Jakarta – The Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI) and a number of Islamic mass organisations oppose attempts to ban female circumcision by any groups on the grounds that it represents a religious teaching, the implementation of which is a human right protected by the Indonesian constitution.

Angling Adhitya Purbaya, Semarang – Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) board of patrons chairperson Prabowo Subianto give a public lecture today at the Diponegoro University (Undip) in the Central Java provincial capital of Semarang.

Angling Adhitya Purbaya, Semarang – A number of students could be seen Tuesday standing at the traffic circle in front of the Prof. Soedarto building at the Diponegoro University (Undip) in the Central Java provincial capital of Semarang, awaiting the arrival of Prabowo Subianto who is to give a public lecture at the university.

Jakarta – Problems related to Papua are Indonesia’s internal affair. The United State has never considered the Papua problem in its cooperative defense relationship.

Manokwari – Shouts of “Papuan is independent” enlivened a peaceful protest action at the West Papua Provincial House of Representatives (DPRPB) on Thursday November 17.

Nurlina Umasugi, Jayapura – Thousands of Papuans from the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) held a 15 kilometer march on Monday afternoon to demand a referendum for the Papuan people.

Jakarta – For two years now, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) has ignored the House of Representatives’ (DPR) recommendations on the forced abduction and disappearance of 13 activists in 1997-1998. There were four recommendations issued by the DPR on September 30, 2009 in relation to the case.

Jakarta – The government is being urged to prioritize dialogue over a militaristic approach in resolving the Papua problem. It is precisely this militaristic approach that is provoking continued violence. Because of this therefore, violations of civilian human rights must stop.

Manokwari – Residents of Manokwari, West Papua, held a protest on Tuesday August 2 by marching through the city’s major streets.

Manokwari – Thousands of Papuan civilians in Manokwari, West Papua, took to the streets on Tuesday August 2 to demand a referendum. The participants at the action are convinced that a referendum is the middle road to resolve the political status of West Papua.

Rohmat, Denpasar – The commemoration of International Labour Day in Bali was commemorated by a number of different student organisations. Workers however were absent from the protest.

Yogyakarta – The special autonomy that has been in effect in Papua since 2001 is not working in accordance the hopes of the indigenous people there. There are still many infringements and even human rights violations.

Jakarta – Rights activists have expressed disappointment over the Cenderawasih Regional Military Command (Kodam) military tribunal’s verdict in the case of the Papuans that were tortured in Tingginambut, Puncak Jaya regency, a video of which was circulated via YouTube not long ago.

Women are not just housewives. They are not second class citizens.

Suwardiman – After nine years, support by various elements of society for special autonomy (otsus) is weakening.

The following is a compilation of abridged translations of the January 28 protest actions held around the country to commemorate the first 100 days of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's second administration. The reports are ordered alphabetically by city.

Wisdom cannot be measured by how long one has lived...

Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta – Hundreds of students from various groups in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta held an action opposing the inauguration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) and Vice President Boediono on October 20. The protest was marked by the burning of T-shirts with pictures of Yudhoyono and Boediono.

Didi Syafirdi, Jakarta – Only half a day after being inaugurated as the president and vice president for 2009-2014, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Boediono are being urged to solve five key problems in the first 100 days of the new administration.