Police Fire Tear Gas and Water Cannons at Indonesian Protesters

TaiwanPlus News

Violence erupted on the streets of Jakarta overnight as Indonesian police used tear gas and water cannons against groups of student protesters. They're opposing recent laws expanding the military’s role in civil society, which some fear could return Indonesia to authoritarian rule.

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00:00Explosive clashes in Indonesia's capital, Jakarta, as police use tear gas and water

00:09cannons to scatter crowds of protesters, many students, protesting their parliament's recent

00:17decision to pass contentious revisions to the country's military law.

00:31In addition to modernising the country's weapons and defence, the law will make room for more

00:36military officers in government and civilian posts.

00:48It's a move protesters say puts the military where they're not needed.

01:00With some concerned it brings Indonesia back closer to authoritarian rule, with memories

01:06of former President Suharto's New Order era still fresh.

01:33Spanning from the 1960s until the 90s, the New Order was a time when the military played

01:38a heavy role in civil society, and political opponents were brutally oppressed.

01:43Civil unrest brought the period of military rule to a bloody end in 1998.

01:54But not all the people out on the streets of Jakarta opposed the new amendments.

02:12Protesters say they'll stay angry, and keep pushing back against the amendments.

02:17But the bill has backing from current President Prabowo Subianto, himself a former special

02:23forces commander, elected into office just last year.

02:27Prabowo is seen as a symbol of the New Order, a period some fear and others hope the country

02:34could be returning to.

02:36John Suh and Ree says for Taiwan Plus.

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