Unair Student Body and Alliance to Stage Protest at Grahadi Surabaya Tomorrow

The Student Executive Body (BEM) of Universitas Airlangga (Unair) together with the Unair Student Alliance, calling themselves Ksatria Airlangga, will hold a demonstration in front of the Grahadi State Building in Surabaya on Wednesday (17/6) tomorrow. The action is planned to begin at 14.00 WIB. BEM Unair President M Rizqi Senja Virawan said tomorrow’s action is an initiative by Unair students to urge the government to halt several national programmes that are considered ineffective and a burden on the state budget (APBN). Rizqi stated that his party has conducted studies and compiled at least 16 demands to be conveyed during the action. Among those demands, there are two main demands that are the focus of the action. “For our demands, there are actually 16. But for the main demands, they 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,” said Rizqi when confirmed on Tuesday (16/6). Other demands include accelerating the deliberation and ratification of the Asset Forfeiture Bill and the Indigenous Peoples Bill. Then, rejecting militarism and urging the return of the military to its national defence function in accordance with the principle of civilian supremacy. BEM Unair also urges the state and apparatus to stop all forms of repressive actions by the authorities against civil society, as well as to unconditionally release all political prisoners. Furthermore, Ksatria Airlangga is also asking the state to guarantee the welfare of educators, education personnel, and health workers, and to stop all forms of repression against the press and guarantee press freedom as a pillar of democracy. Rizqi estimated that hundreds of Unair students will take to the streets. He also opened the possibility of students from other campuses joining the action. “God willing, there will be 400 to 500 coming from Unair friends. But perhaps there will be other campuses joining as well, we are very open,” he said. Rizqi explained the reason for choosing the Grahadi Building as the action point. According to him, the action is not aimed at meeting specific officials, but rather as a form of education to the wider public to care about the social, political, and economic conditions currently afflicting Indonesia. “As for Grahadi itself, we are actually aiming to educate more that the country is not doing well. So we are not targeting that there will be officials coming down to sign anything at Grahadi,” he said. “We are not targeting that, but we are targeting that later the people of Surabaya will know and become more aware that the country today is not doing well, and it will eventually impact the common people,” he added. The following are the 16 complete points of BEM Unair’s demands: 1. Demanding the strengthening of the integrity and independence of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). 2. Urging the acceleration of the deliberation and ratification of the Asset Forfeiture Bill and the Indigenous Peoples Bill. 3. Rejecting militarism and urging the return of the military to its national defence function in accordance with the principle of civilian supremacy. 4. Stopping the anti-criticism culture and guaranteeing freedom of expression in democratic life. 5. Thoroughly investigating alleged corruption in the implementation of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme involving government officials. 6. Thoroughly investigating the case of issuing fake Mining Business Permits (IUP) involving the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM). 7. Stopping extractive projects that damage the living space of communities and restoring damaged ecosystems. 8. Stopping the implementation of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) and Red and White Village Cooperatives (KDMP) programmes. 9. Demanding an apology to the people and a total evaluation of the performance of the Prabowo-Gibran administration. 10. Unconditionally releasing all political prisoners. 11. Restoring the independence of Bank Indonesia by prioritising competence and monetary expertise in its leadership structure. 12. Stopping all forms of repressive actions by the authorities against civil society. 13. Guaranteeing the welfare of educators, education personnel, and health workers. 14. Demanding equitable access to health and education facilities, especially in underdeveloped, frontier, and outermost (3T) regions. 15. Stopping the practice of labour exploitation and all forms of gender discrimination in the workplace. 16. Stopping all forms of repression against the press and guaranteeing press freedom as a pillar of democracy.