Solo – Hundreds of students held a "Dark Indonesia" (Indonesia Gelap) action in front of the Solo city Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) offices on Wednesday February 19. During the rally, they blockaded Jalan Adi Sucipto which is one of the main thoroughfares in the Central Java city.
The action began at around 3 pm with hundreds of students from various different universities in greater Solo still protesting despite being drenched by rain. During the first hour of the action demonstrators continued to arrive until they filled Jalan Adi Sucipto, the main road access from the Adi Soemarmo Airport to the city of Solo.
They also unfurled banners containing criticism of government policies including messages that read "Dark Indonesia", "Reject the Draft Law on the Indonesian Military-Indonesian Police" and "Try Jokowi", referring to former president Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.
Throughout the action, students from different campuses and organisations took turns in giving speeches in front of the masses. They highlighted the various problems that are being experienced by the public. In addition to giving speeches, the students also set fire to tyres on Jalan Adi Sucipto.
"One of the budget efficiencies that is truly detrimental to the people", said Okta, one of the demonstrators.
The Surakarta (Solo) Indonesian Art Institute (ISI) student believes that the budget efficiency measures being carried out by the government have not been carefully planned, so the impact will be detrimental to the public.
"There is no such thing as bringing prosperity to the ordinary people, that's not there. Everything is detrimental to the people and nothing can be justified", he said.
He also highlighted the destruction of customary forests in various regions. Not only does this damage the environment, damage to forests is also considered to violate the rights of indigenous peoples.
"Many friends from Papua and Kalimantan, Sumatra, many who have complained about our forests being cleared. They questioned justice for their indigenous peoples", Okta said.
As of posting this article at 6.12 pm, the student action in Solo was still continuing
Dark Indonesia action in Makassar
Students from the Faculty of Social and Legal Sciences (FISH) have again held a Dark Indonesia action in front of the Makassar State University (UNM) campus on Jalan AP Pettarani in Makassar, South Sulawesi, demanding that Presidential Instruction (Inpres) Number 1/2025 on budget efficiency be revoked and calling for a re-valuation of the free nutritious meals (MBG) program.
The student action also involved the blocking of the road in front of the UNM while they set fire to tyres causing long traffic jams in front of the campus. The students also had an argument with an online motorcycle taxi driver who was determined to force their way through the road blocked by the students.
"So this action is to articulate the problems with the budget efficiency policy. These problems are truly very fatal, truly injuring the preamble to the Constitution, namely injuring the life of the nation", UNM FISH Student Executive Council (BEM) President Fikran Prawira told reporters on Wednesday.
According to Prawira, the government is currently trying to pursue its political promises properly, although it seems forced, resulting in cuts to the education budget.
"Today's government is trying to try to fulfill its political types (promises), which seem to be truly forced, to the point of divorcing it from fundamental issues in the nation, such as cutting the education budget as well as the resolution budget (study) and other ministries", he said.
"There are two demands for today's action, the first is the revocation of Presidential Instruction Number 1/2025, the second a re-evaluation of the free meals program that seems to be forced and really does not prioritise the ordinary people themselves. Because it is only concerned with one aspect and puts aside other aspects which are just as fundamental", he explained.
After taking turns in delivering speeches, the students disbanded and returned to the campus in an orderly manner. Following this the flow of traffic in front of the UNM campus returned to normal. (wis/syd/mir)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Aksi Indonesia Gelap di Solo, Massa Blokade Jalan di Depan Kantor DPRD".]
