Indonesia clarifies reserve component mobilization authority amid protest security concerns

Indonesia's Minister of Home Affairs, Rini Widyantini, clarified on Saturday that the authority to mobilize reserve components (Komcad), including those from the civil servant ranks, rests solely with the Ministry of Defense. Her statement came in response to allegations that reserve components were deployed to secure a protest on June 12, 2026.

According to Widyantini, Law Number 23 of 2019 on the Management of National Resources for National Defense clearly places the authority for the development, designation, and mobilization mechanisms of reserve components under the Ministry of Defense. "Therefore, questions regarding the form and basis of Komcad mobilization in yesterday's event are more appropriately directed to the Ministry of Defense as the supervising agency," she stated to Tempo via text message.

The Ministry of Home Affairs' role in managing reserve components among civil servants is limited to personnel policy aspects. Widyantini also stressed that the involvement of civil servants in the reserve component program is voluntary and follows a selection process. The ministry does not issue mobilization orders and is not in a position to assess the technical security aspects, which fall under other agencies' purview.

"We ensure that the participation of civil servants in any program does not disrupt the execution of their main duties and the continuity of public services," Widyantini added. Previously, a coalition of civil society for security sector reform had raised concerns about the alleged involvement of reserve component soldiers in securing demonstrations. This concern arose after a Ministry of Defense memo dated June 11, 2026, reportedly ordered approximately 500 reserve component civil servants to attend a readiness rally at the Ministry of Defense on June 12, 2026.

The coalition, comprising Imparsial, Amnesty International Indonesia, YLBHI, KontraS, Dejure, and Indonesia Risk Center, among others, argued that the mobilization of military and reserve components for protest security violates existing laws. They stated that handling protests is the responsibility of civil security forces, primarily the Indonesian National Police. "Military mobilization should only be a last resort option when all civil apparatus are no longer capable of controlling the existing situation," the coalition's joint statement read. However, Brigadier General Rico Ricardo Sirait, Head of the Ministry of Defense's Information Bureau, later denied that the readiness rally was related to securing the student demonstrations held on the same day.