April 10, 2025 | 09:51 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Advocacy Team for Democracy (TAUD) has reported that 83 individuals sustained injuries and 161 were arrested during demonstrations against the proposed revision to the Indonesian Military or TNI bill. These protests occurred over two periods: March 15-20 and March 21-28, 2025. TAUD also documented that 18 journalists were among those who experienced violence while covering the events.
"The victims of violence include not only the demonstrators but also journalists who were carrying out their duties," said Zainal Arifin, Chairperson of the Advocacy Division of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI), during a press conference held at the office of KontraS (Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence) in Central Jakarta on Thursday, April 10, 2025.
He further noted that some of the injured protesters had to bear the financial burden of their medical treatment. "Some were able to access assistance from civil society organizations, but the majority could not," he explained.
Muhammad Yahya Ihyaroza, a member of the Legal Division of KontraS, highlighted that this pattern of violence is not unprecedented. He mentioned that KontraS and YLBHI have been advocating for and urging the authorities to follow up on reports of such incidents. Their hope is to establish a clear legal mechanism to hold accountable authorities who commit violence against citizens expressing their opinions on the streets.
"From 2019 to 2024, we have submitted monitoring data to the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) and the National Police Commission (Kompolnas), but these reports have never been seriously addressed," he said.
Yahya explained that KontraS and YLBHI plan to press state institutions, including Komnas HAM, the National Commission on Violence Against Women, the Indonesian Ombudsman, and Kompolnas, to promptly investigate and take action regarding this recurring pattern of violence. They are also considering legal efforts, such as strategic litigation, to exert pressure on the relevant authorities.
"It is time for us to speak firmly: stop the violence against students and the people who are voicing their opinions," emphasized Zainal.
In addition to the reported physical violence, KontraS raised concerns about the deployment of plainclothes officers in the arrest of protesters, noting that some of these officers were seen carrying firearms within the crowds.
"This is a provocative tactic and often incites chaos," Yahya asserted. He also reported instances where protesters were arrested after the demonstrations had concluded, without prior summons or adherence to proper arrest procedures.
According to Yahya, such actions constitute administrative misconduct and procedural violations by law enforcement officials. "We will be submitting this report to the Indonesian Ombudsman for review as part of the investigation into public service failures," he said.
As previously reported, the deliberations on the TNI Bill by the House of Representatives and the government have been met with protests from students and civil society groups. A key reason for the opposition is the apprehension that the bill could potentially reinstate the dual function of the TNI, a controversial concept reminiscent of the "New Order" era, a period of authoritarian rule in Indonesia. Despite these concerns, the House of Representatives proceeded with the discussion and ultimately ratified the bill during a plenary session held on Thursday, March 20, 2025.
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