TNI Involvement in Student Protest Condemned: Students Are Not Enemies of the State!
Civil society coalitions have highlighted the involvement of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) in handling a student protest on Jalan MH Thamrin, Central Jakarta, on Friday (12/6/2026), viewing it as proof that militarism has encroached into the civilian domain.
Based on Republika’s monitoring, TNI personnel appeared when students conducted a long march from Semanggi to the Hotel Indonesia (HI) Roundabout on Friday afternoon. However, the students were blocked by a joint force of police and TNI officers on Jalan MH Thamrin, precisely in front of the UOB Building, Central Jakarta. As a result, the students were unable to continue their long march to the designated protest point.
Chairman of the Student Executive Board (BEM) of the Faculty of Law, University of Indonesia (FH UI), Anandaku Dimas Rumi, assessed that the involvement of the TNI in handling the student protest clearly demonstrates the state’s militaristic character. He argued that soldiers, who should be tasked with safeguarding the nation’s sovereignty, were instead deployed against students. “This condition shows how criticism in this country is truly considered an enemy,” he said when contacted by Republika on Saturday (13/6/2026).
Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia, Usman Hamid, emphasised that freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are rights guaranteed by the constitution and international human rights instruments. Yet, the state responded to the protest by deploying thousands of combined police and military personnel. According to him, the massive deployment of police and military forces in public spaces often creates an intimidating effect on civilians. The involvement of TNI elements in handling civilian protests is also highly problematic, as the TNI is trained to fight enemies, not to manage crowds.
“The presence of TNI personnel in securing demonstrations is not in accordance with the duties and functions of the TNI, which is to manage national defence from enemy threats. Meanwhile, a protest is not an enemy, but rather citizens exercising their right to peacefully convey their aspirations,” he told Republika on Saturday. Usman believes the state should provide a safe space for anyone wishing to hold a demonstration. The state must also listen to every aspiration conveyed by the public. This means the President and officials must listen to and follow up on the demands voiced by students. “The state must be able to respond to the criticism and critical demands of its citizens with open ears, not with rows of shields and batons, let alone firearms,” he said.