JAKARTA — Indonesia’s national human rights commission is demanding the government put a stop to basic military training for future managers of President Prabowo Subianto’s signature village cooperative initiative, following the deaths of five participants in just the first 10 days of a 45-day program.
The cooperative initiative, known as the “Red and White Cooperatives” program, was launched in July of last year. It aims to establish roughly 80,000 village cooperatives throughout Indonesia with the goals of creating employment and helping the country reach an 8% economic growth target by 2029. The cooperatives are designed to sell everyday goods, subsidized cooking gas, and fertilizer.
Nearly 35,000 prospective cooperative managers are required to complete the military training, which began on June 14 and is scheduled to run through July 31 at various regional military training facilities.
A rights commission official, Pramono Ubaid Tantowi, stated that the agency “recommends the government stop … the basic military training for the prospective managers of the cooperatives and fishing villages programmes, considering that cooperatives are economic institutions oriented in business management, services to members, and organisational governance.”
On Saturday, the defense ministry — which is overseeing the training — confirmed that five individuals died between June 17 and June 26. Officials attributed the deaths to a range of medical causes, including cardiac arrest, heat stroke, tuberculosis, and pneumonia.
Major General Ketut Gede Wetan, who heads human resource development at the defense ministry, stated: “The five participants have different medical conditions and received medical treatment according to the standard procedures.”
Ketut also noted that all participants had undergone medical screenings prior to beginning the training and were cleared to participate. He further emphasized that the training was not combat-focused and did not involve intense physical activity.
The defense ministry announced plans to carry out a “comprehensive evaluation” of the program, which would include closer health monitoring, earlier identification of participants at risk, and adjustments to the intensity of training activities. The health ministry will also be brought in to assist, officials added.
Pramono argued that training for cooperative managers should center on building managerial skills, leadership abilities, and financial knowledge. “Basic military training does not directly support the achievement of those competencies,” he said.
The human rights commission is also urging the government to investigate the five deaths and is calling on police to seek forensic autopsies to help determine the cause of each death as part of any potential criminal inquiry.
President Prabowo, a former military general who assumed office in 2024, has broadened the role of the military in civilian matters, including in the administration of his key government programs.
