Violent Protests in Indonesia Leave at Least 20 Missing, Rights Group Reports
At least 20 people remain missing after a week of unrest in multiple Indonesian cities, according to a human rights organization.
Demonstrations began on 25 August, fueled by public frustration over legislator privileges, including a disputed housing allowance. Tensions worsened after a 21-year-old motorcycle taxi driver, Affan Kurniawan, was struck and killed by a police vehicle during a protest.
The Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS) confirmed that six people have died since the protests started, with 20 others still unaccounted for.
“As of September 1, KontraS received 23 reports of missing individuals. After verification, 20 cases remain unresolved,” the group stated.
The missing persons were last seen in Bandung, Depok, and various districts of Jakarta, with one case occurring in an undisclosed location.
On Monday, hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside Jakarta’s parliament, where heightened security measures were enforced. Authorities established checkpoints across the city while officers and military personnel conducted patrols and positioned snipers in strategic areas. Schools and universities in Jakarta shifted to online learning until at least Tuesday, and government employees were advised to work remotely.
President Prabowo Subianto stated on Sunday that he had directed security forces to take strong action in response to arson and looting targeting politicians’ residences and government buildings.
While protests in Jakarta subsided by evening, larger demonstrations and clashes occurred elsewhere. In Gorontalo on Sulawesi island, police used tear gas and water cannons, while in Bandung, Java, protesters threw Molotov cocktails and firecrackers at a government building, according to Agence France-Presse.
Additional rallies took place in Palembang on Sumatra, as well as in Banjarmasin, Yogyakarta, and Makassar, witnesses reported.
The United Nations called for an inquiry into accusations of excessive force during the protests. “Security personnel, including the military, must adhere to guidelines on the use of force,” said UN human rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani.
Prabowo vowed an investigation into Kurniawan’s death and promised support for his family. Seven officers have been detained for further questioning.
Meanwhile, Agus Wijayanto, a national police official, stated that two officers involved in separate incidents had been found responsible for criminal acts.
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