Manage Protestors Proportionally

The demonstrations in several regions should be managed proportionally and without violence. Dialogue is needed to solve emerging issues.

KOMPAS/KRISTIAN OKA PRASETYADI

Members of the North Sulawesi Student Action Committee were received by North Sulawesi Legislative Council (DPRD) members on Wednesday (25/5/2019) after five hours of demonstrating. Their nine demands were accepted by six members of the council and will be conveyed to the House of Representatives.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Dialogue must be held promptly in order to overcome differing views on a number of bills that have triggered a wave of protest across several regions. Proportional and non-violent action is also needed to manage demonstrations, like the one that was held at the Senayan legislative complex, Jakarta, on Wednesday (25/9/2019).

This is because many protesters were injured when they fell down during the demonstration on Tuesday, which started in the area around the legislature and ended in a melee. The Jakarta Metro Police recorded that 254 people received outpatient treatment as and 11 others received inpatient treatment as a result of the chaos, while 39 policemen were also injured.

Several public facilities, including the Transjakarta busway shelters in Senayan and Slipi Pejompongan, were also damaged in the incident.

Increased damage to public facilities and injury to protesters and police officers were expected as a mass demonstration was again held around the legislative complex. Unlike the protest on Tuesday, which generally involved university students, Wednesday’s demonstration involved students of vocational high schools (SMKs).

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

A demonstrator who was exposed to tear gas during a clash between protesters and security officers in front of the House of Representatives compound in Jakarta is taken to a health post near Palmerah railway station on Wednesday (25/9/2019). The demonstrators, dominated by students, were protesting problematic articles in the Criminal Code revision bill and demanding that the recently approved Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Law be revoked.

The SMK students – the majority of whom were still in their school uniforms – also declared their objections over a number of bills. However, they did not specify which bills they opposed.

The demonstration had started becoming unruly by the afternoon. Demonstrators started throwing stones, and riot police responded by firing tear gas. The police managed to quell the student action to the rear of the legislature at about 8:00 p.m., but were still trying to dispel the crowd of protesters in the Slipi area until midnight.

While the demonstration was underway, photos and videos circulated widely on social media, purporting to have captured the violent security response against protestors. Apart from their potential to create new problems to complicate the situation, the alleged police violence could prompt resentment and a new cycle of violence.

Commotion also marked the otherwise peaceful student demonstration at the West Sumatra Provincial Legislative Council (DPRD) on Tuesday, causing damage to several facilities.

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

People who were exposed to tear gas during a clash between protesters and security officers in front of the House of Representatives compound in Jakarta are treated at a health post near Palmerah railway station on Wednesday (25/9/2019). The demonstrators, dominated by students, were protesting problematic articles in the Criminal Code revision bill and demanding that the recently approved Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Law be revoked.

Peace

Former Constitutional Court chairman Jimly Asshiddiqie, clergyman Franz Magnis-Suseno, former legislator Abdillah Toha and Yenny Wahid, the daughter of former President Abdurrahman “Gus Dur” Wahid, called on security personnel to avoid the use of excessive force in managing the demonstrations that were held by students and other community groups. At the same time, they also called on the students to use peaceful and lawful means to give voice to their aspirations.

Dialogue should be held immediately to settle dissenting views, including on the revised Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Bill that was approved at a House plenary meeting, as well as other bills.

Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko said that President Joko Widodo had ordered for proportional and professional response to the protests. Anarchic and repressive methods were entirely undesirable. However, there were limits to patience, and emotion and exhaustion could lead to an uncontrollable situation.

With a view to avoiding such a development, Moeldoko made a general appeal that demonstrations should not be held at night.

Regarding the demonstrators’ demand for a perppu (government regulation in lieu of law) to annul the revised KPK Law, Moeldoko asked the public to refer to the existing legal mechanism of requesting a judicial review at the Constitutional Court.

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

Demonstrators and police officers clash during a rally outside the House of Representatives compound in Jakarta on Wednesday (25/9/2019). The demonstrators, dominated by students, were protesting problematic articles in the Criminal Code revision bill and demanding that the recently approved Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Law be revoked.

Separately, Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo asked regional administrations and DPRDs to receive and pass on the aspirations of student protestors in the regions. But the students should not be afraid to adapt their stance if other interests piggybacked their demonstrations.

Police reform

Indonesian Institute of Sciences researcher Sarah Nuraini Siregar said that the alleged police violence against protestors could disrupt police reform.

“The main idea behind Polri [National Police] reform is to abandon the militaristic culture by applying the paradigm of civilian police,” she said.

In this context, she continued, riot police assignments should be tightly controlled.

KOMPAS/PRIYOMBODO

Students are photographed in front of a police barricade in a demonstration near the House of Representatives compound in Jakarta on Wednesday (25/9/2019). Students from various schools in Greater Jakarta hit the streets in support of demonstrating university students.

National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Dedi Prasetyo said that it would take strict measures against any police officers found to have used excessive force in riot control. “Action must (also) be taken against rioters,” he said.

(AGE/EDN/OKA/ESA/JOL/SYA/SEM/FAI/INA/NTA/WAD/JOG/IRE/DEA)