On 12 March 2026, Indonesian security forces arbitrarily apprehended Mr Oksal Kobak, 28, Mr Yos Payage, 36, Mr Simion Payage, 29, Mr Menase Heluka, and Mr Oser Kobak at the Old Sentani Market in Jayapura Regency, Papua Province. The arrests were reportedly carried out without the presentation of warrants, and some individuals were subsequently designated as suspects.

Christine Cabasset, Eric Frecon – Australia and its partners need to monitor the developments in China's engagement with Timor-Leste carefully. Canberra should also, ideally, implement proactive initiatives to strengthen its own relationship with Dili.

Aida Ulim, Jayapura – The West Papua Independent Student Forum (FIM-WP) City Leadership Committee (KPK) in Sentani has expressed its rejection of the presence of PT Freeport Indonesia, while calling for the Papuan people to be granted the right to self-determination.

Akmalal Hamdhi, Jakarta – Indonesia's foreign exchange reserves declined by $3.7 billion to $148.2 billion at the end of March 2026, as the central bank stepped up efforts to stabilize the rupiah and met external debt obligations.

On 22 March 2026 at approximately 5:00 pm, military members and Marine Corps personnel reportedly detained seven Papuan civilians, primarily pupils, in the Sinak District, Puncak Regency, Central Papua province.

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – Indonesian activist Andrie Yunus, deputy coordinator of the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS), has called on civil society groups to submit amicus curiae, or friend-of-the-court briefs, in the judicial review of Indonesia's revised Military Law at the Constitutional Court.

On 10 March 2026, Members of the Indonesian Marine Corps arbitrarily detained indigenous gold panner, Mr Anton Payage, at the Marine Corps post on Seradala Road near the Nami River gold panning site in Dekai District, Yahukimo Regency, Papua Highlands Province. Mr Payage was apprehended while travelling to a traditional gold panning location.

Aida Ulim, Jayapura – The West Papua Independent Student Forum, along with several students in Jayapura City, Papua, staged a protest against the management of natural resources in Papua, which they say has failed to deliver justice for Indigenous communities and their future.

Nina A. Loasana, Jakarta – The landslide at the Bantar Gebang landfill in Bekasi, West Java, last month did more than claim seven lives; it triggered a cascading waste crisis across Jakarta.

Jakarta – East Jakarta officials are in the hot seat after a public maintenance worker falsely claimed that a resident's complaint had been resolved by responding with an AI-generated image.

The Prime Minister of Timor-Leste, Xanana Gusmao, has acknowledged that the government may be compelled to curtail the country's electricity provision during overnight periods should hostilities in the Middle East persist.

Bandung, West Java – Indonesian prosecutors on April 7 charged 19 people accused of sending infants to cities across the country and overseas, including to Singapore, in what the authorities described as one of Indonesia's largest trafficking cases in recent years.

Antara, Jakarta – The Aceh Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBA) reported that Central Aceh Regency has once again been struck by flash floods, causing two emergency bridges to collapse and leaving several villages stranded.

Deni Ghifari, Jakarta – The government says prices of subsidized gasoline and diesel will stay fixed even if global oil prices remain elevated, while airlines will be allowed to lift airfares, but without excessively hurting consumers.

Gembong Hanung, Jakarta – Indonesia has seen its highest level of forest loss in almost a decade in 2025, the first full year under President Prabowo Subianto whose administration has been expanding large-scale food and energy estates in critical deforested islands, according to a new report from Auriga Nusantara.

Jakarta – Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) Deputy Coordinator for External Affairs, Andrie Yunus, has written a letter urging civil society to push for the formation of a Joint Fact-Finding Team (TGPF) to investigate the acid attack against him.

Indah Ayu Pujiastuti, Maria Gabrielle Putrinda, Achmat Ikhsan, Tri Listiyarini, Jakarta – Indonesia is holding food prices steady despite a 40-60% surge in plastic packaging costs, while stepping up oversight on crude palm oil (CPO) to keep domestic supply intact.

Andi Adam Faturahman, Jakarta – The Journalist Safety Committee (KKJ) has condemned Indonesia's Ministry of Communication and Digital (Komdigi) for requesting the restriction of access to Magdalene's news content on the social media platform Instagram.

Nandito Putra, Jakarta – Indonesia's coal production is nearing the 600 million tons quota, but the country is not shutting down the chance to raise production volumes as commodity prices fluctuate, said Tri Winarno, the Energy Ministry's Mineral and Coal director general.

Dani Aswara, Jakarta – Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia, Usman Hamid, has criticized Indonesia's military justice system, saying it continues to serve as a political instrument that protects authorities rather than acting as an independent law enforcement body.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – It costs more money to fly to other Indonesian cities from Jakarta compared to other ASEAN nations, and the freshly announced airfare hike caps are expected to create another turbulence on domestic tourism.

Joniansyah, Jakarta – InJourney Airports, the operator of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, apologized on Tuesday after part of the roof at Boarding Lounge Gate 7 in Terminal 3 collapsed during heavy rain, in an incident that was widely circulated on social media.

Anastasya Lavenia Yudi, Jakarta – Indonesia's Financial Services Authority (OJK) recorded that outstanding financing, or public debt, on online lending platforms reached Rp100.69 trillion in February 2026.

Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition Against Impunity announced that the State Administrative Court (PTUN) in Jakarta will deliver its verdict on the lawsuit against Minister of Culture Fadli Zon for denying the May 1998 mass rape case.

Daniel Winarta, the coalition's legal representative, said the decision is scheduled for April 21, 2026.

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) can no longer claim to be a balancing force. In reality, despite claiming to be outside the ruling government, this party is clearly playing a "two-track" political game. This indecisive political stance prevents PDI-P from strengthening the checks and balances mechanism, which has lately become increasingly weak.

Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja, Jakarta – Until recently, Ms Dini Khairani topped up her fuel only once every two weeks, waiting until her tank neared empty.

Now, the Jakarta resident refuels every two to three days – and rarely lets the gauge fall far below from full.

Nandito Putra, Jakarta – The textile and textile product (TPT) industry is under heavy pressure following a sharp increase in raw material prices. This is due to the conflict in the Middle East, which has pushed the price of global oil to around US$110 per barrel.

Vedro Imanuel Girsang, Jakarta – Indonesian activist Andrie Yunus, deputy coordinator of the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS), has rejected the military-led investigation into the acid attack against him, declaring that he has no confidence in the process.

Jakarta – At least 72 children from four different schools in Duren Sawit, East Jakarta have shown symptoms of food poisoning after consuming school lunches prepared under the government's free nutritious meal program last week, prompting the shutdown of the participating kitchen due to failure to meet food safety standards.

Erfan Maruf, Jakarta – The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has procured 25,000 electric motorbikes to support the nationwide rollout of its free nutritious meal program, its chief Dadan Hindayana confirmed on Tuesday.

Ria Fortuna Wijaya, Leonard AL Cahyoputra, Jakarta – Indonesia's plan to introduce B50 biodiesel in the second half of 2026 is increasingly constrained by a basic issue: palm oil supply may not be sufficient to meet surging domestic demand without crowding out exports.

Jakarta – A student alliance has setup a tent in front of the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) offices in Jakarta urging a thorough investigation into the acid attack on Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) Deputy Coordinator Andrie Yunus, which was committed by members of the Indonesian Military (TNI) Strategic Intelligence Agency (BAIS).

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – Tens of thousands of workers in Indonesia are expected to take to the streets on May 1, 2026, to mark International Workers' Day, or May Day, with labor leaders warning that many of last year's demands remain unresolved.

Addin Anugrah Siwi, Jakarta – Indonesia recorded a state budget deficit of Rp 240.1 trillion ($14 billion) in the first quarter of 2026, equivalent to 0.93% of gross domestic product (GDP), Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said on Monday.

The government and the House of Representatives have agreed to cap the full-year 2026 budget deficit at no more than 3% of GDP.

Apriadi Gunawan, Jakarta – A 16-year-old student in North Sumatra has taken his own life, allegedly after his parents were unable to afford his school supplies, marking yet another student suicide linked to economic hardship this year.

Makassar – Hundreds of students from various organisations in Makassar, South Sulawesi (Sulsel), held a solidarity action in support of activist and acid attack victim Andrie Yunus. They demanded the immediate arrest of the intellectual masterminds behind the case.

Alfitria Nefi Pratiwi, Jakarta – Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa has argued that the inflation rate for March 2026 should ideally be recorded at 2.51 percent annually, a figure lower than the official data provided by the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).

Harso Kurniawan, Jakarta – Rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East are beginning to affect Indonesia's petrochemical industry, which remains heavily dependent on imported feedstocks.

Maretha Uli, Jakarta – The government's temporary restriction on platforms operated by nonprofit organization Wikimedia Foundation has raised concerns among digital rights advocates, who warn that arbitrary controls risk undermining citizens' access to free knowledge and freedom of expression.

The response of the Prabowo Subianto administration to the energy crisis resulting from the Israel-United States war on Iran is disappointing and should be criticized. The government is giving the impression that it wants to reassure the people by claiming that Indonesia remains far from crisis.

Antara, Jakarta – Vero Balubun, Pastor of the Indonesian Protestant Church of Papua (GPI) Elim Abepura congregation in Jayapura City, Papua, said that the Easter celebration is a moment for faith reflection and spiritual strengthening for the congregation to live by the values of love and renewal, as reflected in the meaning of Christ's resurrection.

Salman Mardira, Jakarta – Thousands of Muslims protested in front of the United States (US) Embassy in Central Jakarta on Sunday morning April 5. The action followed the death of three Indonesian Military (TNI) soldiers in an Israeli attack while carrying out a UN peacekeeping mission in South Lebanon.

Reports from West Papua say as many as four people have been shot dead in Dogiyai regency in an alleged retaliatory attack after a policeman was killed.

Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto strongly condemned the heinous act that led to the demise of three Indonesian UN peacekeepers, who were also a National Armed Forces (TNI) personnel, while on duty for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). According to him, the act damages world peace.

Antara, Jakarta – Thousands of people held a protest in front of the United States (US) Embassy in Central Jakarta on Sunday morning, April 5, 2026, to pay their respects to the three Indonesian UNIFIL peacekeepers, who were also a National Armed Forces (TNI) personnel and were killed in South Lebanon while carrying out a UN peacekeeping mission.

Dede Leni Mardianti, Jakarta – Federation of Indonesian Teachers Union (FSGI) has urged the Indonesian government to comprehensively evaluate the Free Nutritious Meal program (MBG). This demand comes after 72 students in Pondok Kelapa, East Jakarta, suffered from food poisoning after consuming the nutritious meal on Friday, April 3, 2026.

Erfan Maruf, Makassar – Indonesia has begun leasing additional warehouses to accommodate surging rice stockpiles, which are expected to approach 5 million tons this month, Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman said on Sunday.

Dinda Shabrina, Jakarta – Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung paid a personal visit to students suffering from free nutritious meal (MBG) poisoning at the Duren Sawit Regional Special Hospital (RSKD) in East Jakarta on Saturday, April 4, 2026. He offered assurances that the Jakarta Provincial Government is providing swift and optimal medical care to every affected student.

Grace Gandhi, Jakarta – Bank Indonesia (BI) predicts a potential rise in housing demand in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, for 2026, as the city remains a primary hub for the ongoing development of the New Capital City of Nusantara (IKN).

Agencies, Jakarta – The government has slammed as "unacceptable" an explosion that injured three of its peacekeepers in Lebanon within days of three other blue helmets from the country being killed.