Indonesian reserve forces allegedly deployed to secure protest

Personnel from Indonesia's Reserve Component (Komcad) were reportedly involved in securing a student demonstration in Jakarta, an event that has raised concerns among civil society groups. Witnesses observed individuals in Komcad uniforms present near the protest, which was themed "Towards a Bankrupt Indonesia."

These Komcad members were seen alongside police and military personnel, reportedly stationed at the rear of the Thamrin Nine Ballroom. One individual in military fatigues confirmed his status as a Komcad member but declined to elaborate on his deployment. Information obtained by Tempo suggested that these personnel were positioned as backup forces, intended to intervene only if the situation became unmanageable.

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Yes (Komcad).

Concerns about the deployment were amplified by a document from the Ministry of Defense dated June 11, 2026. This document reportedly ordered approximately 500 Komcad civil servant personnel to participate in an alert drill on June 12. Muhamad Isnur, representing the Coalition of Civil Society for Security Sector Reform, deemed the deployment of Komcad for demonstrations as a misstep. He argued that Komcad should be reserved for national defense threats, not for managing civilian protests.

Brigadier General Rico Sirait, Head of the Defense Ministry's Information Bureau, refuted the claims of Komcad deployment during the demonstration. He stated that the alert drill was a routine readiness check and training exercise following their training period. The Ministry maintains that Komcad was not deployed to secure the protest.

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The Alert Drill was conducted as part of readiness checks and routine training after the training.