Organizations and Community Figures Sign Petition to Reject Military Involvement in the Civil Sphere

JAKARTA - A total of 58 civil society organizations along with 274 individuals from various backgrounds signed a Civil Society Petition urging the government to stop the military's involvement in civil affairs today. They also asked the TNI to return to its function, namely to take care of the country's defense.

"This regime has politicized the military for the pragmatic interests of power and the interests of the regime's projects," the petition said, quoted Wednesday, July 29.

They assessed that democracy and civil liberties in Indonesia are facing threats due to the increasing role of the military in social and political life. The civil society groups who signed the petition included Imparsial, KontraS, YLBHI, Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) to the Indonesian Consumer Institute Foundation (YLKI).

There are several things that are highlighted, namely regarding the involvement of the TNI in a number of government programs, such as the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) Program, the Red and White Village Cooperative, the Forest Area Enforcement Task Force, to security for demonstrations. According to organizations and civil society, the involvement of the military in non-defense functions is contrary to the constitutional mandate which places the TNI as a defense tool for the state, not a developer or law enforcement agency.

The signatories also assessed that the expansion of the role has the potential to reduce the professionalism of the TNI in carrying out defense duties.

"We consider civilian militarization to have had a significant impact on the occurrence of violence against civilians," the petition reads.

They cited data from the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS) which recorded 44 incidents of violence involving TNI members from January to April 2026. From these incidents, 33 civilians were recorded as victims, with 36 people injured and 22 others died.

According to the signatories, this condition occurred after the DPR passed the revision of the TNI Law. They assessed that the expansion of the military's role did not provide a sense of security, but rather increased the space for intimidation and fear among the public.

The petition also highlighted the plan to form a 750 Territorial Development Battalion (BTP) as previously stated by Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin.

They assessed that the policy has the potential to expand territorial command and revive the practice of military dual functions that once existed in the past.

"The expansion of BTP and territorial command that is oriented towards development actually distances the TNI from its professional mandate as a defense tool for the country," the petition reads.

In addition, the signatories assessed that the development of territorial battalions also has the potential to trigger agrarian conflicts because it is related to land needs. This condition is feared to lead to intimidation, criminalization, eviction, and violence against people who defend their living space.

According to them, the development of BTP and the expansion of territorial command actually have the potential to hinder the improvement of soldiers' welfare, the modernization of the main tools of the weapons system (alutsista), and efforts to build a professional TNI.

Through the petition, civil society asked the government to stop all forms of military involvement in the civilian sphere and focus the TNI on its main task as a defense tool for the state in accordance with the mandate of the constitution.

"The expansion of BTP and territorial command is at risk of reviving the military's dual-purpose infrastructure, which in the past has been a support and at the same time a political control tool of power."