Indonesian authorities have fired a police officer who was involved in the death of a delivery driver who was killed after being hit by an armoured police vehicle in an attempt to quell the ongoing antigovernment protests.
National police spokesman Trunoyudo Wisnu Andiko said on Wednesday that officer Cosmas K Gae had acted “unprofessionally” during the protest, describing his behaviour as “a reprehensible act”.
As a sanction, this required “dishonourable dismissal as a member of the national police”, Trunoyudo said in comments to reporters aired by broadcaster Kompas TV.
Cosmas, who had been one of seven detained officers involved in the incident, was not in the front seat of the vehicle. He was seen crying in footage of the hearing and said he never intended to kill anyone, according to the Reuters news agency.
The sanctioned officer said he was considering an appeal, while the fate of the other six officers has yet to be determined.
President Prabowo Subianto on Monday scrapped some perks for lawmakers, including a controversial $3,000 housing allowance.
Anger against rising inequality
Since last week, protests, led by students, workers and rights groups, have erupted across the country against economic inequality, perks for the lawmakers and police brutality.
At least 10 people have been killed during the demonstrations, which have sparked some looting and rioting and have been met with tear gas and rubber bullets fired by security forces.
According to the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS), at least 20 people were still missing as of Monday.
President Subianto has said the police and the army would stand firm against violence at the demonstrations.
Meanwhile, parliamentary officials met with at least 10 student unions, whose demands included the release of demonstrators, and investigations into Prabowo’s accusation that some of the unrest at the protests was leaning towards “treason and terrorism”.
The University of Indonesia’s student body called for an independent investigation into police violence and compared the high lawmakers’ benefits to others’ economic hardship.
“It’s as if they take advantage of us in every election … But after they won, we were forgotten,” said student body head Agus Setiawan.
According to Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, deputy parliament speaker and a senior member of Prabowo’s party, students will be given a chance to convey demands directly to the government on Thursday.
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