Dozens of Civic Organisations Sign Petition Rejecting Trade Agreement and Board of Peace
Seventy-nine civil society organisations, together with dozens of academics and public figures, have signed a joint petition rejecting the trade agreement between Indonesia and the United States, as well as Indonesia’s involvement in the Board of Peace (BOP). They also oppose plans to deploy Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) personnel to Gaza without a UN Security Council mandate.
Imparsial Director Ardi Manto stated that the civil society coalition believes these two policies could erode Indonesia’s sovereignty and involve minimal public participation.
“Strategic policies such as trade agreements with the United States and involvement in the BOP should be discussed openly, involving Parliament and the public. Not decided behind closed doors,” Ardi said during an online reading of the civil society petition regarding the Indonesia-US trade agreement and Indonesia’s involvement in the BOP on Sunday, 1 March 2026.
In the petition titled “Fighting New Imperialism”, the coalition identified imbalances in the Indonesia-US trade agreement. They noted that Indonesia is required to meet 214 provisions, whilst the United States faces only nine provisions.
Several contested substantive issues include zero per cent tariffs on goods from the US, personal data protection concerns, halal certification exemptions, and potential mining sector exploitation. The coalition also believes the agreement could restrict Indonesia’s ability to join other economic blocs that do not align with US interests.
The petition was signed by, amongst others, the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI), KontraS, Amnesty International Indonesia, Indonesian Environmental Forum (WALHI), Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW), Greenpeace Indonesia, and the Institute of Wisdom and Public Policy of Muhammadiyah Central Board.
In addition to organisations, several academics and public figures also signed the petition, including Feri Amsari, Bivitri Susanti, Marzuki Darusman, and Todung Mulya Lubis.
The coalition also challenged Indonesia’s involvement in the BOP Charter signed in Davos. They argued that the BOP in question does not reference UN Security Council Resolution Number 2803, particularly regarding the mandate for resolving the Palestinian issue.
According to Ardi, the structure and mechanism of the BOP that the coalition criticised are not under UN Security Council control but rather dominated by particular political interests.
“We believe Indonesia needs to reassess its involvement in the BOP because it risks drawing Indonesia into a global political configuration inconsistent with the principle of free and active foreign policy,” he said.
The coalition also viewed US-Israeli attacks against Iran as violations of international law and contrary to the spirit of maintaining world peace.
In the petition, civil society opposed the deployment of TNI personnel to Gaza unless it possessed an official mandate from the UN Security Council. They contended that military deployment based solely on a BOP mandate lacks international legal legitimacy.
“All forms of military deployment must be subject to international law and the constitution. Without a UN mandate, such action risks violating the fundamental principles of international relations that Indonesia has long maintained,” Ardi said.
The coalition urged Parliament and the government to reassess all agreements deemed unbalanced and unfair, and to create space for public participation in every strategic policy with broad impacts on economic sovereignty, human rights, and environmental protection.