Deputy House Speaker Floats Military Diplomacy with Myanmar to Free Detained Citizen

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, the deputy House speaker, is pushing for a military operation other than war to free Indonesian citizens detained in Myanmar if regular diplomacy hits a dead end. Dasco explained that the military diplomacy will not involve deploying armed forces. 

"Since Myanmar is controlled by the military junta, military-to-military diplomacy is more likely to be effective. And it's possible," Dasco said in a short message to Tempo on Friday, July 4, 2025.

The Gerindra Party chair emphasized that military diplomacy is in accordance with the Indonesian National Army Law regarding Military Operations Other than War. "When the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' efforts have yet to succeed," he said. Dasco stated that he would ask the Minister of Defense, Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, to conduct this military diplomacy.

Dasco's views were initially conveyed at the Parliament complex, Senayan, Jakarta, on Thursday, July 3, 2025. According to him, the government must conduct a military operation other than war if diplomatic efforts fail, without giving further explanation.

In an audio statement to Tempo, Dasco mentioned that it is difficult to set a diplomatic deadline for the government. However, he said, the parliament urges the government to strive for all kinds of diplomacy to repatriate Indonesian citizens, both through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and military diplomacy.

This case began to attract public attention after a member of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) Commission I, Abraham Sridjaja, reported the detention of an Indonesian citizen by the military junta of Myanmar during a working meeting with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday, June 30, 2025.

"There is one of our citizens in Myanmar who is detained by the Myanmar government," said Abraham. In the meeting, Abraham mentioned that the Indonesian infuencer was accused of financing a rebel group.

The Director of Indonesian Citizen Protection Judha Nugraha confirmed that the Indonesian citizen has the initials AP. According to Judha, AP was arrested by the Myanmar authorities on December 20, 2024.

According to the official statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, AP is accused of illegally entering the country and meeting with an armed group categorized as an illegal organization by local authorities.

Based on these allegations, AP faces several charges, including the Anti-Terrorism Act, the 1947 Immigration Law, and Section 17(2) of the Unlawful Associations Act.

Currently, AP is serving his sentence at Insein Prison, Yangon, one of the high-security detention facilities under the authority of the Myanmar military junta.

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