Surabaya – Scores of students from the East Java Nusantara Student Executive Board (BEM Nusantara) held a demonstration at the V/Brawijaya Regional Military Command Headquarters (Markas Kodam) in Surabaya on Thursday April 9.
They demanded transparency in the investigation of several cases of violence allegedly involving members of the Indonesian Military (TNI), including the acid attack on Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) activist Andrie Yunus.
According to CNN Indonesia's observations at the location, the students wore all black clothing and unfurled posters and banners with messages of protest that read "Fully Investigate the Andrie Yunus Case", "Return the TNI to the Barracks" and "Reform is Not a Formality".
BEM Nusantara East Java Coordinator Deni Oktaviano Pratama said that the action was as a reminder for the military as an institution to remain within the corridors of law and humanity. This includes the acid attack on Yunus, allegedly perpetrated by scores of TNI members.
"The case of violence against activist Andrie Yunus also shows there are allegations of inhumane violence. The public's rejection of a resolution through military justice shows that trust in the military's internal mechanisms is in crisis", Pratama said.
In several other regions, said Pratama, allegations of violence and abuse of authority such as the stray bullet incident that hit a junior high school student in Gresik and the traffic accident involving a military vehicle that claimed the life of a civilian, further reinforce the recurring pattern of weak accountability and minimal responsibility for the victims.
According to Pratama, no institution or individual should be allowed to be immune from the law, including the military. The rule of law, he said, must be upheld without discrimination, and justice must side with the victims, not those in power.
"We directed this action at the V/Brawijaya Kodam Markas for a reason. Kodam as the representative of the TNI's territorial power in East Java has a moral, institutional and command responsibility for the various dynamics occurring in its territory", he said.
"Our presence in front of the Kodam is not an expression of hostility toward the TNI as an institution, but rather a reminder that military power must always be in line with the values humanitarianism, the law and democracy", he added.
He said that Kodam V/Brawijaya should serve as a moral symbol of institutional responsibility, where the people's voices must be heard, criticism must be accepted, and justice must be upheld.
During the demonstration, the students raised at least seven key demands, including urging that every case involving civilians be tried through public courts, not military courts. This aims to ensure open and objective justice.
"We demand a transparent and thorough investigation into all cases involving TNI personnel in East Java and throughout Indonesia. Demand that every case involving civilians be processed through public courts to ensure open and objective justice", he said.
Pratama added that the action today specifically requested that Kodam V/Brawijaya play an active role in pushing for the resolution of the case at the national level.
"Urging the TNI as an institution, especially Kodam V/Brawijaya, to give a recommendation and support to the TNI Headquarters for an immediate and thorough investigation", he added.
Investigation completed
Earlier, the TNI's Military Police Centre (Puspom) announced that it had completed its investigation into the acide attack on Andrie Yunus.
The TNI Information Centre head (Kapuspen) Major General Aulia Dwi Nasrullah said that the Military Police Centre had transferred the case files, suspects and evidence to the Jakarta II-07 Military Prosecutor (Otmil).
"Today Tuesday April 7, 2026, the case files, suspects and evidence related to the assault on Sdr [Mr] AY were [transferred] from the TNI Puspom to the Jakarta II-07 Otmil", Nasrullah said in a statement on April 7.
According to Nasrullah, the files will then be examined for completeness, both formally and materially. If deemed complete, the case will be brought to the Jakarta II-08 Military Court.
"Meanwhile the four suspects transferred are NDP, SL, BHW and ES along with the evidence", he said. (frd/ugo)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Mahasiswa Gelar Aksi di Kodam V/Brawijaya soal Andrie Yunus".]