On September 27, 2023, a climate march in Jakarta aimed at raising awareness of climate change was disrupted by an unidentified group, which highlighted increasing threats to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly in Indonesia. The protest, part of the Global Climate Strike, was attended by activists, primarily youth, calling for urgent climate action.
However, their efforts were immediately met with aggressive intimidation, including the seizure of protest materials like posters, banners, and loudspeakers. Despite notifying the police in advance, officers present at the scene did not intervene, allowing the disruption to continue.
The protest was part of a broader message highlighting two crises in Indonesia: the climate crisis, due to increasing extreme weather events, and a democracy crisis, marked by the growing influence of oligarchs and shrinking civil space. As the protesters marched, the unknown group continued to block and intimidate them, physically assaulting one individual.
Participants expressed their distress over the lack of police action, and the authorities instead asked the protesters to disperse, claiming they didn’t have enough officers to manage the situation. This inaction further fueled concerns about the erosion of democratic freedoms under President Joko Widodo’s administration.
Protesters Face Intimidation and Police Inaction During Climate March in Jakarta, Raising Concerns Over Civil Liberties
The following day, September 28, another similar incident occurred at a forum in South Jakarta, where a group disrupted a discussion on the state of Indonesia. This mob ransacked the venue, tore down event backdrops, and broke equipment while the police present took no action. Some officers were even seen shaking hands with the rioters after the incident.
The event’s participants were forced to disperse, raising alarms about the safety of public discussions on sensitive or political issues. It wasn’t until the next day that the police arrested five members of the mob, though many viewed the response as insufficient.
These incidents have sparked concern among civil society groups, who condemn the police’s inaction and warn that such events reflect a growing threat to democratic freedoms in Indonesia. Environmental NGO Madani Berkelanjutan emphasized that these disruptions were part of a broader pattern to silence dissent and limit public dialogue, particularly on controversial issues like climate change.
They noted that government agencies had indirectly warned against the protest, indicating the political sensitivities surrounding the topic. This, they argue, shows systemic attempts to suppress citizen voices and their right to peaceful assembly.
The growing trend of disruptions at public discussions and protests has been documented by various organizations, including KontraS, which reported 75 violations of civic freedoms in the past year alone.
These violations typically involve the forcible dispersal of gatherings or the intimidation of activists, often justified by security concerns or political motivations. The lack of police intervention in such cases has raised serious questions about the state’s commitment to upholding civil liberties and protecting citizens’ constitutional rights.
Civil society groups are now calling for stronger protections for civil liberties, warning that the failure to defend these rights could further weaken Indonesia’s democracy. They argue that without a healthy democratic process, addressing major issues like climate change becomes much more difficult.
As environmental justice and democratic participation are intertwined, activists stress that without the freedom to express concerns, the country’s ability to tackle climate issues effectively will be undermined. The incidents in Jakarta serve as a stark reminder of the challenges facing civil society in Indonesia and the urgent need to safeguard public dialogue and peaceful assembly.
