1. Yusnan Hadi Mochtar

Department of International Relations, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of Jember, Jember, Indonesia

2. Sari Mulyani

International Relations Department, Universitas Nahdlatul Ulama Kalimantan Timur

3. Achmad Ismail

Department of International Relations, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of Jember, Jember, Indonesia

4. Kurniawati Saadah

Department of International Relations, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of Jember, Jember, Indonesia

DOI: 

ABSTRACT 

Discussions on the Rohingya issue have been dominated by perspectives that emphasize the state’s viewpoint. Many researchers have written about multilateral cooperation in responding to the crisis. This paper aims to fill a gap in the literature by exploring perspectives from “below,” specifically by examining the social solidarity of the Indonesian public in supporting the Rohingya. This is important to discuss because Indonesian society, particularly civil society organizations (CSOs), has an interesting political trajectory as they play a role in Indonesia’s social and political development, while Indonesia is also vulnerable to social unrest similar to that in Myanmar. This article analyzes how Indonesia-based CSOs employ their strategies to advocate for Rohingya rights by identifying political opportunities, information politics, symbolic politics, and political leverage. To examine this, the study collected data from public discussions and a literature review. This paper argues that Indonesia-based civil society organizations (CSOs) have demonstrated their ability to mobilize resources—both material, such as aid, and non-material, such as narrative power—for the Rohingya, even though they face limitations in exerting pressure on Myanmar.

Keywords: Civil Society, Information Politics, Leverage Politics, Political Opportunities, Symbolic Politics.