Indonesia is currently experiencing its most severe civil unrest in decades, a crisis that erupted into deadly violence following a tragic incident that has become symbolic of the nation's deeper struggles. The immediate reason for this unprecedented wave of demonstrations was the shocking death of Affan Kurniawan, a 21-year-old motorcycle delivery driver who was fatally struck by an elite paramilitary police vehicle. Video footage of this incident, which spread rapidly across social media platforms, had transformed what began as economic protests into a nationwide movement demanding justice and systemic change.
The impact of Kurniawan's death cannot be overstated. Here was a young man representing millions of Indonesians who struggle daily in the gig economy, working dangerous jobs for meagre wages just to survive. His death under the wheels of a government vehicle became a powerful metaphor for how Indonesia's most vulnerable citizens are being literally crushed by the very institutions meant to protect them.
Human Cost of Civil Unrest
Since the past 3 days, when the protests escalated into violence, Indonesia has witnessed a humanitarian crisis unfold in real-time. The official casualty figures reflect that at least eight people have lost their lives, hundreds more have sustained injuries, and over 1,240 individuals have been detained by authorities in Jakarta alone. Perhaps most troubling is the report from KontraS, a prominent human rights organisation, indicating that at least 20 people remain missing, which raises serious concerns about the fate of detained protesters.
The government's response has been swift and overwhelming. Military forces were deployed across Jakarta, a dramatic escalation that demonstrates the severity of the situation. The presence of troops has extended beyond the capital with significant military deployments reported in major urban centres including Surabaya, Bandung, Yogyakarta, and Makassar. This militarized response to civilian protests marks a concerning turn in Indonesia's democratic trajectory.
Digital Mobilization and Government Censorship
What makes these protests particularly significant is how civil society has leveraged technology to organize and amplify their message. The movement has transcended traditional organizational boundaries with social media serving as the primary vehicle for coordination and information dissemination. Public figures and social media influencers have played crucial roles in spreading awareness and circulating specific demands that protesters expect the government to address within a week.
However, the government's reaction to this digital mobilization reveals its discomfort with free expression and assembly. Indonesian authorities have taken the drastic step of disabling TikTok's livestream feature, recognizing its power as a platform for real-time information sharing and protest coordination. This digital censorship represents a concerning attack on press freedom and the public's right to information, suggesting that authorities view transparency and open communication as threats to their control.
Political Elite Detachment and Symbols of Inequality
The contrast between the struggles of ordinary Indonesians and the behaviour of their political representatives has become a source of particular outrage. A viral video showing lawmakers dancing during the August parliamentary session has led to public anger about elite indifference to widespread suffering. This image of celebration amid national hardship became a powerful symbol of disconnection between rulers and the ruled.
The decision to increase parliamentary housing allowances to 50 million rupiah (approximately €2,600/$3,000) monthly represents perhaps the most tone-deaf policy choice possible given current circumstances. This allowance boost, which enhances already generous compensation packages for lawmakers, stands in contrast to Indonesia's per-capita monthly income of just 6.5 million rupiah according to 2024 government data.
The mathematical reality is overwhelming that parliamentary housing allowances alone exceed the average Indonesian's total monthly income by nearly eight times. This disparity illuminates the vast gulf between political elites and the citizens they purport to serve, making abstract inequality concrete and personal for millions of struggling Indonesians.
Adding insult to injury, a 1994 Ministry of Finance decree continues to grant public officials special tax exemptions, allowing them to avoid personal income taxes that ordinary citizens must pay. This decades-old privilege system institutionalizes inequality, creating a two-tiered society where public servants enjoy financial benefits unavailable to the taxpayers who fund their salaries.
Affan Kurniawan: Symbol of a Broken System
The death of Affan Kurniawan represents more than a tragic accident; it embodies the systematic crushing of Indonesia's most vulnerable citizens. As a motorcycle taxi driver, Kurniawan belonged to that 60% of Indonesians working in the informal economy, earning modest wages through dangerous daily labour just to survive. His death under the wheels of a government vehicle serves as a devastating metaphor for how state power literally destroys the lives of those it should protect.
Kurniawan's story resonates because millions of Indonesians see their own struggles reflected in his life and death. He represents the delivery drivers, street vendors, construction workers, and countless others who form the backbone of Indonesia's economy while receiving little recognition or protection from their government.
The current crisis poses fundamental questions about Indonesia's democratic trajectory and social contract. The militarized response to civilian protests, combined with digital censorship and continued elite privilege amid mass hardship, suggests democratic institutions may be failing to address legitimate grievances through peaceful means.
The protesters' demands delivered with a one-week ultimatum that represent more than policy preferences; they constitute a challenge to the basic legitimacy of current governance arrangements. How Indonesian authorities respond will determine whether this crisis leads to meaningful reform or further entrenchment of inequality and authoritarianism.
Indonesia stands at a critical juncture where economic inequality, political indifference, and social media mobilization have converged to create unprecedented challenges for democratic governance. The death of Affan Kurniawan may have been the immediate spark, but the underlying causes run much deeper—rooted in structural economic problems, systematic political privilege, and growing disconnection between rulers and citizens.
The resolution of this crisis will require more than restoring order; it demands addressing the fundamental inequalities and democratic deficits that created conditions for such widespread unrest. Indonesia's leaders face a choice: to respond to legitimate grievances with meaningful reform, or risk further erosion of democratic legitimacy and social unity. The stakes could not be higher for Indonesia's 270 million citizens and the broader cause of democratic governance in Southeast Asia.
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