SETARA: Police Repression in Students' Protest is Unjustifiable
Translator
Ricky Mohammad Nugraha
Editor
Petir Garda Bhwana
Kamis, 26 September 2019 08:38 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - SETARA Institute openly criticized police repression against the criminal code draft bill (RKUHP) students’ protest and maintains that police’s excuse of “running out of patience” is definitely unacceptable.
“Police’s repressiveness against the demonstrators always end up seeing the police institution claiming it was justified and that law enforcers can also run out of patience and has the right to defend themselves,” said SETARA Institute Executive Director Ismail Hasani in a written statement on Wednesday, September 25.
The institute deems that the unwillingness of House members to meet the protesters has largely contributed to the acts of vandalism conducted by a number of groups. The vandalism could have been avoided if only Legislators opened a dialogue with the students, which is a justifiable demand as Indonesian citizens.
“However, House members did not react a tiny bit. This sparked disappointment among the students,” he said.
The narrative stating that law enforcers can also run out of patience and can justifiably act repressively was mentioned by Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko.
