Coalition of Students Stages Protest Outside Surabaya's Grahadi Building

A mass of students filled Jalan Gubernur Suryo to stage a demonstration in front of the Grahadi State Building in Surabaya on Wednesday (17/6), protesting a number of government policies. The student demonstrators came from various campuses in Surabaya, including Universitas Airlangga (Unair), UPN Veteran Jawa Timur, Universitas Negeri Surabaya (Unesa), Universitas Muhammadiyah Surabaya (Umsura), the Surabaya BEM Alliance, and other student elements. They carried posters and banners with protest messages, and students from different Surabaya universities took turns delivering speeches through loudspeakers. “Tomorrow some of us will perform Friday prayers, the day after tomorrow some of us will perform weekly worship, but today we will perform our weekly worship,” one orator declared. In their speeches, the students highlighted the increasingly precarious state of Indonesian democracy. They also criticised the role of the security apparatus, accusing them of neglecting their duties and instead engaging in the Free Nutritious Meals Program (MBG) project. “Today we see the government increasingly undermining democracy; our soldiers are not guarding the borders but are instead managing MBG. Indonesia is gravely ill,” the orator said. As a result of the protest, Jalan Yus Sudarso was completely closed and traffic was temporarily diverted. Barbed wire fencing was installed along the Grahadi gate, and a number of police officers were seen on guard inside the building’s grounds. Previously, Unair BEM President M Rizqi Senja Virawan stated that through this action, students were urging the government to halt several national programmes deemed ineffective and burdensome to the state budget (APBN). Rizqi said his side had conducted studies and compiled at least 16 demands to be conveyed during the protest. Of these, two main demands were the focus of the action. “We actually have 16 demands. But the main demands are to stop the Free Nutritious Meals programme and the Red and White Village Cooperatives. Then, revoke the Police Law and the TNI Law. Those are the most important demands,” Rizqi said when confirmed by CNNIndonesia.com on Tuesday (16/6). Other demands included BEM Unair urging the acceleration of the deliberation and ratification of the Asset Forfeiture Bill and the Indigenous Peoples Bill. They also rejected militarism and demanded the return of the military to its national defence function in accordance with the principle of civilian supremacy. BEM Unair also urged the state and the security apparatus to cease all forms of repressive actions against civil society and to unconditionally release all political prisoners. Furthermore, Ksatria Airlangga demanded that the state guarantee the welfare of educators, education personnel, and health workers, as well as halt all forms of repression against the press and guarantee press freedom as a pillar of democracy. “We demand an apology to the people and a total evaluation of the Prabowo-Gibran administration’s performance,” he stated. The complete 16-point list of demands from BEM Unair is as follows: 1. Demand the strengthening of the integrity and independence of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). 2. Urge the acceleration of the deliberation and ratification of the Asset Forfeiture Bill and the Indigenous Peoples Bill. 3. Reject militarism and demand the return of the military to its national defence function in accordance with the principle of civilian supremacy. 4. Stop the anti-criticism culture and guarantee freedom of expression in democratic life. 5. Thoroughly investigate alleged corruption in the implementation of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme involving government officials. 6. Thoroughly investigate the case of the issuance of fake Mining Business Permits (IUP) involving the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM). 7. Halt extractive projects that destroy the living spaces of communities and restore damaged ecosystems. 8. Stop the implementation of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme and the Red and White Village Cooperatives (KDMP). 9. Demand an apology to the people and a total evaluation of the Prabowo-Gibran administration’s performance. 10. Unconditionally release all political prisoners. 11. Restore the independence of Bank Indonesia by prioritising monetary competence and expertise in its leadership structure. 12. Stop all forms of repressive actions by the security apparatus against civil society. 13. Guarantee the welfare of educators, education personnel, and health workers. 14. Demand equitable access to and facilities for health and education, particularly in underdeveloped, frontier, and outermost (3T) regions. 15. Stop the practice of labour exploitation and all forms of gender discrimination in the workplace. 16. Stop all forms of repression against the press and guarantee press freedom as a pillar of democracy.