Civil Coalition Criticises Military Training After Two Kopdes SPPI Deaths

A coalition of civil society organisations has criticised the military training component of the Kopdes Merah Putih (Red and White Village Cooperative) and Kampung Nelayan Merah Putih programme after two Sarjana Penggerak Pembangunan Indonesia (SPPI) participants died. The coalition stated the deaths further demonstrate the inappropriateness of applying a military education system haphazardly to civilians, especially as there is no link between professional cooperative management and military training. They criticised the 2026 SPPI programme organised by the Ministry of Defence in cooperation with the TNI, arguing the military’s involvement in the cooperative scheme contradicts the TNI Law. The coalition assessed that the policy is flawed to the point of causing fatalities and that the military approach undermines the essence of the cooperative system, which should be run based on members’ needs. They further argued the programme opens significant loopholes for legal violations, noting that the military justice system has not been reformed and TNI personnel are not subject to civilian courts. The coalition demanded an investigation and legal accountability for the deaths, and called for the programme and all civilian militarisation agendas to be reviewed and halted. The coalition includes organisations such as DE JURE, IMPARSIAL, CENTRA Initiative, Raksha Initiative, HRWG, Indonesia Risk Center, and SETARA Institute. Deputy Minister of State Secretary Juri Ardiantoro responded that the government is preparing mitigation and evaluation steps, but confirmed the Kopdes Merah Putih programme will continue as planned. The two deceased participants were identified as Anisa Muyassaroh, who fell ill during training in Balikpapan, and Yonanda Muhammad Taufiq, who experienced a health decline during training in Baturaja.