Jakarta — Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto presided over the country’s 81st Independence Day commemoration on Monday, a ceremony infused with solemnity as the nation continues to reel from a deadly earthquake in the east and faces political unrest in the west.
Dressed in traditional attire and adorned with a garland of jasmine — a flower symbolizing peace, love, and good fortune — Prabowo led the flag-raising ceremony at the Merdeka Palace, his official residence in the capital.
The ceremony opened with cultural performances, a parade, and a gilded carriage carrying a replica of the national red-and-white flag and the original Proclamation text from the National Monument to the palace, escorted by 114 cavalry troops and 45 motorcycle-riding military police officers from the presidential security detail, according to the Jakarta Post.
But the festivities gave way to a somber moment as Prabowo led a period of silence to honor the nation’s heroes and called on attendees to pray for Indonesians affected by recent disasters.
Flores Earthquake Aftermath
The eastern island of Flores was struck by a magnitude 7.7 earthquake on Saturday, followed by nearly a thousand aftershocks, according to reports. The quake killed at least 68 people, injured more than 200 seriously, and displaced 12,800 residents from their homes.
Rescue teams continued combing through rubble on Monday, with the death toll expected to rise as more bodies are discovered. Survivors remain sheltered in tents, fearful of returning to homes damaged by the tremors. A magnitude 5.6 aftershock rattled the region on Monday, adding to the anxiety.
Frustration has mounted over the pace of the disaster response. One Flores resident told Al Jazeera News: “We’re on our own here. As for help from the government, there hasn’t been any – no tents, no medicine, no food, no drinking water, nothing.”
The Indonesian military said it was airlifting 13 metric tons of emergency aid to the island on Monday, including helicopter deliveries directly to survivors. Deputy Health Minister Benjamin Paulus Octavianus said field hospitals would be set up to replace makeshift medical tents, and additional equipment would be dispatched to the affected region.
The quake triggered landslides that blocked roads across East Nusa Tenggara province, hampering relief efforts, the Jakarta Post reported. The health ministry emphasized the urgent need for neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons to treat head trauma and fractures caused by the quake.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio extended condolences in a message marking Indonesia’s independence day, saying, “Our thoughts are with those who were injured and all communities affected by this tragedy.”
Aceh Protests Turn Violent
While the east struggles with disaster, the western province of Aceh saw scuffles between security forces and thousands of demonstrators on Saturday — the 21st anniversary of the Aceh Peace Day, which commemorates the Helsinki Memorandum of Understanding that ended a three-decade civil war between the Indonesian government and separatist Free Aceh Movement.
Aceh, a distinct ethnic region in northern Sumatra with its own language, was an independent Islamic sultanate before Dutch colonization. Many Acehnese have long felt the early Indonesian government reneged on promises of special status and recognition, including for their strict interpretation of Islamic law, which differs significantly from the rest of the country.
Saturday’s unrest began when some pro-Aceh protesters hoisted their revolutionary flag over the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque in Banda Aceh City. Demonstrators described the flag-raising as an expression of “gratitude” for peace and hope for justice, but observers noted the Indonesian national flag was pulled down during the demonstration — a particularly provocative act so close to Independence Day.
Witnesses reported gunfire shortly after someone climbed the flagpole, prompting a crowd reaction. Protesters threw stones at police officers and damaged several cars parked near the mosque. Officers urged the crowd to disperse but were ignored, then fired water cannons and tear gas to break up the demonstration.
Some protesters waved white flags to signal grievances about natural disasters in Sumatra, which they blame on excessive deforestation.
The juxtaposition of Independence Day celebrations with mourning in Flores and unrest in Aceh underscores the challenges facing Prabowo’s government as it balances national unity with regional crises.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/asia/2026/08/17/indonesia-commemorates-independence-day-after-devastating-earthquake/