March 26, 2025 | 08:05 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - SAFEnet, a civil society organization advocating for digital rights, reported that between March 18 and 21, 2025, social media saw a surge in negative narratives targeting groups opposing the revision of the TNI Law.
These narratives are suspected to be linked to accounts affiliated with the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI).
Nenden Sekar Arum, Secretary of SAFEnet, revealed that the content in question featured video clips of individuals criticizing the TNI Law revision, accompanied by accusations that they were foreign agents seeking to divide the nation.
"This is framing and a narrative that stigmatizes the group opposing the TNI Law revision. An effort to delegitimize the critical efforts made by our fellow civil society," said Nenden during an online discussion with the Coalition for Freedom of Association on Wednesday, March 26, 2025.
According to Nenden, these narratives were widely disseminated across multiple accounts, with at least 14 official TNI-affiliated accounts participating in their spread.
These accounts reportedly belong to institutions at various levels, including the TNI Headquarters, Military Area Commands (Kodam), Military District Commands (Kodim), and Sub-District Military Commands (Koramil). SAFEnet particularly noted the involvement of the Babinkum TNI and Kodam IX Udayana accounts.
The organization estimated that from March 18-21, 2025, at least 59,946 people were exposed to these narratives on Instagram.
SAFEnet also observed a resurgence of digital attacks against activists and journalists opposing the TNI Law revision. They documented 25 cases of doxing, hacking, and criminalization threats targeting individuals who have voiced criticism.
Head of the TNI Information Center, Brigadier General Kristomei Sianturi, has yet to respond to Tempo inquiries regarding the alleged information operation against dissenting voices. Messages sent via WhatsApp on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, remain unanswered.
Previously, Kristomei asserted that the revision of the TNI Law continues to uphold civilian supremacy. He also claimed that civilian representatives were involved in the drafting process before the legislation was passed by the House of Representatives (DPR).
"This has fulfilled the necessary stages," he stated during an online press briefing on Tuesday, March 25, 2025.
Similarly, Deputy Minister of Communication and Digital, Nezar Patria, has not responded to Tempo's request for comment regarding the civil society’s concerns. SAFEnet warned that the TNI’s alleged information operation could instill fear in the public, leading to self-censorship that threatens democratic expression.
The revised TNI Law was enacted in a plenary session of the DPR on Thursday, March 20, 2025. However, its approval has sparked opposition from civil groups who fear it may revive the military's dual function, reminiscent of the New Order era.
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