Beyond the Barracks: Indonesia’s Military Edges Back Into Civilian Affairs

Beyond the Barracks: Indonesia’s Military Edges Back Into Civilian Affairs

Recent revisions to the country's 2004 National Armed Forces Law have broken down the firewall between the military and civilian spheres.

Indonesians push back as military enters civilian government

Student groups protested outside the Blitar DPRD office under a heavy police presence, demanding the law’s repeal and calling for press freedom. Activists pointed to past instances of media suppression, warning about potential threats to journalists

Indonesian parliament expands military’s role in government

President Prabowo Subianto, a former general in the Suharto regime, is taking a step towards dictatorial rule, amid a massive social crisis and an international political shift to the right by the ruling class.

The resurgence of military dictatorship in Indonesia

The Indonesian parliament recently ratified controversial changes to its military law to expand the armed forces' role beyond defence into civilian affairs. The revision broadened the scope of civilian posts that active-duty soldiers can hold, including the attorney general’s office, the state secretariat, the counterterrorism agency, and the narcotics agency. It also extends the retirement