Thousands of Indonesians marched on parliament in Jakarta on Thursday, a year to the day after anti-government riots killed about ten people and put nearly 7,000 in custody, to demand a law that would let the state seize assets tied to corruption. The bill has been in the building since 2008. Some in the crowd wanted the death penalty for corrupt officials. Riot police held them behind the locked gates for much of the day. Al Jazeera, citing AFP, said that after nightfall some protesters threw objects, police answered with tear gas and a water cannon, and a police post and a motorcycle were set alight. Students also marched in Yogyakarta and Makassar.
Jakarta police had put 18,500 officers on the street and detained 65 people before the march as suspected “provocateurs,” spokesperson Budi Hermanto said. On Friday he told a press conference that 322 people were being held for questioning, 160 of them younger than 18, after “a group of rioters arrived” once most of the crowd had gone. Police named 45 suspects for damage to public facilities and violence. One man lost consciousness at the scene, was taken to hospital, and later died. Officials said they were still gathering facts. Some commuter-rail and bus routes near parliament were suspended or diverted Friday.
House leaders met the United Pati Community Alliance outside the legislature and, according to its coordinator, promised to pass the asset-forfeiture bill by December 15 or resign. President Prabowo Subianto’s approval rating slumped to 38 percent this month in a Tempo poll. Last year’s riots were an early test of his government. Thursday was supposed to be the anniversary without a riot. Friday morning, the trains were still being rerouted.
Sources: Al Jazeera; AFP; Reuters.