The University of Indonesia (UI) abruptly banned the \u2018Konferensi\nRepublik: Jalan Menata Kembali Republik\u2019 (Republic Conference: A Path to\nReorganise the Republic) event at its Salemba campus in Central Jakarta\non Sunday, 28 June 2026. Conference committee member Jaleswari\nPramodhawardani stated that UI cited non-compliance with administrative\nprocedures as the reason for the prohibition.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn fact, we had followed the procedures,\u201d she said when met at the\nUI Salemba campus. She explained that the committee had submitted a\npermit application well in advance. On Wednesday, 24 June, UI issued a\nletter of assignment granting use of the campus facilities. \u201cWe\ninterpreted that as acceptance,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
Preparations had been underway since the day before the event, with\nno change in stance from the university until Saturday afternoon. The\nroom had already been fitted with a \u2018Konferensi Republik\u2019 backdrop and\nsome equipment had been arranged. However, at 9 p.m. Western Indonesian\nTime, security officers halted the ongoing loading process. By midnight,\nthe committee received notification of the permit rejection from UI.\nJaleswari suspects that external parties pressured the university to\ncancel the event.<\/p>\n
She argued that the ban violates the constitutional right to express\nopinions and sees it as part of a recurring pattern of curtailing\nfreedom of expression. \u201cConcerts are cancelled, discussions are\ncancelled, journalists are not free to express themselves. So this is\npart of a repeating pattern,\u201d she said. She stressed that the conference\nwas intended as a space for dialogue on national issues, not a coup\nattempt. \u201cWe are not planning a coup, we are not an armed force, we are\nnot going to besiege the palace,\u201d she said. She suggested the state\nappears more fearful of ideas than of violence.<\/p>\n
Despite understanding UI\u2019s difficult position, Jaleswari said the\ncommittee decided to proceed with the conference via Zoom at 1 p.m. UI\u2019s\nDirector of Public Relations, Media, Government, and International\nAffairs, Erwin Agustian Panigoro, had not yet responded to requests for\nconfirmation.<\/p>\n
The national consolidation meeting of the Republic Conference was\nscheduled to discuss three main agendas at the UI Salemba campus.\nCommittee Secretary General Yanuar Nugroho outlined that the first\nagenda would cover the movement\u2019s foundational values, objectives, and\ndirection. The second would establish the organisational form, network,\nand working methods. The third would address leadership, noting that\ncivil coordination requires individuals willing to work both publicly\nand behind the scenes to ensure communication and coordination without\nmonopolisation.<\/p>\n
Yanuar explained that participants in the Republic Conference are\nautonomous civil society organisations or nodes, each with their own\nroles but sharing common concerns. \u201cSo the Republic Conference does not\ndissolve them, but rather connects these various organisations or nodes\nso they can meet, coordinate, support each other, strengthen each\nother\u2019s movements, and share agendas,\u201d he said. This national\nconsolidation was a follow-up to the first Republic Conference held in\nYogyakarta on 30 May 2026, which was attended by hundreds of civil\nsociety organisations, activists, and academics. That conference at\nGadjah Mada University identified several key findings, including\nconcerns about concurrent difficulties across various aspects of\nnational life and the dysfunction of democratic institutions that\noperate formally but fail in representation and oversight.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ui-abruptly-bans-republic-conference-at-salemba-campus-organisers-cite-external-pressure-1782622321", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }