On Friday the 21st of June 2019, the Ministry of Education and Culture resolved to work collaboratively with the Indonesian National Armed Forces in disseminating material to new students during school orientation week.

Jakarta – The Morning Star flag was flown by more than 100 Papuan protesters from the Student Alliance Against Racism, Capitalism, Colonialism and Militarism during a rally in front of the Presidential Palace in Central Jakarta on Thursday August 22.

Guruh Permadi, Jakarta – The coordinator of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), Yati Andriyani, believes that the statement by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on the riots in Papua was totally inadequate.

Adi Ahdiat, Jakarta – The Papua Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) says that since the beginning of Indonesian independence up until now, the country has never been free of racist practices.

David Sobolim, Jayapura – Papuan students from the Indonesian People’s Front for West Papua (FRI-WP) and the Semarang and Salatiga Papuan Student Alliance (AMP) Committees held a joint protest action in the Central Java city of Salatiga in Thursday August 15.

Haris Prabowo – A book raid by a group of people calling themselves the Indonesian Muslim Brigade (BMI) in the South Sulawesi provincial capital of Makassar has caused an uproar on social media. The group confiscated books which they claim contain “communist and leftist ideas”.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) says that 2,087 out of 4,258 hotspots recroded between January and July were located on concession land. Concession land is land for which the government has given land use rights or permits to companies or other agencies.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) plans to form a political party, the Indonesian Green Party, and make the issue of the environment its main political agenda.

Jakarta – President elect President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo appeared dashing and bold as he addressed the issue of investment in his Indonesia Vision speech in Sentul, West Java, on Sunday July 14. He said he would “stand by and defend” investors and claimed he will pursue and soundly thrash anyone who obstructs investment.

Jakarta – The draft Aceh qanun (bylaw) legalising polygamy has attracted support and opposition. Some believe that the qanun needs to be supported providing that it includes stipulations on the husband behaving fairly towards his wives.

As the 2014-2019 term was coming to an end, the House of Representatives (DPR) were persistently trying to pass through a variety of draft legal revisions.

The government must review regional regulations on zonal planning for coastal areas and small islands in various parts of the country which have resulted in the forced eviction of local communities.

These regional regulations have detached fisherpeople, salt farmers and other community groups from their source of livelihood.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) is accusing Coordinating Minister for the Economy (Menko) Darmin Nasution of breaking the law by using his authority to restrict public access to data on land use rights (HGU).

Chandra Iswinarno – A commemoration of International Labour Day which was held at the Imbi Park in Jayapura, Papua, was only allowed to proceed for around 30 minutes. Nevertheless, the protesters who came from the Papuan Labour Movement (GBP) were still able to articulate a number of demands.

Jakarta – The Indonesian People’s Front for West Papua (FRI-WP) and the Papuan Student Alliance (AMP) have declared that they will hold a demonstration in front of the State Palace in Central Jakarta on Wednesday May 1 to coincide with the commemorations of International Labour Day or May Day.

Jakarta – The Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) has launched a report on an investigation into the human rights track record of the presidential and vice presidential candidates contesting the 2019 presidential elections (pilpres).

On the afternoon of March 23 around 70 people from various different organisations which are part of the People United Front (FPR) and the Anti-Militarism Students Against Military Operations in Nduga held a protest action in the Simpang Lima district of the East Java provincial capital of Semarang.

Lisye Sri Rahayu, Jakarta – Presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto is known to hold land use rights (HGU) over thousands of hectares of land in Aceh and East Kalimantan. Prabowo has promised to return the land to the state within 10 days after being inaugurated as president.

At least 16 civil society groups in the West Java provincial capital of Bandung commemorated International Women’s Day (IWD) with a march on Friday March 8 demanding equality for women.

The group, calling itself the Clamber Alliance, focused on demanding rights for women workers, women’s farmers and women working in education.

Jakarta – The Agrarian Reform Consortium (KAP) is asking the government to establish a special body to implement the agrarian reform program. KPA Secretary General Dewi Kartika says that the body should be temporary (ad hoc) and must be personally headed up by the president.