Supporting Law Enforcement, Youth Groups Urge Investigation of the Masterminds of the Riots
By: Gema Iva Kirana )*
The wave of riots that erupted during demonstrations in late August 2025 left deep scars on the community. What should have been a constitutional space for expressing opinions devolved into violence, destruction, and looting.
This situation has given rise to widespread pressure from various youth, school and university groups for the government to ensure that law enforcement can be carried out transparently and that the masterminds of the riots can be immediately and thoroughly investigated.
The Indonesian People’s Solidarity Alliance (ASRI) and the National Coalition of Indonesian Women (KNPRI) affirm that expressing opinions in public is a constitutional right that must be guaranteed by the state. However, this right must be exercised in an orderly, peaceful, and dignified manner.
ASRI and KNPRI Coordinator Fikri believes that riots that damage public facilities and pit the people against the authorities actually harm democracy and tarnish the image of the struggle. He believes that anarchic actions are simply barbaric attempts that harm the people and shut down healthy dialogue.
Fikri emphasized that as head of state, President Prabowo Subianto bears a great responsibility to return the situation to normal. According to him, the President has received the people’s mandate and needs to immediately take concrete steps to ensure the security, safety, and welfare of the people.
He added that the people’s aspirations must be responded to quickly and concretely, not merely as mere rhetoric. Therefore, demands for fair, transparent, and impartial law enforcement are an urgent agenda. Investigating the masterminds of the riots is not only a matter of justice, but also part of upholding the dignity of democracy and national unity.
Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, also expressed support for uncovering the masterminds behind the riots. He believes the formation of an independent fact-finding team is crucial for uncovering the root of the problem.
Such a team is expected to uncover the causes, intellectual actors, financiers, and political objectives behind the riots. According to Yusril, honest and objective disclosure will help the state take more appropriate legal action and prevent similar incidents from recurring.
However, Yusril emphasized that legal proceedings against the perpetrators on the ground cannot continue without the formation of an independent team. He argued that all security forces must immediately take action against those who committed robberies, arson, and attacks during the demonstrations.
According to him, the firmness of law enforcement officers demonstrates the state’s commitment to protecting the people. This effort aligns with President Prabowo’s directive demanding swift action against the perpetrators of the vandalism. Transparency, in Yusril’s view, does not mean delaying the legal process, but rather ensuring that the handling of cases is carried out fairly, in accordance with the law and human rights.
Calls for the formation of an independent team have also resonated within civil society. Hendardi, Chairman of the National Council of the SETARA Institute, urged the government to immediately establish a credible Joint Fact-Finding Team (TGPF).
According to him, the TGPF will help uncover the true facts and distinguish between democratic aspirations and hidden political agendas exploiting the demonstrations. He emphasized the importance of transparency to calm a public gripped by anxiety and uncertainty.
Hendardi believes that the involvement of various elements, such as academics, religious figures, media workers, and civil society, is crucial in the formation of the TGPF. Broad participation will further ensure that the entire investigation process and series are conducted objectively, while also reducing the potential for errors in handling the case.
He reminded the public that they have the right to know the truth and are entitled to protection and a sense of security. He believes that government transparency in revealing the masterminds behind the riots will act as a cooling system, reducing the escalation of public anger.
The same demands continue to be echoed by youth groups. They believe that the investigation into the masterminds of the riots must not stop at the perpetrators on the ground. The root of the problem must be uncovered, including the intellectual actors, including the possibility of infiltration by certain political agendas. This transparent approach is crucial to ensure public confidence that the law is enforced fairly and impartially.
The riots have caused significant damage, from damage to public facilities and economic losses to loss of life. All of these impacts emphasize that anarchy is not a solution, but rather a boomerang that destroys the ideals of the struggle. Therefore, transparent law enforcement is a compromise to restore public trust and strengthen the foundations of democracy.
The younger generation, as the nation’s successors, has taken a firm stance by rejecting all forms of provocation and anarchism. They fully support the government and law enforcement agencies’ swift, fair, and transparent action in investigating the intellectual actors behind the riots. For them, national unity is far more important than the interests of a handful of parties seeking division.
Credible law enforcement is not just a short-term necessity to resolve cases, but a long-term investment in Indonesian democracy. By transparently exposing the masterminds behind the riots, the government not only quells unrest but also builds a solid foundation of justice and public trust. Youth, school, and university groups have made their voices heard: democracy must be safeguarded with dignity, and the law must be enforced without compromise. (*)
)* The author is a contributor to Persada Institute
