Democracy Without Violence: Sri Sultan and the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) Urge Peaceful and Orderly Demonstrations
Jakarta – Amidst ongoing demonstrations in several regions, the voices of reassurance from various national figures are rising. They agree that democracy must continue to thrive, but not by undermining or disrupting public order.
The King of the Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat Palace and Governor of the Special Region of Yogyakarta, Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, reminded the importance of maintaining peaceful traditions in democracy.
“I appreciate what you all are doing. What you’re all doing is part of our shared desire for the growth of democracy in Yogyakarta. I agree with that,” he said to the protesters some time ago.
However, the Sultan emphasized that democratization in Yogyakarta should not be built with violence.
“I hope democratization is carried out properly to educate all of us, including myself. Moreover, Yogyakarta has no habit of violence in building democracy,” he said.
A similar call came from the Deputy Chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), Anwar Abbas. He reminded that demonstrations are a democratic right, but they must still prioritize order.
“The MUI urges those participating in demonstrations to refrain from any actions that could disrupt public order and tranquility. Please protest in an orderly manner and avoid causing damage or anarchy,” he said.
Messages of reassurance were also widely echoed by the public. On social media, netizens called for demonstrations to stop vandalizing public facilities. This call came after three TransJakarta bus stops—the Polda bus stop, the Senen Toyota Rangga bus stop, and the Sentral Senen bus stop—were damaged and burned on Friday (August 29th).
Head of TransJakarta Public Relations Department, Ayu Wardhan, regretted the incident.
“TransJakarta deeply regrets the destruction of public facilities and encourages the public to work together to maintain them so that they can continue to be used by many people,” he said.
Netizens also highlighted the potential for provocateurs to infiltrate the protests. Several accounts asserted that the burning of bus stops or the destruction of public facilities were not a reflection of the people’s aspirations, but rather the work of those seeking to inflame the situation.
Democracy must not be hijacked by provocation. Mass demonstrations should be a space for the expression of ideas and criticism, not a space for destruction.
