We’re all in the same boat age-wise, having been born in the early ‘90s. Some folks call us “millennials,” while others refer to us as “Generation Y,” since we’re a small group that comes after Generation X (those born from the mid ‘60s to the early ‘80s) and before Generation Z (who were born in the late ‘90s to early 2010s).

When it comes to characteristics, people often say millennials are pretty adaptable. We’ve grown up through some major shifts in technology, the economy, and the business world. We’ve seen the internet explode, mobile phones become a must-have, and the world become a lot more multicultural.

All these changes have made us super aware of global issues and led us to be more involved in social activism than previous generations. Plus, we’re known for questioning traditional norms and exploring alternative lifestyles.

Some of the points above definitely resonate with us. But, we’re not so sure if we’re on board with some others.

You see, growing up in Indonesia, we got a taste of authoritarianism. It’s like living under a system that shuts down political diversity, relies on strong central power to keep things the same, and cuts back on democracy, civil liberties, and the rule of law.

Even though we might have grown up far apart, we all remember how our parents encouraged us to join the military, hoping we’d become government officials one day. It’s also wild to think about school trips where we visited places tied to rebellion, painting the military as the heroes and portraying communists as the villains.

We’ve also seen some pretty awesome moments of democracy, where power really belongs to the people. Remember when folks filled the streets shouting, “Reform! Reform! Reform!” in the late 1990s? That was a time people cheered as Soeharto, the leader of the oppressive New Order regime, stepped down. It felt incredible because everyone was fed up with living under such harsh conditions.

Throughout that whole transition phase, we really figured things out. Honestly, for way longer than we can recall, we’ve been enjoying a lot more freedom overall. We’ve gotten used to a bit of democracy, and we’re totally embracing the ups and downs that come with it.

For instance, we now have access to services that just weren’t around during the authoritarian days, like a ton of new media outlets like Whiteboard Journal. Plus, all these startups are popping up since businesspeople have a bit more confidence in the rule of law that was missing back in the New Order era.

Nonetheless, these enjoyments have faced some real challenges over the past couple of years, and it’s become even more pressing in just the last few days.

Back in 2019, we discovered an academic paper from the Ministry of Defense that suggested changing the Military Law. The big takeaway from that was letting active military personnel take on civilian jobs.

Then in 2024, we stumbled upon another academic paper drafted by the House of Representatives. This one also supported the idea of active military members stepping into civilian roles since our lawmakers felt there was a lack of skilled civilian workers.

Lastly, just a few days ago, our parliamentarians even held a private meeting at a fancy hotel to push forward the plan to change the Military Law for allowing active military personnel to take public jobs.

As mentioned above, as millennials, we’re often seen as caring and aware of what’s happening in the world. We’re all about getting involved, standing up for what’s right, and making a positive impact in our communities and beyond. So, as millennials, we’re not just going to sit back and let a world full of cluelessness and military power take over.

Thus, as millennials, we’ve got two pleas.

For Gen X and older, it’s time to stop thinking that a military-led country is somehow more “stable” than one run by civilians. Remember, the military-led New Order era was marked by serious atrocities.

Recall this: between 500,000 and 1 million people were killed during the 1965–1966 massacre. From 1975 to 1999, soldiers were responsible for over 100,000 deaths in East Timor, which had a population of less than a million. And in Aceh, military operations have killed at least 15,000 civilians since 1976. One of the victims could have been you, Boomers.

Now, to fellow millennials, Gen Z, and younger generations—we don’t have to follow the paths laid out by past generations. The privileges we have today didn’t come easy. Back during the authoritarian military era, at least 24 human rights defenders were forcibly abducted, four students were shot, and 681 were injured in the Trisakti tragedy in 1998—all so we can enjoy a society where we have Netflix, Instagram, TikTok, and Spotify!

So please, let’s push back against the crazy idea of letting the military take over civilian roles. We need to stop thinking that those who should be defending us from war crimes and violence should control our everyday lives. Let’s fight that. Reject the current proposal to amend the Military Law. Tolak. Lawan.

Aldo Marchiano Kaligis — a human rights enthusiast. He has almost ten years of experience working in the human rights sector, including for the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS).

Dimas Bagus Arya — Saat ini bekerja di KontraS sebagai koordinator. Selama di KontraS, melakukan kerja advokasi dan riset tentang Hak Asasi Manusia