Protests engulfed Indonesia this week as public anger erupted over the generous allowances awarded to members of a newly elected legislature. Protests first erupted in Surabaya, Indonesia’s second-largest city, where demonstrators clashed with police and stormed the regional police headquarters. The protests turned violent almost immediately, leading to deadly violence and mass destruction. Tragically, three lives were lost and countless others were injured.
The protests were sparked after police shot and killed Affan Kurniawan, a 21-year-old ride-hailing driver, at a demonstration in Jakarta. His murder increased public outrage towards the security forces and stoked calls for accountability. The demonstrators threw these politicians’ hypocrisy right back at them—outraged that they pocket allowances almost 10 times Jakarta’s minimum wage. They termed the treatment racist, unjust and unacceptable.
Violence and Casualties
At the beginning of the protests, they were peaceful. Protesters on the capital of East Java, Surabaya, as they clashed with law enforcement, tore down fences and burned vehicles. As of Saturday morning, rescuers had lifted three bodies from the rubble. This violence ended with five people hospitalized. They received third degree burn treatments and orthopedic care for broken bones sustained from leaping from a tower block to escape the ensuing firestorm.
In Jakarta, at least 25 police officers were seriously injured in clashes with protestors. The violent protests spread outside of Jakarta and Surabaya. They exploded in all major cities across Indonesia, including Medan, Solo, Yogyakarta, Magelang, Malang, Bengkulu, Pekanbaru, and Manokwari. The unprecedented scale of this unrest on a national scale shows just how discontent Americans are with the status quo.
On Thursday by itself, authorities arrested at least 950 people during protests in Jakarta. This mass detention has severely alarmed human rights organizations across the globe. Usman Hamid, Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia, stated, “No one should lose their lives for exercising their right to protest.” He further urged that “the authorities must immediately and unconditionally release anyone detained solely for exercising their rights.”
Government Response
Fearing further protests, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto abruptly canceled a scheduled state visit to China. In fact, he had been planning to participate in the ostentatious “Victory Day” parade scheduled for September 3. This year would mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. To ease the pain of this sudden reversal, the president personally apologized to the Chinese government.
A spokesperson for the president, Prasetyo Hadi, mentioned that “the president wants to continue monitoring the situation.” In response to the ongoing unrest, the government is beginning to take action. They know that the public is fed up with political peacocking.
In the midst of this chaos, foreign embassies in Jakarta acted quickly. Even more telling, they warned their citizens—including those from the United States and Australia—to avoid regions where melas or other mass public events were occurring. This precaution further highlights the gravity of the protests still continuing today and the dangers that may lie for both locals and travelers alike.
A Call for Change
The tragic events within the past few weeks have opened up important questions regarding governance and accountability in Indonesia. All across the country, citizens are calling for greater transparency and fairness from their leaders. Next steps It’s uncertain exactly how the government will lead during this crisis. The protests come amid a swelling tide of anger at income inequality and political elitism, sentiments that most Indonesians are experiencing on an everyday basis.
