Civil Society Coalition Demands an End to the Militarization of Civil Spaces
The Civil Society Coalition for Security Sector Reform offers condolences for the deaths of five prospective Village Cooperative Managers (KDMP) during basic military training. This tragedy is seen as a consequence of policies that forcefully impose a military approach onto civil spaces without any justifiable basis.
The coalition emphasizes there is no connection between cooperative management and military training. Competence in cooperative management should be built through organizational governance, participative leadership, accountability, financial literacy, and community empowerment. Involving the TNI in the KDMP program is considered inappropriate, oversteps the TNI Law mandate, and extends militarization into civil spaces.
Such a militaristic approach is thought to erode democratic values and a healthy civil organizational culture. This tragedy reinforces criticism of government policies that bring military approaches into civil affairs, including the now-canceled military education program for children in West Java.
The coalition urges the government to immediately stop the KDMP training program, along with other programs that militarize civil matters, such as the Free Nutritious Meal Program (MBG), as they blur the line between defense and civil institutional functions in a democratic state.
https://www.gelora.co/2026/06/