Students stage creative protests in Indonesia

Peaceful demonstrations took place across Indonesia on Friday, as students voiced concerns about lawmakers' benefits and called for dialogue, coinciding with celebrations for the Prophet Mohammad’s birthday.

Students gathered outside Indonesia’s parliament in Jakarta on Friday afternoon for what was described as a “picnic protest”, marking a shift in tone following more than a week of sometimes tense demonstrations.

With poetry readings, book discussions and speeches, participants used creative expression to raise their concerns. They called for the release of previously detained protesters and discussed the role of military personnel in civil security tasks.

"We have a picnic together, show our expression creatively, innovatively ... we don't just shout angrily, but we have a cool, creative approach to express our anger," said Vincent Thomas, a student leader from Padjadjaran University, in a speech broadcast by Kompas TV.

Jakarta police spokesperson Ade Ary Syam Indradi said 1,371 personnel, including police and military members, were deployed to ensure public safety during Friday’s events.

In the city of Solo, central Java, students engaged in similar peaceful activities, distributing groceries and offering free health screenings, Kompas reported.

The demonstrations follow earlier rallies last week, where participants including students, labour groups and civil society organisations raised concerns about members of parliament’s housing allowances. Protests gained momentum after a motorcycle taxi driver died in a traffic incident involving a police vehicle.

On Thursday, student groups met with cabinet ministers to present their views. They had also held earlier meetings with some parliamentarians. A request for a direct meeting with President Prabowo Subianto has not yet been granted.

According to Human Rights Watch, a New York-based organisation, more than 3,000 people have been detained during the recent protests. The group also reported that 10 people had died and over 1,000 were injured in connection with various incidents across the country.

Authorities have not yet responded publicly to the latest student requests, but the demonstrations have remained peaceful. Discussions between student groups and officials are expected to continue.

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