Jakarta has launched a joint police-military campaign against street crime, which is largely welcomed by residents fearing a recent wave of muggings. However, rights advocates express concern over blurring lines between law enforcement and military power, evoking memories of past abuses.

Jakarta residents have largely welcomed a new police-military campaign against violent street crime, after a wave of brazen motorbike muggings struck fear into Indonesia’s capital. But rights advocates warn that deploying soldiers alongside police blurs a line between law enforcement and military power, reviving memories of extrajudicial killings in a country still haunted by its authoritarian past. On May 15, Jakarta police announced the formation of a special, 24-hour joint patrol task force.....