TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Activist Maria Katarina Sumarsih gave a public lecture on Aksi Kamisan at Taman Ismail Marzuki, Central Jakarta, Indonesia, on Monday, July 27, 2026. The event titled "Memorial Lecture for Sutan Takdir Alisjahbana" was organized by the Jakarta Academy and supported by the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS). The program also commemorated the thoughts and efforts of Sutan Takdir Alisjahbana to be recognized as a national hero.
Aksi Kamisan is a peaceful movement that demands thorough investigation of human rights violations in Indonesia. Sumarsih is the mother of Bernadinus Realino Norma Irmawan, also known as Wawan, a student at Atma Jaya Jakarta who was killed in the Semanggi I Tragedy on November 13, 1998.
She stated that cases of human rights violations have never been seriously handled by the government since the beginning of the reformation era. According to Sumarsih, only former President Abdurrahman Wahid, also known as Gus Dur, showed commitment to uncovering various human rights violation cases. "But he was ousted," she said to Tempo on Monday, July 27, 2026.
In her presentation, Sumarsih expressed her disappointment with former presidents who did not take human rights violations seriously. For example, former President B. J. Habibie did not fulfill his promise to investigate the shooting of students at Semanggi in 1998. Gus Dur, on the other hand, instructed the attorney general to follow up on investigations into the Trisakti, Semanggi I, and Semanggi II incidents. Unfortunately, he was removed from the presidency as well.
Similarly, former President Megawati Soekarnoputri turned out to be disappointing. "Megawati did nothing. In fact, during the 2009 election, she formed a presidential and vice-presidential candidate pair with Prabowo Subianto," said the 74-year-old woman.
Sumarsih also criticized serious human rights violators who were able to establish political parties. She mentioned Prabowo Subianto, who founded the Gerindra Party. Yet, Prabowo was dismissed from the military for his involvement in the abduction of activists in 1997-1998. She also lamented that Wiranto was not investigated for alleged human rights violations and was able to continue his political career through the Hanura Party.
Sumarsih's disappointment continued during the presidency of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, also known as SBY. Throughout his term from 2004 to 2014, SBY only promised to resolve cases but this was not proven. Sumarsih's frustration peaked during the leadership of Joko Widodo, also known as Jokowi. "Jokowi is a president whose words cannot be trusted," she said.
Sumarsih remembered how Jokowi repeatedly made promises to resolve past human rights violations. Even Jokowi included this issue in his campaign promises.
However, she does not hold much hope for President Prabowo Subianto now. As a form of rejection of Prabowo's leadership, Aksi Kamisan no longer writes letters to the president since October 24, 2024, a few days after the president's inauguration. Instead, Aksi Kamisan creates flyers to be distributed to journalists and participants of the movement.
Although she does not hold hope for Prabowo, Sumarsih believes that resistance against the state's neglect of human rights can still be upheld through a solidarity movement. "For me, Aksi Kamisan is our way of persisting in the struggle to uncover the truth, seek justice, oppose impunity, reject forgetfulness, and maintain the reform," she said.
Aksi Kamisan marked 19 years on January 18, 2026. The commemoration was held in front of Istana Negara Jalan Veteran, Central Jakarta. Aksi Kamisan is a citizens' movement demanding the government to resolve unresolved human rights violation cases.
Quoted from an article in the journal Activism of the Aksi Kamisan Movement in Advocating for the Settlement of Human Rights, this movement has been held regularly every Thursday since January 18, 2007.
Aksi Kamisan emerged as a protest by the families of victims of the 1965 Tragedy, Semanggi I, Semanggi II, Trisakti, the 13-15 May 1998 Tragedy, the Talangsari case, the Tanjung Priok case, and the murder of activist Munir. Maria Katarina Sumarsih, Suciwati, and Bedjo Untung were part of the Solidarity Network of Victims for Justice (JSKK) and became the initiators of this movement. At that time, they were looking for alternative activities as a platform for their struggle. During their meeting, they agreed on the day, location, time, attire, color, and the symbol of the movement.
Quoted from the history of Aksi Kamisan Jakarta: New Social Movement 2007-2021, the selection of the location in front of the Presidential Palace symbolizes the center of power. The attire is specified in black with a black umbrella as the mascot of Aksi Kamisan.
As time went by, as the number of victims of serious human rights violations increased, more and more people joined this movement. Aksi Kamisan not only demands justice for past human rights violations, but also for victims of other human rights violations such as land eviction conflicts and violence by authorities against civilians.
Read: School Students Join Aksi Kamisan Commemorating 1998 Reform: Don't Be Silent
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