Rights activist Usman Hamid has blamed Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for the apparent upsurge in violence by police.

Usman, the former coordinator of the Commission on Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), said Yudhoyono's comments urging police to avoid using deadly force against public protesters would have little effect, if any at all.

Usman said the president's economic policies were directly responsible for the police violence. He said Yudhoyono supported big business over the people. This led people into direct conflict with the government, often represented by the police, he said.

Usman said Yudhoyono had given orders for police to avoid repressive tactics but had not acted himself to address the root causes.