The Indonesian Women Alliance or Aliansi Perempuan Indonesia (API) at a Black September Anniversary: PROTEST WAS A RIGHT

: YAPHI; Suara Keadilan; 12 September 2025; Hits: 75; Rating:

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Wednesday, 10 September 2025

Protest is women’s right and all citizens’ right. Yet to date, those protesting the State policies on the street are detained in Police cells. During protests on 25 Agustus to 1 September 2025, 10 people died, 3,337 people detained by the Police, 1,042 people were injured and rushed to hospitals, 20 of the 23 people were still missing, and 60 violence cases against journalists. President Prabowo Subianto did not respond to people’s demand, instead he promoted those Police officers involved in violence while labelling the protests as “act of terrorism and rebellion” without extending any apologies to families of victims killed by the Police. Not only that, security officers also conducted sweeping in campuses and detaining students.

On 8 September 2025, Prabowo said that the demand for the withdrawal of the military from people’s protests was debatable, showing an attitude of a State leader who defied the principles of accountability and military professionalism, and a negligence of human rights abuses in Indonesia. The military presence in civilian affairs exemplified the militaristic face of the current State. Protests, actions and expression of public views in public are part and parcel of human rights and should not be met with intimidation, arrest, and use of other types of force. The President rejected the withdrawal of the military during the protest. The President even equated protests to “acts of chaos” and “threats to the people”.

Other things happening during the week were violence and threats of punishment for critical journalists, legal aid, activists, and influencers who wanted change. Digital attacks accused these organisations and alternative media of being foreign agents and limited space for media, as well as intimidation in a number of campuses.

API saw these attacks as means to mute protests, and killed democracy where one principle was to express people’s views. All repressive actions shows unambiguously that the State chose violence than democratic dialogue. Protests were expressions of people’s voices. Protests were not rebellion or threats to the people. Protests were not crimes, but democratic right of every citizens. To prohibit, limit, or stigmatise protests were most despicable ways to mute democracy.

Protests reflected people’s anger and fury towards State insensitive policies and arrogance. Prices increased, taxes increased, unemployment increased, mass employment termination increased, confiscation of traditional land increased, and children became victims of poisonous State-sponsored free lunch at school. People felt the pain, while parliament members and officials showed no empathy and lived in luxury on extravagant State facilities, salaries and allowance. Those commiting corruption were given medals of honour, and multiple positions within ministries and Para-Statal companies.

The Indonesian Women’s Alliance or Aliansi Perempuan Indonesia (API) rejected all forms of militarism and violence during the protests. They demanded the return of democracy by giving the total freedom to the people to express their views. API demanded:

Presiden Prabowo stopped all forms of violence by the State, including withdrawal of the military and the Police in dealing with the protests, and stopped all forms of military involvement in civilian affairs.

Presiden Prabowo, the Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, and the Armed Forces Commander Agus Subiyanto to withdraw all military personnel involved in the Policing of Law and Order.

The Police Chief Listyo Sigit to resign from his position, and the Police to free unconditionally all people arrested during the protests.
Presiden Prabowo stopped all forms of discrimination against the people, activists, journalists, media, and all legal aid.
Total guarantee of constitutional rights of the people to gather, to associate, and to express their views in public without intimidation or violence, including to revoke rights of direct broadcasting, to block communication, and to guarantee media independence.
The Government had to reduce military and police budget and divert the budget to public service.

Presiden Prabowo had to reform the bureaucracy and the Police comprehensively, the people of Indonesia have the rights to live in an ethical and good governance.
The leaders of the Parliament stopped and revoke all extravagant facilities and incentives enjoyed by Parliament members and leaders. It had to build a space for dialogue and meaningful public participation in the Law.

The Indonesian Women’s Alliance (API) also commemorate the month of September as the Black Month. The Black Month was a reminder of the many dark chapters that the Indonesian people experienced in September (see attachment). API urged the resolution of all serious human rights violation cases that happened in September in the Indonesian history.

Together with the Indonesia Women’s Alliance:

Lintas Berita

The Indonesian Women Alliance or Aliansi Perempuan Indonesia (API) at a Black September Anniversary: PROTEST WAS A RIGHT

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