Jakarta – On December 1, United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Chairperson Benny Wenda declared Papuan independence. He did not make the declaration on Papuan soil but rather through a press release on the ULMWP's official website.

Achmad Nasrudin Yahya, Jakarta – The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) has asserted that solidarity between civil society groups will not be split or divided by an attempt to invite them to a meeting with President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Monday November 23.

Semarang – Frans Josua Napitu, a Semarang State University (Unnes) student who reported the university's rector to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has challenged the campus administration to an academic debate over accusation that he is involved with the Free Papua Movement (OPM).

Jakarta – The head of the Jakarta provincial Education Office for junior and senior high schools, Muhamad Husin, says that as of today, Tuesday October 27, they have begun implementing lessons about the Omnibus Law on Job Creation.

"It's already come into effect", Husin told CNN Indonesia in an SMS message.

Irfan Kamil, Jakarta – Southeast-Asia Freedom of Expression Network (SAFEnet) Executive Director Damar Juniarto says that a phenomenon of deflating democracy is occurring at the moment through digital attacks against groups critical of the government.

Tsarina Maharani, Jakarta – Freedom House has released the latest research on internet freedom in 65 countries around the world titled “Freedom on the Net 2020”.

The research shows that Indonesia is ranked as partly free. Indonesia was given this category after obtaining an internet freedom score of 49 out of 100.

Dipo Negoro and Leon Kastayudha – The Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation was finally enacted into law by the House of Representatives (DPR) on October 5.

Jakarta – Demonstrations opposing the enactment of the Omnibus Law on Job Creation ended in clashes with police in several parts of the county on Thursday October 8.

Jakarta – A wave of protests against the Omnibus Law on Job Creation have broken out around the country since Monday October 5. Workers and students have taken to the streets to urging President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to annul the law.

Jakarta – The head of the Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation’s (LBH) advocacy for democracy team, Aprilia Lisa, says that the public’s voices and wishes were ignored by the government and the House of Representatives (DPR) in the process of deliberating the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation, which the DPR passed into law yesterday.

Palupi Annisa Auliani (editor) – The threat posed by the Covid-19 pandemic has distracted public attention. In the mist of the panic among the public, many strategic decisions on public policies have been taken without public involvement or participation.

Jakarta – Labour Movement with the People (GEBRAK) Alliance spokesperson Nining Elitos says that more than 100 people were detained by police after they tried to join demonstrations opposing the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation in Jakarta on Friday August 14.

Irfan Kamil, Jakarta – National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) Commissioner for Study and Research, Sandrayati Moniaga, says that the commission is recommending that deliberations on the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation (RUU Cipta Kerja) not be continued.

Jakarta – The human rights based community Papua Is Us (Papua Itu Kita) has launched a fund raising campaign to assist human rights activists and lawyer Veronica Kaman who says that the Indonesian government has asked her to return scholarship money she was given amounting to 773 million rupiah (US$52,760).

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.

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.

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.

On Tuesday July 7, the Women’s Anti-Violence Movement (Gerak Perempuan), which is an alliance of dozens of organisations and individuals, held a protest action in front of the House of Representatives (DPR) building in Jakarta.

The following is a translation of a press release by 17 West Papuan organisations that have launched a Papuan People’s Petition (Petisi Rakyat Papua) to oppose the government’s discussion on renewing Papua’s Special Autonomy Law (Otsus) which expires next year.

Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders says that thousands of human rights (HAM) activists advocating Papuan issues have been victims of violence under the administration of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo. There have been at least 72 cases of legal violations and violence against them.