Why UI Students Stage 'Reclaim Independence' Protest Today
UI students will take to the streets today with the theme #ReclaimIndependence. BEM UI has prepared 8 demands.
University of Indonesia (UI) students are scheduled for a protest today, Tuesday, August 18, 2026. The demonstration coincides with the 81st anniversary of Indonesia's Independence, under the theme #MerebutKemerdekaan (Reclaim Independence). This action is driven by the belief that full independence has not yet been achieved in the country.
The Student Executive Board (BEM UI) of the UI, responsible for organizing the protest, has outlined eight demands targeting corruption, welfare, resource control, concentration of power, and civil repression.
Namoradiarta Siahaan, Head of Strategic Studies at BEM UI 2026, revealed that the demands were derived from a study addressing the question, "81 years, independence for whom?" The BEM UI alliance, comprising various community nodes, engaged in discussions to deepen their understanding of independence, leading to the formulation of these demands.
The first demand addresses the state's perceived colonization of its people, with the students demanding an end to oppression, corruption, collusion, nepotism, and seeking genuine agrarian reform and price reductions for essential goods and fuel.
The protest's agenda also targets several government policies, including a comprehensive evaluation of national strategic projects, the discontinuation of beneficial programs like the Nutritious Free Meal and Red and White Village Cooperative, and questioning the concentration of power and reduction of the Regional Transfer Fund, which could undermine regional autonomy.
The students further criticize the government's handling of disasters, urging the declaration of a national disaster status for Sumatra and Flores regions and accelerating recovery efforts for affected areas.
Lastly, the students demand an end to civilian space repression and the intervention of military institutions, TNI-Polri, in civilian affairs, along with the disbandment of the Territorial Development Infantry Battalion. This protest is not a spontaneous event but a continuation of a previous rally held on June 12, 2026, as promised by the students during their earlier demonstration.
Written by urgent.news from Tempo.co English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
