UI Student Group Again Blocked at Same Spot

A group of University of Indonesia (UI) students attempting to march to HI Roundabout in Jakarta were once again blocked by authorities at the same location as a previous protest. The students, affiliated with the UI Student Executive Body (BEM UI), departed from the FISIP UI faculty in minibuses around 12:15 PM on Tuesday.

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For the demands, we have eight. The first is to stop the country's colonization of its people. Because we feel that currently, unfortunately, after we were colonized by the Dutch, the Japanese, and so on, unfortunately, we feel like we are still colonized by the government.

Their convoy was halted by security forces on Jalan RM Margono Djojohadikoesoemo in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, at approximately 1:50 PM. While operators' vehicles and the students were initially allowed to proceed on foot, they were subsequently stopped again by police and TNI personnel near the UOB building on Thamrin-Sudirman.

The student protesters remained at the roadblock until at least 3:40 PM, voicing their demands through chants and speeches. Hafidz Hernanda, the field coordinator for the protest, stated that BEM UI brought eight key demands, coinciding with Indonesia's Independence Day.

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Lower the prices of basic goods and also fuel prices.

Among the demands were calls to "stop the country's colonization of its people," expressing a feeling of continued subjugation despite historical independence. They also demanded a reduction in the prices of essential goods and fuel. Furthermore, the students called for an end to the centralization of power, the cessation of regional financial transfers (TKD), and the granting of broader autonomy to local regions. Hafidz specifically criticized President Prabowo, suggesting he aims to consolidate power broadly, drawing parallels to former President Suharto.

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Stop the centralization of power, stop TKD (Transfer Keuangan ke Daerah) and also give the widest possible autonomy to the regions. Because we feel, especially from BEM UI, that Prabowo wants to become Suharto in a broader sense where he wants to take all the power centered in the center. He is trying to take local oligarchs, and we can see from various policies he makes.