CALL TO ACTION: SOLO RAYA PROTESTS!

Source: LPM Campus

LPM CAMPUS – Hundreds of students from Solo Raya staged a protest in front of the Surakarta City Council on Monday (September 1, 2025). The demonstration demanded that the Surakarta City Council address the silencing of the press and restrictions on freedom of expression.

The protest was triggered by several policies issued by the DPRD that were considered anti-people. The policies issued by the DPRD seemed to burden the community, causing public outrage. This was compounded by the beating of an online motorcycle taxi driver by the authorities.

The president of the Surakarta Student Council said that this demonstration was not only focused on the DPRD and the authorities, but also on President Prabowo, the highest leader in our country. President Prabowo must be held accountable for the current situation and conditions in the country.

Since the beginning of his term, many policies have been issued that do not meet the needs of the people. Furthermore, the repressive actions of the authorities are unjustifiable. Even though an apology has been issued, there are still many repressive actions being carried out by the authorities in Surakarta.

There are 11 demands presented by the student alliance, namely:

1. Immediately release all protesters who are currently still being detained.
2. Demand that President Prabowo take full responsibility for all acts of human rights violations and restore the rights of activists, demonstrators, and all those who are fighting to convey the truth and bring about improvements for this nation.
3. Demand that President Prabowo ensure that any party that commits repressive acts is dealt with as strictly as possible and in accordance with the law, and ensure that the climate of repression in the nation and state is eliminated.
4. Demanding the strictest punishment for any officials who allow the use of weapons, tactical vehicles, and tear gas as part of security measures against public demonstrations and the expression of aspirations by the people.
5. Demanding an evaluation and reform of the police institution.
6. Demand that the House of Representatives cancel the formulation of problematic regulations that have the potential to threaten the democratic rights of Indonesian citizens, such as the Police Bill, the Broadcasting Bill, and the Criminal Procedure Code Bill.
7. Demanding that the House of Representatives expedite the discussion of pro-people regulations that represent the fulfillment of the needs and protection of the rights of Indonesian citizens, such as the Asset Seizure Bill, the Domestic Workers Protection Bill, and the Customary Law Community Bill.
8. Demand that state administrators be wise in their use of the budget and ensure that education and health are prioritized in long-term development for the community.
9. Demand the removal of any policy to increase allowances for the DPR and demand that the DPR evaluate and take firm action against members who are unsympathetic, undemocratic, and incompetent in carrying out their duties as representatives of the people.
10. Demand that any state officials who commit acts of corruption be dealt with firmly and punished in accordance with the law.
11. Demand that all state officials uphold democratic freedoms by not silencing the press, criminalizing activists, and protecting the rights to freedom of association and assembly.

Source: LPM Campus

The alliance also supports the struggle and demands of fellow workers, namely:

1. Urging the revocation of Government Regulation No. 35 of 2021 to abolish the outsourcing system and reject the payment of low wages to workers
2. Demanding an increase in the minimum wage, stopping all forms of layoffs, and immediately forming a special task force to stop the wave of layoffs.
3. Reform labor taxes and increase tax-free income. Eliminate severance pay taxes, eliminate THR taxes, eliminate JHT taxes, and stop tax discrimination against married women.

This time, the demonstration proceeded in a peaceful and orderly manner, thanks to the thorough preparations made by the students. The day before the demonstration, the students held intensive consolidation meetings to align their perceptions and develop strategies so that the demonstration could proceed smoothly without chaos. In this action, the participants chose a more direct and efficient approach by formally conveying the essence of their demands to the DPRD without holding a demonstration, which is usually done on the streets. This was done to avoid potential disturbances and so that their aspirations could be accepted formally and structurally by the DPRD, in the hope of obtaining a more serious and effective response. Such an organized demonstration shows the seriousness of the students in overseeing the issues they raise and reflects maturity in expressing opinions in the public sphere. The demonstration ended with the DPR agreeing to and signing the demands submitted by the students and the community.

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Writer: Dita Amelia Kusuma Wardani (Accounting’22)
Editor: Naufal Ahmad Alfian (Communication Science’22)