Protest unrest continues to simmer in Indonesia after violent scenes at two universities in Bandung, West Java, when police fired tear gasoline and rubber bullets at protesters, Reuters reported, citing scholar group and authorities.
Hundreds of individuals gathered on the universities on Monday and Tuesday despite orders from Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto for the police and navy to take stern motion in opposition to rioters and looters after days of protests.
Ten folks have been killed in demonstrations which started peacefully final Monday over controversial housing perks for lawmakers however erupted on Thursday when an armored police car hit and killed a rideshare driver, in accordance to Reuters.
The unrest escalated over the weekend as hundreds of protesters throughout the sprawling archipelago set hearth to legislative buildings and looted parliamentarians’ houses.
Prabowo initially canceled a visit to China to take care of the turmoil however made a surprise appearance at a navy parade on Wednesday in Beijing marking 80 years because the finish of World War II.
Here’s what to know.
Economic and political frustration has been brewing for months beneath the management of Prabowo, who took workplace final October.
Rallies started final Monday exterior the House of Representatives in Jakarta as protesters, primarily made up of scholars and labor union members, objected to a month-to-month housing allowance of fifty million rupiah ($3,000) for lawmakers – greater than 10 instances the nationwide common month-to-month minimal wage.
Daniel Winarta, a consultant for the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta), stated a lot of the discontent centered across the worsening financial hardships for extraordinary Indonesians, as wages stagnate and dwelling prices rise.
“People’s purchasing power is low, and we are struggling here,” Winarta advised NCS. “Our parliamentary representatives are showing off their richness… These representatives are not representing us.”
On Thursday (August 28) night, an armored police car hit and killed rideshare bike driver Affan Kurniawan throughout a conflict between police and protesters in Jakarta.
His demise triggered extra protests into the weekend, spreading to different main cities throughout the nation.
Short-video app TikTok stated on Saturday it had suspended its reside function in Indonesia for just a few days to “keep TikTok a safe and civil space.”
Tense scenes broke out on Sunday when the navy was deployed to guard the presidential palace, whereas looters broke right into a home owned by Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati exterior the capital Jakarta.
Human rights teams have objected to the forceful crackdown from the police and navy. Since the protests started, the Indonesia National Police have arrested 3,195 folks throughout the nation, together with 1,240 folks within the capital Jakarta, government-run information company Antara reported Monday.
As of September 1, a minimum of 20 folks stay lacking as after attending rallies, the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS) stated in a press release.
Speaking at a press convention on the presidential palace and flanked by the leaders of varied political events on Sunday, Prabowo introduced that Indonesia’s political events had reached a consensus to scale back lawmakers’ advantages.
However, he additionally stated he had ordered the navy and police to take stern motion in opposition to rioters and looters and advised that parts of the violence resembled acts of terrorism and treason.
Amnesty International stated that attaching these labels to protesters ignored the underlying causes for the protest.
“Labeling public demonstrations with accusations of treason or terrorism is excessive, especially when it’s constantly presented with the narrative of ‘foreign interference’ and ‘stirring up conflict’ when people are demonstrating to voice their concerns about problematic government policies,” stated Usman Hamid, govt director of Amnesty International Indonesia.
“The president’s statement is insensitive to all the grievances and aspirations the public has voiced during the demonstrations.”
After Prabowo’s announcement, some college students and civil society teams known as off their protest on Monday, citing fears of heightened safety measures imposed after lethal riots throughout the nation on the weekend, Reuters reported.
Cho Yong Gi, a 22-year-old college scholar, stated Monday folks would probably proceed to categorical criticism of the federal government on social media.
“I don’t think there’s a fear to speak up, but there’s a fear that if you go to the street to do a demonstration, there might be undercover police or military personnel to arrest people.”
Prabowo, a former military common with a controversial previous, took over as president of the world’s third-largest democracy final October with guarantees to sort out corruption and enhance nationwide self-reliance.
But lots of his flagship insurance policies have been controversial, and the newest protests symbolize essentially the most important problem but to his management.
Demonstrations in opposition to Prabowo’s insurance policies started with the “Gelap Indonesia” (Dark Indonesia) motion in February 2025, which took intention at reforms to allocate extra civilian posts for navy officers, however quickly snowballed into social points together with police violence and corruption.
Prabowo’s free school lunch program has additionally been marred by mass meals poisoning circumstances throughout the archipelago, with lots of of individuals falling ailing since its launch in January. People had been already offended about cuts to street upkeep and different price range reallocations to fund this system.
Proposals to increase land and property taxes have additionally fueled anger, together with protests within the city of Pati in opposition to a proposal for a 250% property tax hike in Central Java, which was later withdrawn.
Human Rights Watch researcher Andreas Harsono advised NCS that Prabowo stays standard amongst his most fervent supporters and backers from the navy and enterprise elites.
However, Indonesians with “very scattered and very diverse” grievances don’t help him and need their voices heard, Harsono stated.
“It is less than a year, but we have seen at least three major protests since October last year when Prabowo took office,” he stated, referring to the latest protests, and different main demonstrations throughout Labor Day on May 1 and Independence Day on August 17.
Whether these protests reignite with renewed vigor to throw Prabowo out of workplace will rely on how the federal government responds to financial grievances, Harsono stated.
People are nonetheless upset at what’s seen as an absence of change and the federal government’s violent crackdown on the latest protests, Jorgiana Augustine, 28, advised NCS.
“The public anger has stemmed from a very long-term economic questions and this week’s events are just a catalyst,” she stated.
“We’re not going to be surprised if another protest happens again.”