Protests Rock Indonesia As President Revokes Lawmakers’ $3,000 Perks, Orders Crackdown

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

MEDAN/JAKARTA by (Worthy News) – Student-led crowds burned tires at rallies in Medan, a vital trade and commerce hub, and in other Indonesian cities in defiance of a possible military crackdown after protests left at least eight people dead in the worst violence to hit the Southeast Asian nation in more than two decades.

Amid mounting tensions, President Prabowo Subianto pledged to revoke lawmakers’ $3,000 monthly housing allowance — worth about 50 million Indonesian rupiah — and to suspend all overseas “work trips” for parliament members.

Both benefits have fueled anger over inequality and corruption, especially as many Indonesians struggle with high living costs.

However, in a move raising concerns among minority groups, including Christians, Prabowo also ordered the military and police to “take firm action against unlawful and chaotic behavior,” labeling violent protests as tending toward “treason or terrorism.”

FEAR AMONG CHRISTIANS

In Medan, a Christian source told Worthy News that protesters were burning tires near her residential building. “It is very scary. Some fear snipers and troops roaming the streets. There were also protests near the church,” she said.

In Jakarta, some young Christians prepared to flee their homes for the airport following deadly protests near the nation’s parliament there, sources told Worthy News.

A leader of a massive underground church movement of ex-Muslims said there was concern an extremist party “would use the current chaos to take power to impose Islamic Shariah law” in several regions.

The leader, a former Islamic State of Indonesia (NII) commander turned Christian author known publicly as Ahmad Quraisy, told Worthy News that he had urged followers to stay inside for a week.

He expressed fears that the unrest in the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation could escalate into attacks on churches and other minority worship sites.

VIDEO OF DEATH SPARKS OUTRAGE

Protests, initially triggered by anger over government spending priorities and corruption, intensified after the death of 21-year-old motorcycle taxi driver Affan Kurniawan.

Video reviewed by Worthy News showed him being struck and run over by an armored vehicle from the National Police’s Mobile Brigade unit during a rally in Jakarta last Thursday. Kurniawan, reportedly delivering food at the time, died instantly, sparking national outrage.

Unrest spread across Indonesia: In Makassar, South Sulawesi’s capital, three people died in a parliament building fire set by an angry mob.

Five others were hospitalized. In a separate riot, another man — believed to be a police intelligence officer disguised as a delivery driver — was beaten to death.

In Yogyakarta, a historic city on the island of Java known as a center of Javanese culture and learning, authorities confirmed the death of 21-year-old student Rheza Sendy Pratama during clashes between rock-throwing demonstrators and riot police. Activists alleged security forces beat him.

MORE DEATHS

Additional casualties were reported in several cities, with Chief Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto confirming at least eight deaths nationwide.

Violence was also reported in Bali, a major tourist destination and Indonesia’s only Hindu-majority province, which has had strained relations with Jakarta over cultural, political, and economic differences with the Muslim-majority central government.

The unrest rattled financial markets. “I saw my portfolio was down this morning,” a small trader in Jakarta told Worthy News, as the local stock market fell more than 3 percent on Monday before recovering some ground.

Minister Hartarto urged calm, insisting the economy remained strong, bolstered by a planned incentive package.

Ratings agency S&P said the protests were unlikely to undermine political stability but warned of possible higher social spending that could push the fiscal deficit close to the legal 3 percent of GDP limit.

CHRISTIANS VULNERABLE

The unrest is the biggest challenge to President Prabowo since he took office nearly a year ago, leading Southeast Asia’s largest economy.

While nearly 90 percent of Indonesia’s roughly 280 million people are Muslim, at least 28 million identify as Christians, making them the largest non-Muslim minority, according to U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) data.

Several well-informed Christian sources told Worthy News that there are “many millions more” Christians than official data suggests.

Church leaders fear the turmoil could be exploited by extremist groups, leading to more persecution of Christians and other minority groups.

A Christian involved in house churches told Worthy News that believers were “praying for Indonesia” — asking that Christians remain safe and strong in their faith despite the unfolding crisis.

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