Muhammad Atqa, Jakarta – Hundreds of people from the Bekasi Social Forum (Forum Masyarakat Bekasi, FMB) and the Islamic Youth Movement (Gerakan Pemuda Islam, GPI) are calling for the controversial draft law on the armed forces (RUU TNI) to be enacted immediately. The strange thing is they admit that they don’t even know the substance of the law.

The call was made during a demonstration at the People’s Representative Assembly building in Senayan, Jakarta, on Tuesday September 28 by some 70 FMB members and 200 people from GPI.

The two groups arrived at the DPR at around 10am and by 12noon the action was till being held. The FMB action coordinator said that demands for the enactment of the RUU TNI to be delayed only represent the views of an elite group. The general public he said, want the law to be enacted immediately.

Although they are calling for the draft law to be enacted immediately, many of the demonstrators did not enven know the substance of the law. Their call was based on the grounds that the law needs to be enacted because the TNI has given a great service by protecting ordinary people.

“That’s just the view of some smart people, that it would be better if the RUU TNI not be enacted. Hey, we don’t know anything about the controversy surrounding the RUU TNI. What we do know is that the TNI has given a great service to the people”, said action coordinator Agus who declined to give his full name.

The various banners and posters brought by the demonstrators were filled with praise for the TNI. “TNI is the protector of the state, the protector of NKRI1” and “Maintain NKRI until death, make RUU TNI a success”.

The plan is for the DPR to enact the law tomorrow, Wednesday September 29. The law is still being deliberated by legislators. (iy)

Notes:

1. NKRI – Negara Kesatuan Republik Indonesia, the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. A term which is often used in the context of nationalism and the desire to maintain the integrity of the Indonesian nation.

[Translated by James Balowski.]