[ad_1]
Jakarta –
A video showing Indonesian Navy (AL) marines handing over shields to the mass of the omnibus law rally is circulating on social media. Pangdam Jaya, Major General Dudung Abdurachman, provided clarification.
Dudung explained that the shields were not distributed to the protesters, but instead were transferred to other vehicles. This is because the truck full of shields will be used to transport students who cannot return home after participating in the demonstration.
“Yesterday there were also marines after being notified by the governor, the students had difficulty returning home, that night they would return to Pamulang for the governor to transport them and then they would be escorted to Pamulang,” said Dudung, at a press conference on Friday (09/10/2020).
Dudung said that at that time the students helped TNI transfer their shields to other vehicles. He stressed that he was not providing a shield to the protesters.
“At that time there was a marine vehicle that was on standby and finally asked for help to transport the students returning to Pamulang, so coincidentally there were shields on the truck as tools to deal with the riots,” said Dudung.
“So the shields were lowered by the members and the students helped lower them to be transferred to other vehicles. It does not mean that they then give a shield to the community, but that the shields moved together. It is the same to move, because the bus will be used by students and will be taken to Pamulang, “he continued.
Dudung emphasized that TNI members did not provide protective facilities to students during the demonstration. He also emphasized that TNI fully supports the Police in handling yesterday’s demonstrations.
“So we of TNI, we fully support ourselves with police duties, we are not there to seek popularity,” he said.
(eva / fjp)
