News Updates – News updates on Indonesia, East Timor & West Papua (includes Indoleft). [sample/subscribe me]
Indoleft – News updates from Indonesian language sources. [archive/subscribe me]
News Digests – Weekly digest on Indonesia & monthly digest on East Timor. [subscribe me]

APSN – The activist resources site on Indonesia & East Timor. Over 13 years of archived reports & articles.us now! APSN also has an wide range of essential Resources, Archives and Background reports on East Timor, Indonesia and West Papua. Site map

Don't train Indonesia's deadly Kopassus

Indonesia's Special Forces (Kopassus), more than any other in the Indonesian military, stands accused by the Indonesian people of some of the most egregious human rights violations. In 2008, the Bush administration proposed to restart US training of Kopassus. More than 50 US organisations have signed a letter opposing such training. You can support this by adding your name to the Don't Train Indonesia's Deadly Kopassus petition to President of the United States. Coordinated by the East Timor & Indonesia Action Network (ETAN).

• US seeks to resume Indonesian training - Inter Press Service. March 6, 2010
• US tries to slip round ban on Kopassus - Washington Post. March 4, 2010
• US groups oppose training of Indonesia's notorious Kopassus special forces
• Letter signed by US organizations

Statements, press releases, media releases and urgent appeals are archived under their respective country/section pages.
 
• Yudhoyono receives an Australian honour - The East Timorese receive nothing! - Australia East Timor Friendship Association Media Statement. March 10, 2010
• Timor-Leste: President would support international tribunal - Amnesty International Public Statement. March 9, 2010
• Burma: Authorities persecute political opponents ahead of announced election - Asian Human Rights Commission Statement. March 9, 2010
• Australian-Indonesian relations - Australia West Papua Association (Sydney) Media release. March 8, 2010
• Merak refugees and the Indonesian solution should head the agenda for Indonesia state visit - Refugee Action Coalition Media Release. March 8, 2010
• AWPA calls on Prime Minister Rudd to raise West Papua with the Indonesian President during his visit to Australia - Australia West Papua Association (Sydney) Media release. March 1, 2010
• Indonesia: Villagers living in famine-affected areas in 2009 have still not received adequate food and medical aid - Asian Human Rights Commission Hunger Alert. February 28, 2010
• India: The government claims that the country has the world's least corrupt police force! - Asian Human Rights Commission Statement. February 27, 2010
• Letter to President Obama ahead of his trip to Indonesia - Human Rights Watch. February 25, 2010
• Indonesia: Freedom of religion not protected - Asian Human Rights Commission Statement. February 23, 2010
• Open letter to members of the UN Security Council on the situattion of justice in Timor-Leste - Amnesty International. February 23, 2010
• Indonesia: Lack of effective witness and victim protection - Asian Human Rights Commission Statement. February 18, 2010
• Human rights situation in Covalima and Bobonaro - HAK Association Press Statement. February 16, 2010
• Sri Lanka: The second term of the president - Outside constitutionalism, rule of law and due process - Asian Human Rights Commission Statement. February 14, 2010

• Melbourne

The crisis to come: Indonesia and the politics of 21st century underdevelopment – Public lecture by Dr Max Lane, author of Unfinished Nation: Indonesian before and after Suharto. April 15, 6.30pm, Elisabeth Murdoch Building, Theatre A, Melbourne University, Parkville. Presented by the Asia Institute. Admission is free but bookings are required as seats are limited. To register visit http://www.asiainstitute.unimelb.edu.au.

Campaign for West Papuan justice and refugees – Meets every Wed 6pm at Trades Hall Bar, Carlton. Supported by: Australia West Papua Association, West Papua Australia Active Support Network, Free West Papua Collective, Friends of the Earth, ACTU, VTHC, CEPU, Timor Sea Justice Campaign and more. For more info ring 0409 268 978 or e-mail manukoreri@riseup.net.

• Sydney

Welcome the refugees – No Indonesian solution, Let the boats land in Australia. Rally to mark 150 days on the boat at Merak for Tamil refugees. Wed March 10 12.30pm, Kevin Rudd’s Sydney office, 70 Phillip St, City. Organised by the Refugee Action Coalition. For more info contact Ian on 0417 275 713 or visit RAC Sydney. Major rally 2pm Sat April 17 Sydney Town Hall – End the Indonesian Solution – Let the boats land here.

Australia-West Papua Association Meetings – Last Wednesday of every month (6.15pm) in the office of People for Nuclear Disarmament, cnr Chalmers & Bedford Streets. Info from Joe Collins or Anne Noonan: (02) 9960 1698 or 0408 860 342 or email iris@matra.com.au.

Australia-East Timor Association (NSW) meets every 4th Wednesday of each month in Room 310, Level 3, Tower Building, UTS Broadway between 6.30pm. Contact Stephen Langford (02) 9331 5986.

• City Calendar – Visit Direct Action's calendar of activities and events happening around Australia.
• Brisbane
• Canberra
• Melbourne
• Perth
• Sydney

• Meetings, Parties, Anything – Visit Green Left Weekly's weekly calendar of events and activities.

If your organisation has an event or activity you would like advertised free on this site tell us about it now by sending an e-mail to jamesbalowski@yahoo.com.

Top stories

• Bali bomber led new terrorist gang - Sydney Morning Herald. March 11, 2010. Indonesian authorities are in hot pursuit of Umar Patek, the last alumnus of the Bali bombing terrorist cell who remains at large after the death this week of his accomplice Dulmatin.
• East Timor hotel development reveals multiple graves - Reuters. March 11, 2010. The construction of a luxury hotel near East Timor's capital has uncovered machine-dug graves containing remains of people who may have been killed during the Indonesian occupation, scientists said on Thursday.
• Raucous crowd churns court at hearing on blasphemy law - Jakarta Globe. March 11, 2010. Heated debate and cries from a rowdy crowd marked Wednesday's hearing in the judicial review of the 1965 Blasphemy Law as conservative Islamic leaders took to the podium at the Constitutional Court to deliver their arguments in support of the law.
• Papuans in Australia call on Indonesia for more openness - Radio New Zealand International. March 10, 2010. The Australian-based West Papuan National Coalition for Liberation says President Yudhoyono, should show his goodwill to Australia and the international community by allowing more outside contact with the Papua region.
• East Timor president insists does not want war crimes tribunal - Agence France Presse. March 10, 2010. East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta on Wednesday denied claims by Amnesty International that he would support a tribunal for abuses committed during Indonesia's occupation.
• Yudhoyono calls for end of stereotypes - Australian Associated Press. March 10, 2010. Indonesia's partnership with Australia is now "solid and strong", but challenges remain, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has told federal parliament.
• Debate over Yudhoyono honour - Sydney Morning Herald. March 10, 2010. The bestowing of one of Australia's highest honours on the Indonesian President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, was a "pragmatic" move, human rights groups said.
• Groups claim alleged court conspiracy in Priok case - Jakarta Post. March 10, 2010. A number of NGOs concerned with human rights filed a report to the Judicial Commission on alleged judiciary corruption practices in the 1984 Tanjung Priok riot case.
• New law bars Burma's Aung San Suu Kyi from elections - Associated Press. March 10, 2010. Burma's military rulers have barred pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi from running in upcoming elections and may force her own political party to expel her under a new election law unveiled Wednesday.
• Tribe sues Freeport over customary land dispute - Jakarta Post. March 9, 2010. One of Timika's native tribes, Amungme, filed a civil lawsuit Monday against PT Freeport Indonesia for allegedly taking over their customary land for their main pit without paying compensation, the tribe's lawyer said.
• Lowy Institute view of Australia-Indonesia rejected - Jakarta Post. March 9, 2010. Australia West Papua Association representative Joe Collins has rejected a Sydney-based Lowy Institute paper that argues that the trust of Australians in Indonesia is low.
• More >>

Drunken Republic – The lighter (or darker) side of Indonesian politics.

Indoleft

News reports, statements and publications translated from Indonesian language news sources. Click here to subscribe to Indoleft now. Indoleft archive (2003-2009).
 
• Rights group to submit update on Munir case to UN this week - Kompas. March 10
• IWD rally in Yogyakarta demands equality and freedom for women - Detik.com. March 8
• Women in Palu condemn domestic violence, sexual harassment - Liputan6.com. March 9
• IWD action in Aceh takes gender up inequality, violence against women - Sinar Indonesia. March 9
• Bandung students reject discrimination against women, abuse of migrant workers - Liputan6.com. March 8
• People's court finds 'SBY' guilty of injustice against women - VIVAnews. March 8
• IWD commemorated by protest actions in Medan, Yogyakarta and Solo - Liputan6.com. March 8
• International Women's Day - Yudhoyono stands accused - Tempo Interactive. March 8
• More >>

• Book bannings spur Indonesia's struggle for political liberty - By Max Lane
• Abdurrahman Wahid: contradictions of an unsuccessful demo - By Max Lane
• Burma's generals prepare rigged election - By Hamish Chitts
• Rudd ignores war crimes to boost ties with Sri Lanka - By Sam King
• More >>

 
• Archive of Direct Action articles on the Asia Pacific
• Subscribe to Direct Action

News and analysis focusing on political developments in the Asia Pacific region.

• Reporting the 'war on terror' - Labour Party Pakistan. February 20, 2010
• Labour Party Pakistan congress advance the revolutionary process - International Viewpoint. February, 2010
• Pakistan: Difficulties in building alternative civic movements on war and war memory - Labour Party Pakistan. November 26, 2009
• Unity of the Indonesian revolutionary movement is urgent - IndoPROGRESS. November 1, 2009
• More >>

• Max Lane’s Blog – Commentary and info on the history, contemporary politics and culture of Indonesian and its relationships with Australia and the world.
• Click here to find out where Max is speaking.

Archives

• News reports & articles on Aceh, Indonesia and West Papua are archived in the Indonesia News Digests.
• News reports on East Timor are archived in the East Timor News Digests.
• Other articles are archived under their country specific sections.

• Burmese junta should go before ICC, Nobel laureates tell Ban - Irrawaddy. March 6, 2010
• 4,000 workers go on strike in Rangoon - Irrawaddy. March 6, 2010
• For sex workers in Burma, a life of risks - Inter Press Service. March 6, 2010
• Again, Burma's Than Shwe mentions election but no date - Irrawaddy. March 2, 2010
• 'Our movement is unique for women' - Irrawaddy. February 26, 2010
• Burma court ruling keeps Aung San Suu Kyi under house arrest - Agence France Presse. February 26, 2010
• Will the Burmese regime launch another monk 'purification' campaign? - Irrawaddy. February 23, 2010
• Burmese junta plans to tighten controls on monks - Irrawaddy. February 20, 2010
• Exchanging one prison existence for another - Irrawaddy. February 19, 2010
• UN envoy visits Insein as prisoners demand better conditions - Irrawaddy. February 18, 2010
• More >> 

• Indonesian military doubts talk of East Timor military tribunal - Jakarta Globe. March 9, 2010
• Mass grave uncovered on hotel site in East Timor - ABC News. March 6, 2010
• Attack on Timorese President unsolved - Sydney Morning Herald. March 5, 2010
• Lover acquitted over East Timor murder plot - Sydney Morning Herald. March 4, 2010
• East Timor jails 27 over assassination bid - Reuters. March 3, 2010
• East Timor convicts 24 rebels over murder plots - Associated Press. March 3, 2010
• UN extends mission in East Timor - Agence France Presse. February 27, 2010
• UN extends East Timor mission, cuts police ahead of possible pullout - Associated Press. February 26, 2010
• Are we really East Timor's heroes? - Real Matilda. February 24, 2010
• East Timor swears in new anti-graft boss - Agence France Presse. February 22, 2010
• Plot to vilify Timor rebel's lover cited - Melbourne Age. February 20, 2010
• Prosecutors seek big jail terms for East Timor rebels - Agence France Presse. February 18, 2010
• Defence concerns in East Timor political attacks trial - Radio Australia. February 15, 2010
• Aussie expert adds to Timor case doubts - Australian Associated Press. February 12, 2010
• East Timor says yet to award Sunrise downstream contract - Reuters. February 11, 2010
• East Timor anti-graft tsar sees long fight ahead - Reuters. February 5, 2010
• Video spotlights East Timor police abuse - Agence France Presse. February 1, 2010
• More >>

• Sri Lanka to extend emergency laws - Aljazeera. March 3, 2010
• Full-paying patient scheme slammed - Malaysia Kini. March 1, 2010
• Militants win Philippine Airlines union elections - Philippines Daily Inquirer. February 28, 2010
• Thaksin supporters denounce Thai court verdict - Associated Press. February 27, 2010
• Thailand braces for Thaksin verdict - Reuters. February 26, 2010
• Malaysia's 'bad' books sent into literary limbo - Inter Press Service. February 24, 2010
• Nepal pro-monarchy party protests in capital city - Associated Press. February 23, 2010
• Thaksin Shinawatra ruling to reignite 'war' - The Australian. February 22, 2010
• 'No' to use of public hospitals for private care - Malaysia Kini. February 22, 2010
• Bangladesh pressures Rohingya after EU visit - Irrawaddy. February 22, 2010
• Four Perak activists found guilty - Malaysia Kini. February 19, 2010
• Malaysian women caned for sex say punishment was 'good' for them - Reuters. February 19, 2010
• Rights groups outraged over caning of women in Malaysia - Agence France Presse. February 18, 2010
• Playing Tom and Jerry in Malaysia - Irrawaddy. February 16, 2010
• Singapore accused of stealing beaches - Melbourne Age. February 14, 2010
• Resistance to our road map is futile: Fiji - Agence France Presse. February 12, 2010

Indonesia

• Violence on women goes beyond home - Jakarta Post. March 9, 2010
• Mothers, wives on the rise as main breadwinners - Jakarta Post. March 9, 2010
• 'Confrontation politics' seen as legacy of Century probe - Jakarta Globe. March 9, 2010
• 'Protected forests' now up for grabs for mining - Jakarta Post. March 9, 2010
• Soldiers attack police posts in North Sumatra over arrest - Jakarta Post. March 9, 2010
• Grim reality check on International Women's Day - Jakarta Post. March 8, 2010
• ICW warns of 'political deals' in bailout probe - Jakarta Post. March 8, 2010
• Victims of violence against women skyrocket - Jakarta Post. March 7, 2010
• US seeks to resume Indonesian training - Inter Press Service. March 6, 2010
• Police officer, two civilians killed in Aceh firefight - Jakarta Post. March 6, 2010
• Kopassus chief in US to discuss military ban - Jakarta Post. March 6, 2010
• US plan to train Indonesia's special forces sets off alarm - Christian Science Monitor. March 5, 2010
• Bandung dancers charged under anti-pornography law - Agence France Presse. March 4, 2010
• Aceh broadcast censorship plan rankles critics - Jakarta Globe. March 4, 2010
• 2nd civilian slain in Aceh amid antiterror operations - Jakarta Globe. March 4, 2010
• US tries to slip round ban on Kopassus - Washington Post. March 4, 2010
• Journalists' group files lawsuit against censor over 'Balibo' ban - Jakarta Globe. March 4, 2010
• Blasphemy law robs citizens of rights, witness testifies - Jakarta Globe. March 4, 2010
• Bailout broke laws, says Indonesia's divided house - Jakarta Globe. March 4, 2010
• Indonesia coalition rocked by split - The Australian. March 4, 2010
• The fallout of the Century - Jakarta Post Editorial. March 4, 2010
• Aceh rights groups demand halt police's military-style operations - Jakarta Globe. March 3, 2010
• Ministry names hard-line FPI among 'misguided' Islamic sects - Jakarta Globe. March 3, 2010
• President told to reopen Munir case - Jakarta Post. March 3, 2010
• Vote sparks pandemonium in Indonesian Parliament - Melbourne Age. March 3, 2010
• Indonesia bank bail-out: Protesters, police clash - Agence France Presse. March 2, 2010
• Question looms over judges' impartiality - Jakarta Post. March 2, 2010
• Tamils' spokesman 'Alex' jumps ship - Sydney Morning Herald. March 2, 2010
• Refugee hunger strike continues - Australian Associated Press. March 1, 2010
• Blasphemy law leads to human rights abuses: Activists - Jakarta Globe. March 1, 2010
• Indonesia's protected forests now open to development - Reuters. March 1, 2010
• Indonesia welcomes US plan to boost military cooperation - Jakarta Post. March 1, 2010
• Parties in uproar over 'improper lobbying' - Jakarta Post. March 1, 2010
• Land use conversion rampant in Tesso Nilo National Park - Jakarta Post. March 1, 2010
• UN to take close look at Indonesia's rights record - Jakarta Globe. February 28, 2010
• Human Rights Watch wants Obama to press Jakarta over rights - Jakarta Post. February 27, 2010
• As Bank Century probe nears end, lobbying is just beginning - Jakarta Globe. February 27, 2010
• Ministry seeks two year delay to implement environment law - Jakarta Post. February 27, 2010
• Obama urged to examine Indonesia's rights record - Jakarta Globe. February 26, 2010
• Aceh seen as a 'safe haven' for terror group Jemaah Islamiyah - Jakarta Globe. February 24, 2010
• Timor Sea oil leak reached Indonesia - ABC News. February 24, 2010
• Parties stick it to Boediono, Mulyani - Jakarta Post. February 24, 2010
• More >>

• Vanuatu march with petition supporting West Papuan independence - Radio New Zealand International. March 5, 2010
• Vanuatu government divided on West Papua - Vanuatu Daily Post. March 3, 2010
• Vanuatu officials grant approval for West Papua march - Radio New Zealand International. March 3, 2010
• Vanuatu government urged to restate Papua stance - Radio New Zealand International. March 1, 2010
• How to deliver peace in troubled Papua province - Jakarta Post. March 1, 2010
• Death of an Australian journalist in Papuan must be revisited - Australian Associated Press. February 26, 2010
• West Papuan rights lawyer calls for peaceful dialogue with Jakarta - Radio New Zealand International. February 25, 2010
• Yudhoyono must woo 'Pacific for Papua's sake' - Jakarta Post. February 25, 2010
• Hundreds demonstrate in Jayapura, calling for Free Papua - Cenderawasih Pos. February 23, 2010
• More >>

News Services

• INDOLEFT - English language news service from Indonesian language sources. [archive/subscribe me]
• APSN Indonesia/East Timor News Updates - News updates on Indonesia and East Timor. [sample/subscribe me]
• APSN News Digests - Weekly news digest on Indonesia and monthly news digest on East Timor. [subscribe me]

Keep informed, subscribe now! All of APSN's news services are free. To subscribe to one or more of these services just click on the "subscribe me" links above. Read more.

• Indoleft Archive – Archive of news reports, statements and publications translated from Indonesian language news sources (2003-2010).
• East Timor News Digest – Archive of news reports and articles on East Timor (2002-2009).
• Indonesia News Digest  – Archive of news reports and articles on Aceh, Indonesia and West Papua (1997-2010).
• Satements & press release on East Timor (1999-2009)
• Satements & press release on Indonesia (1998-2009)
• Satements & press release on West Papua (2002-2009)
• ASIET Publications & videos on East Timor
• ASIET Publications & videos on Indonesia
• Background reports & articles on Indonesia
• Background reports & articles on East Timor
• Direct Action articles on the Asia Pacific (2008-2009)
• Green Left Weekly articles on the Asia Pacific (2002-2008)
• Asia Pacific Solidarity Conference 1998
• Asia Pacific International Solidarity Conference 2002

• Aceh
• Afghanistan
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East Timor

• Balibo film history site - Clinton Fernandes
• 'We cry for justice’: Impunity persists 10 years on in Timor-Leste – Amnesty International August 2009 (PDF format)
• Timor-Leste Ten Years after the Referendum – La’o Hamutuk Briefing Papers, August 2009 (PDF format)
• Democracy in Timor-Leste: Information is required!
• Timor Sea Maritime Boundary: Still not settled!
• How much money have international donors spent on and in Timor-Leste?
• Justice for Timor-Leste Remains an Unfulfilled International Obligation
• ‘Out of Civil Disorder Towards the Challenges of Well-being’ - HAK Association Human Rights Situation 2008
• US State Department 2008 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Timor-Leste - Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. February 25, 2009 
• More >>

• World Report Indonesia 2010 - Human Rights Watch. January 2010 (includes Aceh and West Papua)
• Unkept Promise: Failure to End Military Business Activity in Indonesia - Human Rights Watch. January 11, 2010
• The state of human rights in Indonesia in 2009 - Asian Human Rights Commission. December 2009
• 'Wild Money' – The Human Rights Consequences of Illegal Logging and Corruption in Indonesia’s Forestry Sector - Human Rights Watch. December 2009 (PDF format)
• The scourge of impunity in Indonesia - Carmel Budiardjo, TAPOL. September 2009
• Unfinished Business: Police Accountability in Indonesia - Amnesty International. June 23, 2009 (PDF format)
• Amnesty International Report 2008: Indonesia - May 28, 2009
• Workers in the Shadows - Abuse and Exploitation of Child Domestic Workers in Indonesia- Human Rights Watch. February 2009 (PDF format)
• More >>

• Terror, resistance and trauma in Papua (Indonesia) - Centre for International Governance and Justice. December 2009 (PDF format)
• 'What Did I Do Wrong?': Papuans in Merauke Face Abuses by Indonesian Special Forces - Human Rights Watch. June 24, 2009 (PDF format)
• West Papua information kit
• Indonesia: Communal tensions in Papua - International Crisis Group. June 16, 2008
• The Last Frontier - Illegal Logging in Papua and China's Massive Timber Theft (Summary) – Report by the Environmental Investigation Agency & Telepak. May 2008
• More >>