Viva democracy and equality!

March 8, 2018, is exactly 118 years since the Women’s Conference in Denmark which set March 8 as International Women’s Day (IWD).

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Indonesian military (TNI) and police on the involvement of the TNI in police duties such as confronting protests and strikes has been criticised as a step back for reformasi.

M. Ahsan Ridhoi – A working committee meeting on January 29 between the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission I, TNI (Indonesian military) chief Air Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto and Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu has discussed the issue of Papuan independence.

Seysha Desnikia, Jakarta – Islamic Community Forum (FUI) Secretary general Muhammad Al-Khaththath has expressed his disappointment with several political parties contesting the 2018 regional elections (Pilkada).

Jakarta – Former political prisoner and Papuan pro-independent activist Filep Karma was intercepted by five Air Force officers upon arriving at the Soekarno-Hatta airport in Cengkarang.

Yuli Yanna Fauzie, Jakarta -- According to the Ministry of Labour (Kemenaker) a total of 9,822 workers were dismissed (PHK) between January and November 2017 involving 2,345 cases throughout Indonesia.

Muhammad Aminudin, Malang – A demonstration by the Papua Student Alliance (AMP) in the East Java city of Malang ended in a clash with Pancasila Youth (PP) members who were offended by the protest.

Bastian Tebai, Semarang – On Tuesday December 19, the Papua Student Alliance (AMP) and the Indonesian People’s Front for West Papua (FRI-WP) held simultaneous protest actions around the country against the Trikora declaration that was made on December 19, 1961, 56 years ago.

Ihsanuddin, Jakarta – Papuan religious figure Pastor John Djonga says that President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s one price fuel policy in Papua has yet to run smoothly.

He says that the price of BBM (fuel) only goes down to Java prices when Widodo pays an impromptu visit to Papua. But soon after he leaves, the fuel prices shoot up again.

David Sobolim, Jayapura – Scores of students from Solidarity Against Forgetting the Student Shootings Case in Paniai Regency have held a march from the Waena hosing estate to the Imbi Park in Jayapura, West Papua.

Ramadhan, Winna Wijaya, Jakarta – On December 1 several groups held protest actions commemorating the declaration of West Papua’s independence and the anniversary of the Free Papua Movement (OPM).

Dhio Faiz, Jakarta – A demonstration held in Jakarta this morning by hundreds of students and youths from the Papua Student Alliance (AMP) and the Indonesian People’s Front for West Papua (FRI-WP) has ended peacefully.

Jakarta – Hundreds of people from the Papuan Student Alliance (AMP) and the Indonesian People’s Front for West Papua (FRI-WP) gathered on Jl. Pangeran Diponegoro in Central Jakarta on Friday December 1.

Rinaldy Sofwan, Jakarta – Philosopher and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) professor Noam Chomsky and a group of international academics are calling on the Indonesian government to withdraw all troops from West Papua following allegations of human rights violations against civilians by security forces in the province.

Lalu Rahadian, Jakarta – Vertical and horizontal conflicts in Papua province will not be resolved until the Indonesian government provides the Papuan people with an opportunity to determine their future through an international forum.

Jayapura – The Papua provincial government has explicitly refuted a statement by the Papua regional police chief that residents have been taken hostage by an Armed Criminal Group (KKB) in the villages of Banti and Kimbely near the PT Freeport Indonesia mine in Tembagapura district, Mimika regency.

Bambang Hari, Jakarta – An employee at the PT Freeport Indonesia gold-and-copper mine in West Papua, Aser Gobai has refuted information that a PT Freeport worker has been taken hostage by an armed civilian group.

Free Papua Organisation (OPM) spokesperson Sebby Sambon denies that his group has acted in a criminal manner by taking hundreds of local people hostage and raping them. According to Sebby, reports making such claims are just propaganda aimed at damaging the OPM’s struggle.

Jayapura – Mimika District Police Chief Assistance Superintendent Victor Dean Mackbon has denied that residents of the Kimbely and Banti villages are being held hostage by an Armed Criminal Group (KKB).

Moh. Nadlir, Jakarta – The International People’s Tribunal on 1965 (IPT 65) says that the information revealed in 39 documents on the mass killings following the September 30 Movement (G30S) in 1965 held by the US is nothing new.