Indonesia protests put spotlight on paramilitary police force

Jakarta: Viral footage of a tactical van crashing into a young delivery driver in Indonesia s capital before rolling over his body has sparked renewed...

Jakarta: Viral footage of a tactical van crashing into a young delivery driver in Indonesia's capital before rolling over his body has sparked renewed anger against a police force long known for its heavy-handed tactics.

Seven officers inside the van were detained for violating the police ethics code at the protest against low wages and financial perks for lawmakers, while the president pledged an investigation.

But protests have since erupted across the country over the incident, the latest in a string of cases where Indonesia's militarised police force -- the Mobile Brigade Corps, or Brimob -- has been accused of overreaction leading to civilian death.

"Brimob is actually a militaristic police force with their own heavy weapons. It is historically used to deal with armed movements but over the last decade more often assigned to work against street protests," said Human Rights Watch's Andreas Harsono.

The unit has therefore "often employed excessive force when dealing with street protests, initially in places like West Papua, but lately also in Jakarta and other urban areas," he added.