Students Are Faced With Big Challenges, But Students Also Have Many Reasons To Fight

JAKARTA - BEM UI's criticism of President Jokowi was responded to by a summons by the rectorate. Many facts that we understand from here. One thing that is certain is that intellectual students face great challenges. But students also have many reasons to perpetuate resistance.

It all started with uploading memes and visual illustrations of the University of Indonesia Student Executive Board (BEM UI) criticizing the leadership of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi). One big narrative of the social media campaign, BEM UI calls Jokowi 'The King of Lip Service'.

There are several grounds for this criticism. The first is Jokowi's statement that he once said he missed being demoed. Jokowi said a government needs to be criticized, including through demonstrations. Jokowi said that when he was still the mayor of Solo. So what happens when the demonstration is done?

BEM UI alluded to various repressive actions carried out by state apparatus under the Jokowi administration against the masses in many rallies. Demonstration of the Omnibus Law on Job Creation, actions on Labor Day 2021, until National Education Day 2021, and mass protests against the revision of the KPK Law.

Jokowi has also been criticized for his response to efforts to weaken the KPK. Jokowi has often expressed support for the KPK, while at the same time legitimizing the revision of the KPK Law, which is considered to weaken the corruption eradication agenda. Those are the basics that BEM UI has raised.

BEM UI also includes a list of bibliography and references that support their criticism, including the MEMORY article entitled History Of The ITE Law: Megawati Submitted Draft, Ratified By SBY, Continued Until The Jokowi Era. "Everything indicates that (Jokowi)'s words were nothing more than lip service," wrote BEM UI in a statement.

"Jokowi often sells out his sweet promises. But the reality is often not in harmony. He says this, the facts are like that. Starting from longing for demonstrations, revising the ITE Law, strengthening the KPK, and a series of other promises."

Freedom of Opinion AllianceBEM UI, BEM FISIP UI, BEM FH UI, BEM IKM FK UI, BEM FKG UI, BEM FIK UI, BEM FF UI, BEM IM FKM UI, BEM FIA UI, BEM FEB UI, BEM FMIPA UI, BEM FT UI , BEM FPsi UI, BEM Fasilkom UI, and BEM Vocational UI.#ITE#UUITE#Everything Can Be Affected#RevisiUUITENow Also #ITE #UUITE #SemuaBisaKena #RevisiUUITESekarangJuga pic.twitter.com/watZ5HUwJ1
— BEM UI (@BEMUI_Official) June 28, 2021

Reprimand from the rector

Responding to the criticism, the UI rector summoned a number of BEM administrators. This news was crowded after the circulation of the summons numbered 915/UN2.RI.KMHS/PDP.00.04.00/2021. The letter was signed by the Director of Student Affairs at UI, Tito Latif Indra.

The meeting was held in the Ditmawa meeting room on the 1st floor on a holiday, Sunday, June 27 at 15.00 WIB. There were ten students called. The UI Chancellor said that BEM had violated the rules. The Chancellor also expressed their view that Jokowi is a symbol of the state.

UI Rectorate Building (Source: ui.ac.id)

"As long as you express your opinion, you should obey and comply with the applicable legal corridors," said UI Head of Public Relations and Public Information Disclosure, Amelita Lusia, without specifying which rules were violated by BEM UI, quoted by Kompas.com.

This reason is considered far-fetched. The president is not a symbol of the state as the UI rector claims. The 1945 Constitution (UUD) regulates a number of things related to "state symbols" and there is not the slightest mandate that mentions the president as a symbol of the state.

[BERNAS: The Origin of Jokowi's "YNTKTS" Legendary Speech]

The 1945 Constitution places the flag, language, state symbol and national anthem as symbols of the state. Article 35 mentions the Red and White as the flag of Indonesia. Article 36 appoints Indonesian as the state language.

Meanwhile, what is meant by the state symbol is Garuda Pancasila with the motto "Bhinneka Tunggal Ika", as stated in Article 36A. Article 36B states that Indonesia Raya is the only national anthem.

In addition, state symbols are also regulated in Law Number 24 of 2009 concerning the Flag, Language, and State Emblem and National Anthem. Affirmed in Law 24/2009:

Article 1 paragraph 1 The State Flag of the Republic of Indonesia is the Red and White,
Article 1 paragraph 2 Indonesian is the official national language used throughout the territory of the Republic of Indonesia,
Article 1 paragraph 3 The symbol of the Republic of Indonesia is Garuda Pancasila with the motto Bhinneka Tunggal Ika,
Article 1 paragraph 4 The national anthem of the Republic of Indonesia is Greater Indonesia.

Digital attack

Head of BEM UI Leon Alvinda Putra stated that BEM UI would not delete uploads of criticism against Jokowi even though he was aware that there would be consequences for that attitude. "Yes, it is possible (there will be consequences for BEM friends)," Leon said, quoted by CNN Indonesia.

The rector's warning was not the only challenge. A number of BEM UI members experienced hacking of their social media accounts. This was announced by Leon through his Twitter account, @Leon_Avinda. The hacks, Leon said, occurred on June 27 and 27.

There were four hacking attempts experienced by the BEM UI management. The cases vary, ranging from the takeover of a WhatsApp account to an attempt to break into a Telegram account. "We strongly condemn all forms of digital attacks carried out on several BEM UI 2021 administrators," Leon wrote.

Hacking of Social Media Accounts On 27 and 28 June 2021, there were hacks of social media accounts for several BEM UI 2021 administrators, including the following:1. At 00:56 Tiara Sahfina's WhatsApp account (Head of Public Relations Bureau BEM UI 2021) cannot be accessed pic.twitter.com/z74eknSaeX
— Leon Alvinda Putra (@Leon_Alvinda) June 28, 2021

Students reputation

Support flows to BEM UI. There are 44 BEMs from various campuses in Indonesia and many civil society organizations and academic associations have expressed their stance on the side of BEM UI. All of them criticized the UI rectorate for dwarfing civil liberties.

"The summons by UI bureaucrats indicates that today civil liberties are being systematically undermined by the state," the solidarity statement said, Monday, June 28.

They voiced resistance to the repression of state administrators. The solidarity movement urged Jokowi to comply with civil rights and guarantee freedom of expression. They also urged UI bureaucrats to play an academic role instead of playing politics.

Jokowi and his government officials (Instagram/@jokowi)

Member of the Indonesian Caucus for Academic Freedom (KIKA), Robertus Robet highlighted this condition as the failure of policy makers at UI to maintain ethical values in academic institutions. "The Chancellor is the academic community," said Robertus, contacted by VOI, Monday, June 28.

"That's why he (the Chancellor) is actually bound by academic ethics and culture. So his approach is not power. So as much as possible his approach is academic," added Robertus.

In the eyes of Robertus, who is also a human rights (HAM) activist, the authority holders at UI today show a more severe attitude than when he was at UI during the New Order. "Even during the New Order, I used to study at UI, it was my chancellor that kept my distance.

1998 student demo (Source: Commons Wikimedia)

"What does it mean to keep a distance? Yes, at least not to impose sanctions and all kinds on students who criticize the government," added Robertus.

"I see the current trend of many university leaders who for whatever reason tend to take the university as a means for him to connect with all kinds of elites. Now that will actually lower the reputation of the university in the long run."

Regarding students and democracy, it's not just a cheap thing. Historically, students have been formed as political subjects that cannot be separated from political attitudes. "The character of these students is formed as part of political history, in Indonesia and many other places in the world."

"Students cannot be separated from political attitudes because from the beginning they were political subjects. Those who now hold power are also responsible for reconstructing students as political subjects."

"So it cannot be eliminated. This is part of our shared responsibility. Therefore, the elite must be more relaxed in dealing with student criticism. Student criticism must be considered as a normal ingredient in our current political system. It is a supplement to the political life of reform."

*Read other information about BEM UI or other interesting articles from Yudhistira Mahabharata.