Jakarta – The House of Representatives (DPR) agreed to proceed with deliberating the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation during a plenary meeting in Jakarta on Thursday April 2. The decision is seen as taking advantage of the corona virus pandemic to accelerate the deliberation of the controversial draft law (RUU).

Reza Gunadha and Stephanus Aranditio – Two Papuan political prisoners, Dano Anes Tabuni and Ambrosius Mulait, wrote the word “sampah” (rubbish) on their bodies during a court hearing to cross-examine witnesses at the Central Jakarta District Court on Monday February 17.

From an op-ed piece titled Social Media Paradox.

A growing number of people are falling foul of Indonesia’s Information and Electronic Transaction Law (ITE), which is notorious for being used to criminalise political dissidents.

Dwi Bowo Raharjo and Ria Rizki Nirmala Sari – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo is holding bilateral talks during his visit to Australia on February 8-10.

Dany Garjito and Rifan Aditya – Human Rights lawyer and activist Veronica Koman says that data on Papuan political prisoners (tapol) and the names of those who died as a result of military operations in Nduga was handed over to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo during his visit to Canberra, Australia.

Jakarta – Amnesty International is urging the Depok municipal government to immediately revoke a call for raids on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) groups in Depok city.

Muhammad Ridwan – Amnesty International Indonesia has responded to a case involving an interfaith activist from West Sumatra, Sudarto, who has been charged with hate speech. Amnesty believes that Sudarto was in fact defending religious minorities’ right to worship.

Muhammad Ridwan – Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid has asked for the discriminative requirements in the selection of candidate state civil servants (CPNS) to be scrapped.

Wahyu Setiawan, Valda Kustarini, Jakarta – Amnesty International believes that resolving cases of human rights violations in Papua is more important than creating a new province. Amnesty Executive Director Usman Hamid says that this is not the right solution for Papua at the moment.

Lightning reads: Oligarchy

Man: I hope you’ll weather the storm.

Ihsanuddin, Jakarta – Today, exactly five years ago, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo was inaugurated as the president of the Republic of Indonesia for 2014-2019. Today, on Sunday October 20, Widodo was again inaugurated as president of Indonesia for 2019-2024.

There was a striking difference however between the two inaugurations.

Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia Director Usman Hamid says that it will be difficult to stop the current attempt to weaken the fight against corruption by crippling the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

Jakarta – Activist and human rights lawyer for Papuan affairs, Veronica Koman, has met with Australian parliamentarians in Canberra. She said that during the meeting she asked the government of the Kangaroo Country to play a more active role in ending the bloodshed in Papua.

Jakarta – Inter-faith religious leaders have called on the government to be careful in dealing with the problems in Papua.

Dian Kurniati and Khairunnisa, Jakarta – Suciwati, the wife of Munir Said Thalib, is urging President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to order the Attorney General to submit a judicial review of one of the prime suspects in Munir’s murder, Muchdi Purwoprandjono, who was declared not guilty in 2008.

Devina Halim, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid is of the view that the naming of Veronica Koman as a suspect could create fear among the public about speaking out on issues related to human rights (HAM) violations in Papua.

Adi Ahdiat, Jakarta – The Nduga Regency Humanitarian Team has again called on the government to withdraw Indonesian military (TNI) and police from Nduga regency in Papua because the military operations being conducted there are terrifying local people.

Siti Sadida Hafsyah, Jakarta – Indonesian Institute of Science (LIPI) researcher Cahyo Pamungkas says that the Trans Papua Highway has yet to bring any benefits to the Papuan people.

Jakarta – The Anti-Corruption Social Coalition says that it is pessimistic about the police’s effort to uncover the perpetrator behind the 2017 acid attack against senior Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigator Novel Baswedan.

Jakarta – Perempuan Mahardika (Free Women), a non-government organisation (NOG) working to protect women, is calling on President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to give amnesty to Baiq Nuril after the Supreme Court rejected her appeal yesterday.