Indonesia Protests Intensify,Sparking Clashes and Raising Concerns Over Missing Persons
Jakarta,Indonesia – Demonstrations across Indonesia have escalated,marked by violent clashes between protesters and police,resulting in at least eight deaths and a growing number of reported disappearances. The unrest, echoing the student-led movement that toppled authoritarian President suharto in 1998, stems from public anger over perceived parliamentary privilege and has been fueled by recent incidents of police violence.Protests have erupted in multiple cities, including Jakarta, Bandung, Palembang, Banjarmasin, Yogyakarta, Makassar, and gorontalo. In Bandung, protesters targeted the provincial parliament building with petrol bombs, prompting a response of tear gas from police. Similar scenes unfolded in Gorontalo, where police deployed tear gas and water cannons against demonstrators.
Concerns are mounting over the fate of missing individuals. The Commission on Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS) reported receiving 23 missing persons reports,with 20 remaining unaccounted for as of yesterday. These disappearances have been reported in Bandung, Depok, and various districts of Greater Jakarta, as well as one unknown location.
Police have arrested 1,240 peopel in Jakarta since August 25, according to state news agency Antara. The national Police have yet to respond to requests for comment from AFP.
While larger protests were anticipated outside Congress today, the number of demonstrators has decreased following a military presence in the capital.
The current wave of protests builds on historical discontent, recalling the 1998 student uprising that led to Suharto’s resignation. The Islamic University in Bandung’s student group has accused security forces of attempting to suppress dissent,noting that police “rarely attacked” the campus with tear gas. The death of a young motorcycle deliveryman at the hands of police has further inflamed tensions.