The UN has urged Indonesia to investigate the use of excessive force after at least seven people were killed during nationwide protests, amid concerns that another 20 people have gone missing.
The demonstrations, initially peaceful, erupted into violence targeting the country’s elite paramilitary police after a video surfaced showing one of their units running over 21-year-old delivery driver Affan Kurniawan on 28 August.
Since then, protests have spread from Jakarta to other major cities, marking the most severe unrest since president Prabowo Subianto assumed office less than a year ago.
Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN’s human rights office, stressed that security forces must respect international standards on the use of force, protect freedoms of assembly and expression, and allow independent media coverage.
She said: “We are following closely the spate of violence in Indonesia in the context of nationwide protests over parliamentary allowances, austerity measures and alleged use of unnecessary or disproportionate force by security forces.
“We stress the importance of dialogue to address the public’s concerns,” she added in a statement.
“The authorities must uphold the rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression while maintaining order, in line with international norms and standards, in relation to the policing of public assemblies,” she said.
“We call for prompt, thorough, and transparent investigations into all alleged violations of international human rights law, including with respect to use of force.
“It is also important that the media is permitted to report on events freely and independently.”
A human rights group has warned that at least 20 people are missing amid a week of violent protests that have swept across multiple cities in Indonesia.
“Based on public reports submitted to KontraS ... as of September 1, there were 23 reports of missing persons. After the search and verification process, 20 missing persons remain unfound,” according to a statement released by the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS).
The unrest had been fuelled by soaring joblessness and rising prices, with protesters also demanding an end to what they view as extravagant housing perks for lawmakers.
On Sunday, Mr Subianto responded to the nationwide protests by announcing cuts to housing allowances and a suspension of overseas trips for parliamentarians.
Speaking alongside leaders of eight political parties, he confirmed a new moratorium on these benefits, following public outrage over revelations that each of the country’s 580 lawmakers receives a monthly housing stipend of about $3,000 – nearly ten times Jakarta’s minimum wage.
During widespread protests in Indonesia, crowds broke into and looted finance minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati’s home near Jakarta, taking items like chairs and paintings on Sunday. The day before, protesters also raided the homes of three lawmakers.
Protesters across Indonesia have set fire to government buildings and police stations, with demonstrations reported in Gorontalo and Makassar on Sulawesi, Bandung and Yogyakarta on Java, Palembang on Sumatra, and Banjarmasin on Borneo.
On Monday, protests continued across Indonesia, with hundreds gathering outside Jakarta’s parliament under heightened security, including checkpoints, city patrols, and snipers.
Schools moved online and civil servants worked from home.
While demonstrations in Jakarta ended by evening, clashes erupted elsewhere: in Gorontalo, police used teargas and water cannons, and in Bandung, protesters threw Molotov cocktails and firecrackers at the provincial council.
Thousands rallied in Palembang, and sizeable gatherings were reported in Banjarmasin, Yogyakarta, and Makassar as well.
Amnesty International’s Regional Research Director, Montse Ferrer, said in a statement on Monday: “The increasing number of deaths from the crackdown on protests in Jakarta and other regions in Indonesia is alarming. Nobody should die while exercising their right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
“Authorities in Indonesia must promptly ensure an independent and impartial investigation into these deaths and violent incidents, including the killing of a motorcycle taxi driver after an armoured police vehicle was recklessly driven in a crowded area. Authorities must ensure those responsible for these deaths are identified and held to account in fair trials.”
He said: “Despite the largely peaceful nature of the protests, the police in several cities in Indonesia, including Jakarta, repeatedly resorted to unnecessary and excessive force, including by inappropriately and excessively using tear gas to quash the demonstrations.”
“Instead of a brutal clampdown, authorities should respect, facilitate and protect the rights of people to assemble peacefully and freely express their opinions,” he said.
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