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Police in spotlight for turning blind eye to anonymous raids on discussions, protests
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Activists carry posters of aspirations while participating in the Global Climate Strike in Jakarta on Sept. 27, 2024. The action demanded the government make greater efforts to protect the environment. (Antara/Sulthony Hasanuddin)
H
uman rights organizations have denounced the disbanding of multiple public discussions and peaceful protests by “unknown” individuals over the past week, and the police’s apparent indifference to the cases has raised suspicions that the force is aiding in President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s efforts to hold on to power at the cost of civil liberties.
On Friday, an attack was launched on the Global Climate Strike, a peaceful demonstration held in Menteng Park in Central Jakarta that highlighted “seven deadly sins committed by the Mulyono regime”, with Mulyono referring to President Jokowi’s birth name. Jokowi’s critics have increasingly been using the name, which Jokowi’s parents believed had been bringing him bad luck and sickness and so changed, in protest against the outgoing President’s apparent abuses of state power to solidify his political dynasty.
The protest was dissolved by a group of people shouting “disperse!” and seizing several items, such as mannequins, posters, banners and loudspeakers, said the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) in a statement on Saturday.
“At the same time, the police who were on duty guarding the peaceful protest just stood there watching the disbandment,” the YLBHI continued.
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The Forum Tanah Air (Homeland Forum), a dialogue on national issues involving members of the Indonesian diaspora and national figures, including vocal government critics Abraham Samad and Said Didu, experienced similar acts of aggression at the South Jakarta hotel where it was hosted.
