TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia, Usman Hamid, criticized the excessive response by police and state civil apparatus (ASN) against Papuan students who joined the free meal protest on Monday, February 17, 2025. The police fired tear gas at the protesters. 

“Stopping and arresting students who were joining the peaceful protest against free nutritious meal program without any legal basis, is a real violation of human rights, and it was displayed by the police in Papuan land,” he said in a written statement on Tuesday.

The police must investigate the protest response, Usman said, warning that excessive force is not the way to respond to the protest in Papua. “Especially is it’s against school students, such as one rejecting the free nutritious meal in Papua,” he said.

Usman also mentioned an ASN personnel who appeared to have committed human rights violations by kicking a student. According to him, it is an irony when violence against children occurs in front of security forces who should protect students from all forms of threats.

He called for the normalization of anti-criticism through excessive force to be halted immediately. Usman stated that the state must be open to receiving criticism from students, rather than suppressing it.

He also mentioned that the police must prosecute the personnel who have been permissive of the violent action conducted by the ASN. "The police must also prosecute the ASN who was caught on camera kicking a student, as this action clearly violates the Child Protection Law of 2014," said Usman.

Like adults, children also have the right to express their opinions and engage in peaceful demonstrations. "The state must also ensure the safety and protection of children who express their opinions peacefully, in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Child Protection Law," said Usman.

Last Monday, thousands of students in various areas in Papua held protests rejecting the free nutritious meal program. Instead of MBG, they demanded free education and improvements to school facilities.

In the student demonstration in Nabire, Central Papua, the police blocked dozens of students who were heading to the location of the protest and took them to police station by truck.

Furthermore, a viral video circulated showing an ASN in brown uniform kicking and stepping on a student's foot, and berating the students when they were gathered at the police station. Meanwhile, in Jayapura City, Papua, 15 junior and senior high school students were briefly detained when they were about to join the demonstration and were sent home after being questioned at the Heram Police Station.

In Wamena, Papua Highlands, thousands of students took to the streets starting at 08:00 local time. Based on a video viewed by Tempo, they voiced their rejection of the free nutritious meal policy initiated by President Prabowo Subianto. "Reject free nutritious meals, give us free education," was written on one of the banners.

Nandito Putra contributed to the writing of this article.

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