Jakarta: Indonesia has reduced the military training given to thousands of people preparing to manage a nationwide village cooperative programme after five trainees died during the first two weeks of the course. The move comes after growing criticism from human rights groups and policy experts, who questioned the need for civilians to undergo military style training for jobs focused on rural economic development.
The programme is part of President Prabowo Subianto's flagship Red and White Cooperatives project, which aims to establish around 80,000 village cooperatives across Indonesia. These cooperatives are expected to improve rural economies by providing essential goods, subsidised cooking gas, fertiliser and other services while creating employment opportunities and supporting the government's economic growth plans.
The training programme began on June 14 and was designed to prepare nearly 35,000 cooperative managers before they take up their new roles. The original 45 day course was organised with the support of the Defence Ministry and included military led physical exercises, discipline sessions and other activities intended to build teamwork and leadership.
However, concerns increased after five participants died between June 17 and June 26. Indonesian authorities said the deaths were caused by different medical conditions, including cardiac arrest, heat stroke, tuberculosis and pneumonia. Officials maintained that all participants had passed health screenings before the training started and said the deaths were not linked to combat style exercises.
Following an internal review, the Defence Ministry announced that the programme would continue but with major changes. Military tactics, technical combat instruction and shooting related activities have been removed from the curriculum. The remaining training will place greater emphasis on leadership, discipline, teamwork, character development and cooperation, while physical activities will be adjusted to better suit civilian participants.
The government also said it would strengthen health monitoring throughout the programme. Officials plan to improve medical supervision, identify participants with existing health risks more quickly and work closely with the Health Ministry to prevent further incidents during the remaining weeks of training.
The changes follow strong criticism from Indonesia's National Human Rights Commission, which had earlier urged the government to stop the military training altogether. The commission argued that running village cooperatives requires knowledge of business management, financial planning and community leadership rather than military discipline. It also called for a full investigation into the deaths and recommended forensic examinations to determine the exact causes.
Several civil society organisations and members of the Civil Society Coalition for Security Sector Reform also questioned the government's decision to involve the military in a programme designed for civilian administrators. They argued that there is little evidence showing military training improves the skills needed to manage community based businesses and warned against expanding the armed forces' role in civilian affairs.
Defence Ministry spokesperson Rico Sirait said the government had listened to public concerns and made adjustments while keeping the overall programme in place. According to the ministry, the aim has always been to develop discipline, responsibility and leadership qualities rather than military capability.
The controversy has also renewed debate over President Prabowo's broader efforts to increase military involvement in civilian government programmes. Since taking office in 2024, the former army general has promoted closer cooperation between the armed forces and public institutions as part of his national development agenda.
Supporters believe the military can contribute valuable organisational skills and discipline to large government projects. Critics, however, argue that expanding the military's role beyond defence risks weakening the separation between civilian administration and the armed forces. This principle has been central to Indonesia's democratic reforms since the end of authoritarian rule.
Despite the criticism, the government has made it clear that the Red and White Cooperatives programme will continue. Officials believe the initiative will play an important role in improving rural livelihoods and strengthening local economies. Still, they also acknowledge that participant safety must now become a higher priority as the project moves forward.