for basic necessities and fuel.
5. A comprehensive evaluation of National Strategic Projects (PSN), as well as an end to the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme and the Village and Urban Co-operative Programme (KDMP).
6. An end to the centralisation of power and cuts to transfers to regional governments (TKD), together with the restoration of regional autonomy.
7. The declaration of national disaster status for affected areas of Sumatra and Flores and accelerated recovery in disaster-hit areas.
8. An end to what the students describe as repression and intervention by the Indonesian Military (TNI) and National Police (Polri) in civilian spaces, as well as the dissolution of YON TP.

The demands were displayed on posters carried by demonstrators and announced during speeches.

Students question independence

BEM UI Chairman Yatalathof Imawan said the demonstration was intended to question the meaning of independence for Indonesians today.

The protest took place one day after the country's Independence Day celebrations.

“We took to the streets not to celebrate, but to ask loudly: what kind of independence are we celebrating?” Yatalathof said, according to BBC News Indonesia.

He questioned whether the independence being celebrated was the same independence fought for by Indonesia's founders 81 years ago.

Yatalathof had previously said that the demonstration would leave UI in Depok at around 11am, with the students scheduled to arrive at Bundaran HI and begin the action at about 1pm.

The protest was organised under the theme #MerebutKemerdekaan, which BEM UI said was intended to express students' concerns over conditions they believed remained unresolved in Indonesia.

Economic and government policies criticised

Fatimah Azzahra, deputy chairwoman of BEM UI, said the eight demands were connected by what she described as a growing imbalance between state power and the position of citizens.

“All our demands have a common thread, showing a state that is becoming stronger and a people who are becoming weaker,” she said, according to BBC News Indonesia.

She also criticised what she described as an imbalance between the executive and legislative branches, arguing that members of the House of Representatives had become representatives of their respective political parties.

The students' demands included calls for lower prices of basic necessities and fuel, an end to cuts in transfers to regional governments, and the restoration of regional autonomy.

They also called for a review of National Strategic Projects and an end to MBG and KDMP.

Calls for national disaster status

The students also called for national disaster status to be declared for affected areas of Sumatra and Flores.

Their demand comes as authorities continue responding to disasters in Indonesia, including the earthquake in East Nusa Tenggara.

A student identified as Tiara told BBC News Indonesia that the government should take a more serious approach to disaster victims.

She also criticised President Prabowo Subianto's response to recent disasters, saying she believed his response during the Independence Day period had not sufficiently reflected the situation faced by victims.

Another student, Aslan, linked the demand for greater regional autonomy to government budget cuts.

He argued that reduced transfers to regional governments had limited the ability of local authorities to respond to disasters and carry out recovery operations.

Student criticism of PSN, MBG and mining

Another demonstrator, Rafa, said the demand concerning the end of what students describe as state “colonisation” was particularly significant to him.

He linked the issue to National Strategic Projects, the MBG programme, KDMP and mining activities in Papua.

“With PSN, MBG, KDMP and mining extraction extending to Papua, this country has become a coloniser in our own country,” Rafa said, according to BBC News Indonesia.

The students also called for genuine agrarian reform and an end to corruption, collusion and nepotism.

Police restrict access to Bundaran HI

Police stopped the students from continuing to Bundaran HI in their vehicles, prompting them to continue the journey on foot.

The Jakarta Metropolitan Police had deployed 9,242 joint personnel across the capital on Tuesday to secure 31 demonstrations and 16 public activities.

According to a statement attributed to Polda Metro Jaya public relations chief Senior Commissioner Budi Hermanto, the deployment consisted of 5,670 personnel from Polda Metro Jaya, 222 personnel from police units in its jurisdiction, 1,500 Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel and 1,850 personnel from National Police headquarters.

Police said the security deployment was intended to maintain public order while allowing demonstrations and other activities to proceed.

Budi said officers assigned to demonstrations were instructed to act professionally and humanely, and were not permitted to carry firearms.

Police had also said demonstrators should consider the interests of other members of the public while exercising their right to express their views.

Students march after leaving vehicles

According to Kompas, students travelling in public-transport vehicles were stopped on Jalan Sudirman at around 2pm and instructed not to continue towards Bundaran HI in the vehicles.

The students subsequently got out, formed a larger group and began walking towards the roundabout.

Police maintained a line of personnel between the demonstrators and the intended protest location.

The vehicles used to transport the protesters were advised to park.

Kompas also reported that 24 Kopaja drivers were allegedly intimidated into refusing to transport BEM UI protesters.