BEM UI Holds Protest at Bundaran HI a Day After Indonesia’s Independence Day

JAKARTA, Jakartaweekly.com—A day after Indonesia marked its 81st Independence Day, the University of Indonesia Student Executive Board (BEM UI) held a protest at Bundaran HI in Jakarta on Tuesday, August 18, 2026. The demonstration, known as #MerebutKemerdekaan, was aimed at voicing concerns over issues the students say are worsening people’s lives.

BEM UI promoted the #MerebutKemerdekaan protest through its official Instagram account, @bemui_official. Bundaran HI was chosen again as the demonstration site, following a previous protest on June 12, when BEM UI protesters were stopped by security forces while heading toward the area.

The BEM UI demonstration took place as Indonesia entered the day after its 81st Independence Day celebration. Students raised concerns spanning social, economic and political issues, as well as disaster management and government policies.

In its Executive Summary #MerebutKemerdekaan document, BEM UI explained the reasons behind its eight-point agenda. The student organization said the demands were prepared in response to various problems it believes are occurring in the country’s governance and public life.

The group said the eight demands were intended to address problems that are considered to be affecting people across different sectors. The agenda became the main basis for the #MerebutKemerdekaan action held at Bundaran HI.

One of the main demands calls for an end to what BEM UI describes as state policies that burden the public. The students also demanded stronger efforts to eradicate corruption, collusion and nepotism, or KKN, while calling for genuine agrarian reform.

The students also focused on economic pressures facing the public. BEM UI urged the government to reduce prices for basic necessities and fuel, while calling for a comprehensive review of Indonesia’s National Strategic Projects, known as PSN.

The student alliance also demanded an end to the Free Nutritious Meals program, or Makan Bergizi Gratis (MBG). It also called for the termination of the Red and White Village and Urban Village Cooperatives, known as Koperasi Desa/Kelurahan Merah Putih or KDMP.

Regional government authority was another major issue raised during the BEM UI protest. The alliance rejected cuts to regional transfers, known as Transfer ke Daerah (TKD), and called for stronger regional autonomy.

BEM UI argued that changes in central and regional fiscal policies could have wider consequences for local governments and communities. The students called for policies on regional funding and authority to be reassessed.

Disaster response was also included in the eight-point agenda. The students urged the government to declare a national disaster status for affected areas in Sumatra and Flores.

The alliance also called for faster recovery efforts in regions affected by disasters. It said the government should provide a stronger response to communities dealing with the impact of major disasters.

Another demand concerned the role of Indonesia’s military and police forces in civilian spaces. BEM UI called for an end to what it described as repressive actions and military-police intervention in civilian affairs.

The students also demanded the dissolution of the Territorial Development Infantry Battalions, known as Yonif Teritorial Pembangunan or Yon TP. The issue was included in the alliance’s broader call to limit security force involvement in civilian life.

The #MerebutKemerdekaan protest was held shortly after Indonesia celebrated its Independence Day on August 17. By organizing the demonstration one day later, BEM UI used the national celebration as a backdrop for raising concerns about government policies and public welfare.

The eight demands cover a broad range of issues, from economic conditions and corruption to regional autonomy and disaster management. They also reflect concerns over the role of security institutions in Indonesia’s civilian sphere.

The demonstration at Bundaran HI marked another public action by BEM UI. The student organization used the protest to bring its eight-point agenda into public attention and call for changes to policies it considers problematic.

The #MerebutKemerdekaan movement also shows how Indonesian student organizations continue to use public demonstrations to express criticism of government policies. For BEM UI, the meaning of independence goes beyond the annual HUT RI celebration and includes issues of welfare, governance and civil rights.