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 12 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 groups oppose training of Indonesia's notorious Kopassus special forces
• Letter signed by US organizations
• 'What Did I Do Wrong?': Papuans in Merauke Face Abuses by Indonesian Special Forces
• Backgrounder on Kopassus and Brimob

Statements, press releases, media releases and urgent appeals are archived under their respective country/section pages.

• The OPM was not involved in the recent shooting in Papua - West Papua National Coalition for Liberation Press Release. January 26, 2010
• New Indonesian activist alliance calls for national protest action on January 28 - Asia Pacific Solidarity Network News Release. January 23, 2010
• Building the Labour Party Pakistan - Labour Party Pakistan - January 21, 2010
• Burma/Myanmar: Extensive use of torture by police in recent cases - Asian Human Rights Commission Open Letter. January 18, 2010
• AWPA condemns book bans in Indonesia - Australia West Papua Association (Sydney) Media release. January 12, 2010
• Indonesia: Military business reforms 'totally inadequate' - Human Rights Watch Media Release. January 11, 2010
• Indonesian general not fit for civilian defense post - East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN) Statement. January 9, 2010
• Attack on churches - Najib and Hisham must take full responsibility! - Malaysian Socialist Party (PSM) Statement. January 8, 2010
• Stop the repatriation of the Sri Lankan refugees and asylum seekers now! - Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) Urgent Appeal. January 6, 2010

• Melbourne

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

6th Dr Andrew McNaughtan Memorial Lecture – Lecture to be given by Jude Conway, introduction by Nigel Stewart from the Dr McNaughtan East Timor Education Foundation. Fri Feb 12, 6pm. Gleebooks, Glebe. Organised by the Australia-East Timor Association (NSW). Donations at the door for AETA.

Indonesia in 2010: What kind of neighbourhood? An “In Panel” discussion with Dr. Max Lane author of Unfinished Nation: Indonesia before and after Suharto and Sydney University professor of Southeast Asian Studies, Dr Adrian Vickers. Feb 18, 6.30pm, Gleebooks, Glebe Point Rd Glebe. For more info and RSVP visit Gleebooks.

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

• Papua: Indonesia's great enigma - Jakarta Post. February 7, 2010. The Jakarta Post's Ridwan Max Sijabat and Markus Makur look at the latest efforts to resolve the complex issues holding back this resource-rich region from realizing its development potential.
• Indonesian journalists call for end to defamation charge - Jakarta Globe. February 5, 2010. Slapping criminal libel charges on journalists constitutes a major threat to freedom of expression, because such charges have long since been eliminated in the world's democracies, seasoned journalist Bambang Harymurti said on Friday.
• Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono branded by the mark of the beast - Sydney Morning Herald. February 5, 2010. One of the first rules of being in the public eye is not to give away free kicks – especially when your public is already disposed to seizing any opportunity.
• Murders put Jakarta street children in spotlight - Agence France Presse. February 5, 2010. Hudaiva gazed into the distance as she spoke about her son Arif, who disappeared in Jakarta in May, 2008. A day later police found the mutilated remains of a boy in a cardboard box at a bus station.
• People smuggler slapped on wrist - Sydney Morning Herald. February 5, 2010. The notorious Indonesian people smuggler Abraham Louhenapessy, better known as Captain Bram, is likely to receive only a fine for attempting to bring 254 Sri Lankans in an overcrowded boat to Australia last year.
• East Timor anti-graft tsar sees long fight ahead - Reuters. February 5, 2010. High-profile prosecutions will not end widespread corruption in East Timor and a long public re-education campaign will be needed to fight graft and nepotism, the country's new anti-corruption tsar said on Friday.
• Hard-line Islamists seek to intimidate horror flick out of theaters - Jakarta Globe. February 5, 2010. A film deemed suitable by the country's censor was reportedly pulled from distribution on Thursday night after the Islamic Defenders Front threatened its producers and sent an unambiguous message to movie theaters around the country.
• Democrats to turn up the heat on coalition over Century probe - Jakarta Globe. February 5, 2010. President Yudhoyono's increasingly flustered Democratic Party says it plans to hold a meeting with the leaders of its coalition partners to threaten the revocation of cabinet positions if they fail to back the government over the Bank Century case.
• 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).
 
• Five protest actions to rock greater Jakarta today - Detik.com. February 2
• Thousands mark Yudhoyono's first 100 days with protests across the country - January 28
• New activist alliance says Yudhoyono has failed the people - Kompas. January 27
• Pro-democracy alliance calls on Yudhoyono and Boediono to resign - Harian Global. January 27
• Activist alliance calls on government to pull out of ACFTA - Bisnis.com. January 25
• New anti-neoliberal activist alliance formed in Palu - Media Alkhairaat. January 25
• More >>

• New left-wing political organisation formed in Papua - By Hendrik Sorandanya
• East Timor: hydrocarbons, invasions and independence - By Jon Lamb
• Outsourcing occupation - By Hamish Chitts
• 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.

• 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
• Indonesia: 'Oppositionists' seek cabinet posts - Max Lane. October 2009
• Howard's new lies on East Timor - Jon Lamb. October 2009
• Pakistan: What to do about religious fundamentalism? - Labour Party Pakistan. October 28, 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.

• In darkness, Karen refugees dread forced return to Burma - Sydney Morning Herald. February 5, 2010
• Jailed 88 generation activist calls for blanket amnesty - Irrawaddy. January 29, 2010
• Burmese junta imposes long sentence on journalist - Irrawaddy. January 29, 2010
• Burma's Suu Kyi responds to November release comment - Irrawaddy. January 28, 2010
• Burmese soldiers still recruit underage youth - Irrawaddy. January 27, 2010
• 'Suu Kyi will be released': Home minister - Irrawaddy. January 25, 2010
• Burmese junta 'worse' than Nargis - Irrawaddy. January 22, 2010
• Chinese influence in Burma increases: Webb - Irrawaddy. January 22, 2010
• Human rights 'deteriorating' in Burma: HRW - Irrawaddy. January 21, 2010
• Burmese ethnic leaders reject election - Irrawaddy. January 14, 2010
• Burma ranked 'worst of the worst' - Irrawaddy. January 13, 2010
• Junta turns to draconian electronics law to silence critics - Interpress Service. January 11, 2010
• New enemies of the state in Burma - Irrawaddy. January 9, 2010
• Burmese regime privatizing to retain control of resources - Irrawaddy. January 7, 2010
• Looking for an election in Burma's political fog - Irrawaddy. January 7, 2010
• Australian Senator criticizes exports to Burma - Irrawaddy. January 6, 2010
• Freelance video reporter sentenced to 26 years in Burma - Irrawaddy. January 6, 2010
• No indications of restoration of democracy in Burma: US - Irrawaddy. January 5, 2010
• Burmese Army tunes in to Australian technology - Sydney Morning Herald. January 5, 2010
• Burma's Than Shwe promises election this year - Irrawaddy. January 4, 2010
• More >> 

• Video spotlights East Timor police abuse - Agence France Presse. February 1, 2010
• East Timor snubs Woodside, invites Petronas to develop field - Associated Press. January 20, 2010
• East Timor stands firm - Herald Sun. January 15, 2010
• Timor to block Woodside's oil development plans - Associated Press. January 13, 2010
• East Timor stalemate to drag on - Australian Associated Press. January 13, 2010
• Warning on Timor police after musician is shot - Sydney Morning Herald. January 7, 2010
• Calls for East Timor police to disarm - Radio Australia. January 6, 2010
• East Timor's ticking AIDS time bomb - Agence France Presse. December 30, 2009
• Activists win suit over East Timor - Agence France Presse. December 22, 2009
• Fears cane toads have hitched ride to East Timor - ABC News. December 17, 2009
• Behind 'Balibo' and its banning - Jakarta Globe. December 16, 2009
• More >>

• Sri Lankan fighting leaves a gruesome legacy - Sydney Morning Herald. February 3, 2010
• Sodomy trial against Malaysian opposition leader begins - Agence France Presse. February 3, 2010
• A historic gathering of workers and peasants in Pakistan - Labour Party Pakistan. February 1, 2010
• Sri Lanka press crackdown - Sydney Morning Herald. February 1, 2010
• Presidential smiles hide Sri Lanka woes - Melbourne Age. January 29, 2010
• Millions in fund to 'buy off' Taliban - The Telegraph. January 29, 2010.
• Violence looms in aftermath of tense Sri Lankan election - Sydney Morning Herald. January 27, 2010
• Pig heads left at two Malaysian mosques - Associated Press. January 27, 2010
• Malaysian court overturns book ban - Jakarta Globe. January 26, 2010
• Tamils have a vote, but little choice - Sydney Morning Herald. January 25, 2010
• A democracy in doubt - Sydney Morning Herald. January 23, 2010
• Sri Lankan general woos Tamils in election challenge to President - Sydney Morning Herald. January 23, 2010
• Instead of 'absurd' GST, auction APs - Malaysia Kini. January 21, 2010
• Sex for sand scandal in Malaysia - Associated Press. January 21, 2010.
• Appeal to Thai PM to extend work permits - Irrawaddy. January 18, 2010
• ASIO rejects four Viking Tamils - The Australian. January 12, 2010
• Fiji throws its heaviest book at dissenters - The Australian. January 12, 2010
• Six churches attacked in Muslim protests - Associated Press. January 11, 2010
• Government defends 'Allah' refusal, says Malaysia 'can't be compared' to Indonesia - Agence France Presse. January 11, 2010
• Probe Sri Lanka war crimes, says UN expert Philip Alston - The Times. January 9, 2010
• Firebomb attacks on Malaysian churches - Sydney Morning Herald. January 9, 2010
• Corruption in China growing at least as fast as the economy - Melbourne Age. January 9, 2010
• Attackers fire-bomb Malaysian church over 'Allah' word conflict - Associated Press. January 8, 2010
• Malaysian court suspends decision to let non-Muslims use 'Allah' - Associated Press. January 6, 2010
• Crisis for Hamid Karzai as cabinet rejected - Agence France Presse. January 4, 2010
• 2009 bad for working class: Labor-based party-list group - The Sun Star. January 1, 2010

Indonesia

• Constitutional Court taking up Indonesia's thorny religious row - Jakarta Globe. February 4, 2010
• Militant groups ready to defend controversial law - Jakarta Post. February 4, 2010
• No dramatic end likely to Century bailout case - Jakarta Post. February 4, 2010
• Right to worship still under threat, watchdog warns - Jakarta Globe. February 3, 2010
• Forestry ministry graft behind Indonesia's rapid deforestation - Jakarta Globe. February 3, 2010
• No bull: Police veto bovine agitator's protest comeback - Jakarta Globe. February 3, 2010
• Horror of Jakarta street kids exposes lack of care - The Australian. February 2, 2010.
• Jakarta plans 'protest park' to ease traffic mayhem - The Australian. February 2, 2010
• Glass ceiling proves hard to crack: NGOs - Jakarta Post. February 1, 2010
• Move to try soldiers in civilian courts - Jakarta Globe. January 31, 2010
• Shariah targets 'common people' only, activists say - Jakarta Globe. January 31, 2010.
• New law to call for gender equality - Jakarta Globe. January 31, 2010
• NGOs request judicial review of religious blasphemy law - Jakarta Post. January 30, 2010
• Decision to postpone workers' pay hike condemne - Jakarta Post. January 30, 2010
• Snap, crackle, flop: Jakarta demonstrations underwhelm - Jakarta Globe. January 29, 2010
• TNI 'deeply involved' in forest destruction: Report - Agence France Presse. January 29, 2010
• Employers, unions want law changed - Jakarta Post. January 29, 2010
• Tight jeans and shorts under attack in Aceh - Jakarta Globe. January 28, 2010
• Indonesia says Aussie activists trespassed - ABC News. January 28, 2010
• Jakarta protesters estimated at 7,000 to 10,000 - Jakarta Globe. January 28, 2010
• 'Government complicity' lets religious conflict go on - Jakarta Post. January 28, 2010
• 1,000 migrant workers died in 2009: Union - Jakarta Post. January 28, 2010
• Activists detained near asylum seekers' boat - ABC News. January 27, 2010
• New act plays to the Max - The Australian. January 27, 2010
• 30,000 workers to be laid off in Bekasi this year - Jakarta Post. January 27, 2010
• Indonesian police prepare for anti-government demonstrations - Jakarta Globe. January 26, 2010
• 10,000 Jakarta police officers to secure Thursday's rally - Jakarta Globe. January 25, 2010
• Indonesia to force Sri Lankans off boat - Melbourne Age. January 25, 2010
• Antasari, Tommy and the justice system in Indonesia - Jakarta Globe. January 22, 2010
• Thousands rally against free trade treaty in Surabaya, Semarang - Jakarta Post. January 21, 201
• Officials fire local Shariah police chief over Aceh rape case - Jakarta Globe. January 20, 2010
• Rape case puts sharia police in difficult position - Jakarta Post. January 20, 2010
• Gays, lesbians face discrimination in sharia Aceh - Jakarta Post. January 20, 2010
• Ulema-nization - Jakarta Post Editorial. January 20, 2010
• Aceh dismisses calls to disband Shariah police - Jakarta Globe. January 19, 2010
• Women reject fatwa on hairstyles, 'ojek' - Jakarta Post. January 18, 2010
• Anticorruption efforts 'toothless': ICW - Jakarta Post. January 18, 2010
• Protection on women rights still low - Jakarta Post. January 17, 2010
• House uncovers mess in bank bailout case - Jakarta Post. January 17, 2010
• Clerics warn Muslims against sinful hairdos, photo shoots - Jakarta Post. January 16, 2010
• Extent of Indonesia's prison corruption surprises task force - Jakarta Globe. January 16, 2010
• Regional conflicts defy optimism about 2010 - Melbourne Age. January 15, 2010
• Indonesia Sharia police accused of gang rape - Los Angeles Times
• Critics say Indonesia on wrong side of history with book bans - Jakarta Globe. January 14, 2010
• SBY's judicial mafia probe just a diversion: Lawmaker - Jakarta Globe. January 14, 2010
• Shariah cops won't face Islamic justice in rape case - Jakarta Globe. January 14, 2010
• Indonesian journalists to launch Balibo appeal - Australian Associated Press. January 14, 2010
• Aceh's shariah police 'stained forever' by gang rape - Jakarta Globe. January 14, 2010
• Sharia police arrested for rape in Aceh - Jakarta Post. January 13, 2010
• Book banning in Indonesia: A blast from the past - Jakarta Post. January 13, 2010
• Military maintains business empire despite 2004 ban: Report - Jakarta Globe. January 12, 2010
• Sex-and-murder epic has hidden agenda - The Australian. January 12, 2010
• Indonesians flock to watch banned Balibo - Agence France Presse. January 12, 2010
• Indonesia military's 'empire' poses threat: HRW - Agence France Presse. January 12, 2010
• Indonesian prisons pamper the rich - Jakarta Globe. January 12, 2010
• Jamsostek warns of massive layoffs - Jakarta Post. January 12, 2010
• Law enforcement institutions under ICW's spotlight - Jakarta Post. January 12, 2010
• More >>

• Militia pushes through extra Papua council seats in court - Jakarta Globe. February 1, 2010
• Police embedded to help secure Freeport employees - Jakarta Post. January 29, 2010
• Papuans rally to gain international support - Jakarta Post. January 28, 2010
• OPM denies responsibility for Papua ambush - Jakarta Globe. January 26, 2010
• Who's the new scapegoat, ask Papuans - Jakarta Globe. January 26, 2010
• Blame denials as more shot near Papua mine - Radio Australia. January 26, 2010
• Spent shells found from Freeport ambush - Jakarta Globe. January 25, 2010
• Ambush in Papua sparks manhunt - Jakarta Globe. January 25, 2010
• Papua could separate in the next 10 years - Tempo Interactive. January 25, 2010
• Fears for more tension in Mimika after killing of Papua's Kwalik - Radio New Zealand International. January 22, 2010
• 'Government ignores upholding human rights in Papua' - Jakarta Post. January 20, 2010
• Police honored for killing Kwalik - Jakarta Globe. January 13, 2010
• House begins new year with call to develop Papua - Jakarta Globe. January 4, 2010
• Police not reducing security personnel guarding Freeport - Jakarta Post. January 4, 2010
• West Papua liberation meeting scheduled for mid-year - Southeast Asian Times. January 4, 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 (1997-2009).
• 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
• Asia-Pacific
• Burma
• China
• East Timor
• Fiji
• Hong Kong
• India
• Indonesia
• Japan
• Kanaky
• Korea
• Malaysia
• Nepal
• Pakistan
• Papua New Guinea
• Philippines
• Samoa
• Singapore
• Sri Lanka
• Solomon Islands
• Thailand
• Tahiti
• Taiwan
• West Papua

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 >>

• 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
• 2007 World Report - Indonesia - Human Rights Watch. February 2008
• Workers in the Shadows - Abuse and Exploitation of Child Domestic Workers in Indonesia - Human Rights Watch. February 2009 (PDF format)
• Indonesia: Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 2007 - US State Department. March 11, 2008
• Exit Suharto: Obituary for a mediocre tyrant - New Left Review - March-April, 2008
• Aceh backgrounder – Background to the three-decade conflict in Aceh and recent developments in the peace process following the December 26 tsunami.
• 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 >>