Indonesia Unrest Leaves 20 Missing, Six Dead Amid Growing Protests

At least 20 people remain missing following violent protests in Indonesia that have left six dead and more than a thousand arrested, a human rights group said Tuesday.

The unrest, the most serious since President Prabowo Subianto took office last year, began after revelations of lavish perks for lawmakers triggered widespread anger. Demonstrations have since widened to include allegations of police brutality, fueled by viral footage showing a young delivery driver killed by a paramilitary police unit.

The Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS) said 23 people had been reported missing since protests began on August 25, but only three have been located. The remaining 20 were last seen in Jakarta and the nearby cities of Bandung and Depok, as well as several districts across the capital.

Police have yet to respond to the claims. Jakarta police previously announced the arrest of 1,240 people in the capital since the unrest began.

Arrests of Activists

Jakarta police confirmed the arrest of Delpedro Marhaen, head of the Lokataru Foundation, accusing him of incitement to commit “anarchic actions.” The NGO confirmed his detention, which has sparked concern among rights groups about a broader crackdown on dissent.

Mounting Clashes

Protests have erupted in multiple cities across the country, including Bandung, Yogyakarta, Palembang, Makassar, and Banjarmasin. In Bandung, demonstrators reportedly hurled Molotov cocktails at a provincial council building, prompting police to fire tear gas. Clashes continued overnight, with police accusing protesters of trying to lure them onto a university campus.

The Bandung Islamic University denied its students were involved, while some social media posts accused police of firing tear gas and rubber bullets onto campus grounds. Police insisted they kept their distance and did not fire directly at students.

Elsewhere, protesters clashed with police in Gorontalo on Sulawesi island, where security forces deployed tear gas and water cannons.

International Concern

The United Nations called for an investigation into alleged excessive use of force by security personnel. “We are following closely the spate of violence in Indonesia… and allegations of unnecessary or disproportionate force by security forces,” said UN human rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani.

Human Rights Watch also urged restraint, warning that treating protests as “treason or terrorism” risked further escalation.

Government Response

The protests forced President Subianto into a reversal on lawmakers’ perks, but unrest has continued. Visiting injured officers in hospital, the president criticized demonstrators and urged rallies to end by nightfall.

Military forces have been deployed across Jakarta as tensions remain high. Authorities also said TikTok suspended its live streaming feature in Indonesia for several days to curb mobilization.

Women’s groups planned another protest outside parliament on Tuesday, underscoring fears that unrest could intensify in the coming days.