Bimo Wiwoho, Jakarta – Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) central leadership board (DPP) chairperson Andreas Hugo Pereira has admitted that vice presidential candidate Ma’ruf Amin is attempting to win the support of Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) leader Rizieq Shihab in the 2019 presidential election.

The Deputy Chairperson of Prabowo Subianto’s Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), Ferry Juliantono, says that it is natural to use identity politics in general elections because in several countries, identity politics are one of the considerations in choosing a leader.

Bastian Tebai, Surabaya – As many as 49 Papuan students who reside at the Kamasan Papuan Dormitory in the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya were arrested by police this evening and are being held at the Surabaya district police headquarters (Polrestabes).

Bastian Tebai, Semarang – The Papuan Student Alliance (AMP) and the Indonesian People’s Front for West Papua (FRI-WP) have called on all Papuan students through their city committees in Java and Bali to declare that the 1962 New York Agreement was illegal.

Arnold Belau, Jayapura – A peaceful action that was to be held by the Indonesian People’s Front for West Papua (FRI-WP) in Ternate, North Maluku, was forcibly broken up by local police on August 15.

Angling Adhitya Purbaya, Semarang – Seven environmental activists have been put behind bars for fighting against pollution caused the company PT Rayon Utama Makmur (RUM) in Sukoharjo, Central Java.

An appeal against the sentences is still underway on the grounds that the judges [failed] to heed the facts in reaching the verdict.

Budiarti Utami Putri, Jakarta -- The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) is reluctant to take part in the integrated team to investigate past gross human rights violations which is being touted by Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs (Menkopolhukam) Wiranto.

Andi Hartik, Malang – Genoneva Misiati (76) is now resting in peace. Her long wait to find her beloved son, Petrus Bima Anugrah or Bimo is over but without success.

Joko Santoso, Purbalingga – A short film by a student whose family were victims of the 1965 anti-communist purge has won best fictional film at the 2018 Purbalingga Film Festival (FFP).

The awards were conferred on Saturday evening, August 4, at the Purbalingga Square.

Ihsan Dalimunthe, Jakarta – Actions commemorating 49 years since the Papuan “Act of Free Choice (Pepera) in 1969 will be held at several different locations, one of which was in front of the State Palace in Central Jakarta on Thursday August 2.