Alfitria Nefi P, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia has called the deaths of three police officers during a raid on a cockfighting gambling site in Way Kanan, Lampung, a serious warning about the dangers of military involvement in civil affairs.
Executive Director Usman Hamid linked the case to the recent revision of Law Number 34 of 2004 on the Indonesian National Army (TNI Law), now enacted.
"Even without the revision, the military has already misused weapons in civil affairs, including interfering in police law enforcement," Usman said in an official statement on Wednesday, March 19, 2025. He urged the TNI to clarify the roles of its personnel allegedly involved in the incident.
Usman also pointed to persistent extrajudicial killings by security forces, blaming impunity within both the TNI and police. He called for urgent judicial reforms, specifically revising Law Number 31 of 1997 on Military Justice, to ensure that military personnel violating the law are tried in civilian courts rather than the military's closed system.
According to him, revising military justice laws is more critical than the current TNI Law, which risks restoring the military's dual function and further militarizing civilian roles.
The fatal incident occurred on Monday, March 17, 2025, when the Way Kanan Police, assisted by local officers, raided a cockfighting arena in Karang Mani Village. The site is suspected to be owned by TNI personnel, Chief Corporal B and Second Lieutenant Assistant L. During the operation, three police officers were shot and killed.
The Lampung Regional Police have named a suspect, identified as Z, while several others remain fugitives. The gambling operation was allegedly promoted on WhatsApp and Facebook by a TNI member.
Lampung Police Chief Inspector General Helmy Santika explained that upon reaching the site, police fired warning shots to disperse the crowd, but gunfire erupted, killing three officers on the spot.
Meanwhile, Commander of the II/Sriwijaya Regional Military Command, Major General Ujang Drawis, stated that two Army personnel, Sergeant Lubis and Corporal Basarsyah, have been detained since March 17 but remain witnesses for now.
A joint investigation by the Lampung Police and the II/Sriwijaya Military Command is ongoing, with authorities gathering further evidence before determining additional suspects.