Achmad Nasrudin Yahya, Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition for Security Sector Reform is urging the government and the House of Representatives (DPR) to be transparent in its deliberations on the Draft Presidential Regulation (Perpres) on the Role of the Indonesian Military in Tackling Terrorism.

Jakarta – West Papua province has again been recorded as having the worst democracy index. This year (2019), West Papua’s Democracy Index (IDI) was 57.62, even dropping lower from 2018 when it was 58.29 points.

Jakarta – The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) suspects that an incident in which the director of the East Kalimantan chapter of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) and two other activists were forcibly taken to a local hospital for isolation had no relationship with Covid-19.

Jakarta, CNN Indonesia – The Indonesian Public Health Experts Association (IAKMI) has criticised the government for failing to involve professional healthcare organisations in dealing with the corona virus (Covid-19) pandemic.

Zakarias Demon Daton, Samarinda – Health officials in Samarinda, East Kalimantan, tried to force three activists to undergo isolation at a local hospital after claiming that they had tested positive for Covid-19.

Jakarta – Kalimantan Islamic University (Uniska) political observer Muhammad Uhaib As’ad says that the democratic process in Indonesia post reformasi – the political reform process that began in 1998 – is still being held hostage by the power of money.

Jakarta – National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) Commissioner Choirul Anam says that the government’s narrative on lifestyles under the “new normal” has in fact complicated the handling of the coronavirus (Covid-19) epidemic in Indonesia.

On Monday July 27 in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta, SOLIDER (People’s Solidarity for Democracy) held a commemoration of the Kudatuli affair (the July 1996 riots), which was a manifestation of the conflict between the ordinary people and the New Order regime of former president Suharto.

Solo – A recommendation by the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) to back President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s eldest son Gibran Rakabuming Raka as a mayoral candidate in the regional elections in Solo, Central Java, has attracted criticism from student groups in the city.

After launching a peaceful action on Tuesday July 15, the Alliance for the Enactment of the Draft Law on the Eradication of Sexual Violence (Aliansi Sahkan RUU PKS) in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta held a second action in front of the Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) building on Tuesday July 21.

Alfath Asmunda, Banda Aceh – A series of cases of sexual violence against children has taken place in Aceh. Last week for example, two infants in Greater Aceh became victims of sexual violence committed by their uncle with the initials YL (49).

Jakarta – The Draft Law on the Agency for Pancasila Ideology Education (RUU BPIP) which will replace the Draft Law on Pancasila Ideology Guidelines (RUU HIP) contains a prohibition on communist and Marxist ideology.

Jakarta – Arbi M. Nur, a student from the Khairun University (Unkhair) in Ternate, North Maluku, who was expelled by the university after taking part in a free Papua protest action, has now been charged with treason.

Ihsanuddin, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid has slammed violence by police against peaceful demonstrators opposing the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation yesterday.

Jakarta – Representatives of demonstrators who held a protest action against the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation said they were disappointed after meeting with leaders from the House of Representatives (DPR) at the parliamentary complex in Senayan, Central Jakarta, late on Thursday July 16.

Surabaya – Thousands of protesters from the Movement Alliance Against the Omnibus Law (Getol) packed Jl Pahlawan in the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya on Thursday July 16. Roads in the vicinity of the rally have been closed off since earlier this afternoon.

Yogyakarta – Protesting workers in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta held an action on Thursday July 16 opposing the House of Representatives’ (DPR) deliberations on the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation. They also called on Yogyakarta Governor Sultan Hamengkubowono X to send a letter to the DPR.

Jakarta – Labour, farmer and student groups opposing the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation (RUU Cipta Lapangan Kerja) held a protest action on the left side of the House of Representatives (DPR) building’s front gates on Thursday July 16. The groups said that the government and the DPR have failed to grasp the public’s wishes.

On Tuesday July 15 a protest action against Papuan Special Autonomy (Otsus) Chapter II was held at the zero kilometre point in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta. The joint action was initiated by the Papuan Student Alliance (AMP) and the Indonesian People’s Front for West Papua (FRI-WP).

On Tuesday July 14, pro-democracy and gender equality organisations and individuals in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta from the Enact the Draft Law on the Elimination of Sexual Violence Alliance (Aliansi Sahkan RUU PKS) held took to the streets to peacefully demand the immediate ratification of the Draft Law on the Elimination of Sexual Viol