At least eight people have died in the protests, senior minister Airlangga Hartarto said on Monday. Indonesia’s National Commission on Human Rights said on Sep 2 that there have been 10 deaths, including that of two delivery riders.
Analysts say the protests test Prabowo’s young presidency, which nears its first anniversary in October.
Growing inequality among Indonesians contributed to the rising protests, said Achmad Sukarsono, associate director at consultancy Control Risks, citing a recent allowance for lawmakers that stoked public resentment.
“The growing gap between the rich and poor in Indonesia provides an easily combustible dry-hay situation. Policies that fail to consider social sensitivities like the perks for parliamentarians then turn into matchsticks,” he said.
International rights groups have criticised the security response.
“The Indonesian authorities acted irresponsibly by treating the protests as acts of treason or terrorism,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, the deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch.
The United Nations’ rights office called for accusations of rights violations by security forces to be investigated.
Jakarta police said they had arrested the director of non-profit legal aid group Lokataru Foundation, Delpedro Marhaen, over accusations of inciting a riot among underage children.
The group did not immediately respond to a request for comment but it has said the arrest was unlawful.
Indonesians added pink and green hues to their pictures in profiles on social media in response to the protests, with some using the hashtag #ResetIndonesia and listing 25 demands for the government, including the end of police brutality and ensuring decent wages for the public.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/indonesia-police-fire-tear-gas-near-campuses-protest-tensions-rise-5328086
