Photo credit; Asia Democracy Chronicles
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ASIA DEMOCRACY CHRONICLES No Hear, No Action

Protests in Cities Draw Little Response From Indonesian Government

This story and lead image were produced by Asia Democracy Chronicles.

Cities across Indonesia are now relatively quiet after the late-August protests that stretched into the early days of September. But resentment still lingers, with many Indonesians dissatisfied with the government’s response.

A fresh protest movement called “Gerakan 17+8 (17+8 Movement)” began online almost as soon as the street demonstrations ebbed. Initiated by social media activists, the movement aims to unite voices from all walks of life around 17 short-term and eight long-term demands to improve transparency and accountability in public governance.

Of Gerakan 17+8’s short-term demands, the top three are: withdrawing the military from civilian affairs; establishing an independent task force to investigate the deaths of protesters; and canceling allowance increases for lawmakers. 

Long-term demands include reforming the House of Representatives with transparent audits, canceling tax increases, and requiring financial transparency among political parties, including the establishment of a genuine opposition to keep the system democratic.

The housing allowance increase and the military’s presence in civilian activities were among the main triggers for thousands of Indonesians to flood the streets in protest across the nation in August and September. 

In response, President Prabowo Subianto’s administration eventually reduced perks enjoyed by members of the House, including the controversial housing allowance. It also ordered regional governments to roll back land and building taxes. But it has resisted calls to send the military back to the barracks, or initiate political reforms that would make the legislature more accountable and democratic discourse thrive.

No independent body was created to investigate the protester deaths—at least 10 people were killed and hundreds injured. Instead, police have continued the crackdown that began during the protests, arresting more than 3,000 people as of Sept. 3, branding them as “instigators” and “anarchists.”

“It’s like our demands are falling on deaf ears,” said one activist with a Jakarta-based non-government organization. “They are failing to understand the root of the problem and refuse to make improvements.”

Mafia, not the masses?

Prabowo has described the protests as “acts of treason” orchestrated by a “mafia.” Observers and activists, however, have accused authorities of downplaying the demonstrations by trying to control online and mainstream media coverage.

In late August, a document allegedly issued by the Jakarta Regional Broadcasting Commission (KPID) circulated on social media, urging 66 TV and radio stations not to broadcast content on the demonstrations.

The Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Komdigi) quickly dismissed the allegation, saying broadcasters were free to air the protests but should follow journalistic ethics and avoid “provocation.”

Meanwhile, many Indonesians reported difficulties on social media. A 20-something activist, for instance, turned to platforms like X to monitor the protests and show support since she could not join them.

But she was surprised to find very few posts covering the protests, with some disappearing even as she scrolled. She said she could not “like” or repost videos, and her commentary post on Instagram was suddenly hidden from public view.

“The government thought it was an appropriate response to calm the situation,” she said. “I was so angry that the government did not see the roots of the problem but instead chose to silence critics.”

Ajip (not his real name), a motorcycle taxi (ojol) driver, also struggled to post videos during the protests. The 28-year-old father of two was among those who gathered in front of parliament beginning Aug. 25, with grievances that included allowances, wages, taxes, and education.

On Aug. 28, a police tactical vehicle hit and killed 21-year-old ojol driver Affan Kurniawan as authorities clashed with demonstrators near parliament. Ajip said it was then that he decided to spread the word about what the protests were really about. Yet every time he tried posting videos on TikTok, a message popped up saying he had violated the platform’s content policies.

“I wasn’t able to post videos during demonstrations, which is weird,” said Ajip. “We ended up using WhatsApp to inform others that we must continue the fight. Kurniawan’s death will not be forgotten.”

Digital rights violations

The protests escalated after videos of Kurniawan’s death spread widely. Enraged demonstrators set fire to public buildings and police vehicles across Indonesia and attacked the homes of some legislators and government officials.

To Damar Juniarto, founder of the Indonesia Digital Antidisinformation Working Group (Kondisi), the social media restrictions were “proof” that content moderation was being “applied unilaterally.”

“And this kind of censorship,” he told Asia Democracy Chronicles (ADC), “leads to democratic backsliding.”

Several influencers said they were separately approached by unknown entities and offered large sums to post government-scripted reels. Jerome Polin, a prominent influencer with 9.4 million Instagram followers, said he was offered IDR150 million ($9,100) but refused. “Don’t let your guard down,” Polin wrote. “We are entitled to get transparency of where our tax money went!”

No one from the government has come forward to refute or explain the allegations. Komdigi officials, however, denied restricting social media content during the protests.

Deputy Minister Nezar Patria told state-owned news agency ANTARA that platforms were summoned not about the demonstrations, but regarding “content moderation, which has been ongoing for some time.”

“We’ve long collaborated to ensure platforms comply with community guidelines and regulations,” Nezar said.

The Southeast Asia Freedom of Expression Network (SAFENet), a civil society group focused on digital rights, documented at least 65 violations between Aug. 25 and Sept. 5. These included digital attacks, internet access restrictions, fake news operations, excessive moderation, hate speech, and online gender-based violence, often targeting protesters and their allies.

“The situation on the ground … shows practices that allegedly violate the principle of freedom of expression in the digital space by the government and social-media platforms,” SAFENet said in late August. It noted the patterns mirrored disruptions during earlier demonstrations, when protesters also struggled to access the internet.

Investigating without official blessing?

On Sept. 12, six state institutions announced they would form a fact-finding team to assess the broader impact of the protests and riots, including deaths, injuries, trauma, economic damages, and destruction of public property.

The six human-rights bodies are the National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan), the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), the Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK), the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI), the National Commission on Disability (KND), and the Ombudsman.

President Prabowo, however, denied approving the team’s formation. While the group is continuing its work, doubts remain that Komnas HAM’s call for government support “for the sake of upholding truth and justice” will be heeded.

For ordinary Indonesians like Ajip, life has returned to grueling workdays with little to show for their effort. He said he joined the protests after news broke that lawmakers’ housing allowance would rise to IDR50 million ($3,000) — even as taxes climbed and the government urged citizens to tighten belts during an economic slowdown.

Ajip was already struggling to feed his family on IDR150,000 ($9) a day when rice prices jumped from IDR14,000 to IDR16,000 per kilo.

Then came revelations of a rice blending scheme in which producers mixed premium and low-quality rice to deceive consumers. The scandal forced production slowdowns, worsening scarcity and price hikes.

“I felt betrayed and deceived, all of us,” said Ajip, who works 12-hour days on his motorcycle, rain or shine. “Why did they do something evil like that?”

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