News

January 2021

West Papua
Tirto.id – January 27, 2021

Adi Briantika – A group of Papuan students in front of the House of Representatives (DPR) building in Jakarta, who were planning to hold a protest action opposing the extension of Papuan Special Autonomy (Otsus), were arrested and taken to the Metro Jaya regional police headquarters on Wednesday January 27.

Indonesia
Kompas.com – January 26, 2021

Nicholas Ryan Aditya, Jakarta – Public policy observer Trubus Rahadiansyah says that President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's claim that Indonesia is handling the corona virus pandemic well is intended to prevent the public from panicking. Yet the number of Covid-19 cases continues to rise.

Indonesia
Kompas.com – January 26, 2021

Nicholas Ryan Aditya, Jakarta – The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) recorded 351 cases of civil rights violations across the country in 2020. YLBHI organisational development division head Febionesta said that the cases were dominated by violations against freedom of expression and the right to convey an opinion in public.

Indonesia
Kompas.com – January 25, 2021

Achmad Nasrudin Yahya, Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition is concerned that the newly established national defense reserve component (komcad) will be used to control domestic security threats.

Indonesia
Kompas.com – January 25, 2021

Dian Erika Nugraheny, Jakarta – Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) advocacy division head Muhammad Isnur says that the government often tends to blame the public for its poor handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.

West Papua
CNN Indonesia – January 25, 2021

Jakarta – Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH Jakarta) Director Arif Maulana has confirmed the view that the state has played a role in perpetuating racism against Papuans.

Indonesia
CNN Indonesia – January 24, 2021

Jakarta – The Mining Advocacy Network (Jatam) says that the presence of retired Indonesian military (TNI) and police generals in mining companies is ridden with conflicts of interest. It is suspected that their presence also results in favouritism in the handling of conflicts between the mining industry and local communities.

Indonesia
Kompas.com – January 23, 2021

Nicholas Ryan Aditya, Jakarta – Mining Advocacy Network (Jatam) Coordinator Merah Johansyah has refuted Presidential Chief of Staff (KSP) Moeldoko’s statement that the administration of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo is not selling off permits to open new mines and palm oil plantations.

Indonesia
Kompas.com – January 22, 2021

Devina Halim, Jakarta – The Security sector Reform Coalition says that there are three problems which need to be addressed when the sole candidate for the next police chief, Commissioner General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, takes over the leadership of the national police.

Indonesia
Kompas.com – January 22, 2021

Achmad Nasrudin Yahya, Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) says that the planned reactivation of the Swakarsa Civilian Security Force (Pam Swakarsa), which was proposed by candidate national police chief Commissioner General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, is a betrayal of the values of reformasi.

Indonesia
CNN Indonesia – January 19, 2021

Jakarta – Greenpeace Indonesia has expressed it regret over government regulations which make it easier to extend mining permits when South Kalimantan is being inundated by horrendous floods as a result of damage to the environmental.

Indonesia
CNN Indonesia – January 19, 2021

Jakarta – Civil society organisations in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta which are part of the Yogyakarta People's Alliance for Democracy (ARDY) have sent a subpoena to Yogyakarta (DIY) Governor Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X over a ban on expressing opinions in public.

Indonesia
CNN Indonesia – January 19, 2021

Jakarta – The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) is urging President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to summon companies which have business permits covering forest areas and land in South Kalimantan.

Indonesia
CNN Indonesia – January 18, 2021

Feybien Ramayanti, Jakarta – Greenpeace Indonesia suspects that the flash floods which have inundated South Kalimantan are because watershed areas lost around 304,225 hectares of forest cover between 2001 and 2019. Most of this has been converted into palm oil plantations.

Indonesia
CNN Indonesia – January 18, 2021

Jakarta – Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) Chairperson Asfinawati says that Presidential Regulation Number 7/2021 which was signed by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo earlier this month has the potential to give rise to conflicts in society.

Indonesia
CNN Indonesia – January 17, 2021

Jakarta – Human Rights Watch (HRW) has criticised the government of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo for its weak health response to Covid-19 which has brought Indonesia to its knees since the pandemic started in March 2020.

West Papua
Suara Papua – January 13, 2021

Reiner Brabar, Kota Sorong – On Monday January 11, hundreds of protesters from the Papuan People's Front (FRP) who oppose the extension of Special Autonomy (Otsus) held a long-march from Kilometre 9 to the Sorong City Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) carrying a coffin with the message "The late Otsus".

West Papua
Suara Papua – January 12, 2021

Maria Baru, Kota Sorong – The Papuan people in greater Sorong reject all attempts by the Papuan political elite to extend Special Autonomy (Otsus) in Papua. This opposition was expressed during a march on the Sorong City Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) on Monday January 11.

West Papua
Suara Papua – January 8, 2021

Jayapura – Several people from villages in Biak and Supiori, Papua, were reportedly arrested between January 4-7 by a joint unit of TNI (Indonesian military) and Indonesian police (Polri) without arrest warrants.

West Papua
CNN Indonesia – January 7, 2021

Jakarta – The non-government organisation (NGO) Green Papua claims that 654,561 Papuans have signed a petition opposing the extension of Special Autonomy (Otsus) for Papua.