Reiner Brabar, Sorong – The gagging of democratic space that continues to occur in Indonesia shows the failure of claims that Indonesia is a democratic country. Democracy and human rights have suffered a decline, and even the right to civil space is shrinking with the curbing of freedom of expression.

Witanto – Activists from Pemalang, Tegal and Brebes, Central Java, united in the declaration of the founding of the regional chapter of the Democratic People's Forum (Forum Rakyat Demokratik, FRD) for Justice for the Families of Victims of Enforced Disappearances.

Hundreds of activists who are members of the Coalition Against Forgetting held a thanksgiving event to mark missing poet Wiji Thukul's 60th anniversary titled "Happy Birthday Wiji Thukul, Where Are You?" at the Gambir National Gallery in Central Jakarta on Saturday August 26.

Dian Erika Nugraheny, Jakarta – Activists who are part of the Reject Forgetting Coalition commemorated what would have been the 60th birthday of missing poet and activist Wiji Thukul at the National Gallery in Gambir, Central Jakarta, on Saturday August 26.

Aristo Setiawan, Jakarta – Former People's Democratic Party (PRD) activists that have now joined the People's Democratic Forum (Forum Rakyat Demokratik, FRD) are demanding justice for the victims of the 1997-98 forced disappearance of pro-democracy activists and the settlement of p

Jakarta – Siti Dyah Sujirah or Sipon died today on Thursday January 5. She was the wife of People's Democratic Party (PRD) activist and poet Wiji Thukul, who was disappeared in 1996 for his frequent and harsh criticism of Suharto's New Order regime.

Jakarta – Recent moves by police to aggressively arrest preman (street thugs, petty criminals) in various cities around the country will not be able to resolve the age old problem of premanism (thuggery) and violence in Indonesia.

Oleh Farid M. Ibrahim – Welcoming December 1, 2019 yesterday, activists from the Free Papua Organisation (OPM) and its supporters in a number of different countries held actions in which they brought and flew the Morning Star independence flag. Several activities were coordinated on social media through the hashtag #GlobalFlagRaising.

Eva Safitri, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs Mahfud Md says that Veronica Koman has gone back on her promise to the Indonesian government. He says that Koman should return Indonesia to accept her scholarship obligations.

Surabaya – A protest action by the United People’s Struggle Alliance (APPR) to commemorate Youth Pledge Day at the East Timor governor’s office in the provincial capital of Surabaya was joined by various labour and student organisations as well as protesters from the Surabaya Papua Student Alliance (AMP).

Reza Gunadha, Eleonora Padmasta Ekaristi Wijana – Lawyer and human rights activist Veronica Koman has been awarded the Sir Ronald Wilson Human Rights Award by the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID).

The ACFID presented the award to Koman at its annual conference in Sydney on the evening of Wednesday October 23.

Protesters from the Papuan Student Alliance (AMP) and religious pupils from an Islamic boarding school (pesantren) faced off against each other at the Malan city hall in East Java. Both groups held the protests under tight police security.

Jakarta – As many as 240 workers from nine trade unions took part in a group viewing of a film about Wiji Thukul titled “Let the Words Rest” (Istirahatlah Kata-Kata) at the Cineplex 21 film theater, Taman Ismail Marzuki cultural centre, Jakarta.

Laurencius Simanjuntak – Founded on July 22, 1996, or when Suharto’s New Order regime was still savage and cruel, it was not an easy time for the People’s Democratic Party (PRD). Moreover the social-democrat orientated party explicitly declared its opposition to Suharto’s power.

Hery Winarno, Jakarta – The House of Representatives (DPR) says it supports the firm actions taken by police in dealing with the Papuan People’s Congress, which they consider to be subversive and threaten the integrity of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI).

Jakarta – International Women’s Day, which falls on March 8, was commemorated by around 100 women activists with a protest action in Central Jakarta.

Jakarta – The murder of human rights activists Munir will be one of the cases taken up in the annual report on human rights in Indonesia, which will be presented to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva in April. This is being done as a means to accelerate a resolution of the case.

“Literary history must be won back. Culture as a priority for the people must be won back.