Jakarta – The Indonesian Military (TNI) headquarters is reviewing its official uniform code for female soldiers after calls to allow Muslim women in the military to wear the traditional head scarf.
The head of the TNI Information Center, Col. Ahmad Yani Basuki said that as a national institution the military was willing to support the local wisdom of the Indonesian people.
Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Despite the imposition of a moratorium on logging in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, illegal logging has been rampant, causing the state about Rp 123.7 billion (US$13.70 million) in losses the past six months.
Maryadi, Jakarta – Jakarta could well be referred to as the 'storehouse' of protest actions since not a day goes by without demonstrations being held somewhere in the city, including today, Thursday December 13.
Irawaty Wardany, Jakarta – Local producers of medical goods said Tuesday they could not compete with imported products unless the government reduced import duties on required components.
Jakarta – The big political parties, Golkar and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), who have the largest number of seats on the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission III must be held responsible for the selection of Antasari Azhar as the new head of Corruption Eradication Commission or KPK.
Jakarta – One of Indonesia's top Islamic militant leaders went on trial on Wednesday on charges of keeping explosives and sheltering fugitives wanted for a series of deadly attacks in the country.
Abu Dujana, self-confessed military leader of the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) regional militant group, faces the death penalty if found guilty under anti-terrorism laws.
Jonathan Strauss – Dita Sari, who is head of the advisory council of the National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) and also a member of the advisory council of Indonesian National Front for Labour Struggles, spoke to Green Left Weekly during the Latin America and Asia Pacific International Solidarity (LAAPIS) forum, held in Melbourne from October 11-14, about the struggles of In
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Manfred Nowak, recently made a two-week visit to Indonesia on invitation from the Indonesian government. The Jakarta Post's Lovelli Ariesti interviewed Nowak.
Allan Nairn – US intelligence officers in Jakarta are secretly tapping the cell phones and reading the SMS text messages of Indonesian civilians.
Jakarta – International experts on Christian and Muslim perspectives on religious freedoms have advised Indonesians to work together to show compassion for one another's religions.
Leon Agusta, Jakarta – After a disappearance from public attention, the anti-pornography and anti-porn bill has now resurfaced with the new name "Anti-Pornography Bill", when several factions in the House of Representatives, in particular the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), United Development Party (PPP), and Golkar – after initially questioning it, sent on the bill without the requ
We cannot help but feel more cynicism toward our parliament, which has no sense of urgency in addressing the real issues.
Jakarta – Some 200 Metromini bus drivers from around Jakarta staged a protest Monday in front of the company's main office on Jl. Pemuda in East Jakarta, causing heavy traffic congestion.
Jakarta Post – Indonesia may face a food crisis within the next 10 years should it fail to overcome the disparity between its rapidly growing population and its limited ability to expand arable land for food production.
Jakarta – An Indonesian court jailed three Islamic militants for 14 years and another for 19 years on Tuesday for attacks on Christians in a region torn by inter-religious violence.
The four – Muhammad Basri, Ridwan, Ardin Djanatu and Tugiran – were convicted under Indonesia's tough anti-terrorism laws.
Jakarta Post – Human rights activists say there has been no significant improvement in human rights protection in the country this year.
"Many people have been said to have disappeared without a trace, but ipso iure (by operation of the law) we can not find the kidnappers. (Human rights activist) Munir died, but ipso iure we can not find his murderers.
Banda Aceh – Commemorating World Human Rights Day, hundreds of activists in the provincial capital of Banda Aceh held a torch-lit procession from the Simpang Lima roundabout to the City Park in front of the Baiturrahman Great Mosque on the evening of Monday December 10.
Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – A human rights group has reported that inmates at Tanjung Gusta penitentiary in Medan were being brutalized by prison guards.
Herdensi, Sumatra head of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence, said Thursday inmates were subjected to various forms of mistreatment such as beatings with hard objects.
Earlier this year, Indonesia succeeded in extending its membership of the UN Human Rights Council for a three-year term. The Indonesian Government must certainly be hoping that membership of the Council will erase from the public memory the appalling human rights situation in Indonesia during the 33-year Suharto dictatorship that ended in May 1998.
Surabaya – Hundreds of protesters from the Peoples Democratic Party (PRD) and the National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) almost clashed with members of the Union for Dealing with the New Style Communists (SP-KGB) during an action on JL. Governor Suryo in the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya on Monday.
Is all really quiet on the front line in the war against human rights abuses? Some people in Indonesia certainly think so. And one would hesitate to think otherwise if one goes by the headlines of the newspapers (including this one) throughout 2007.
Rofiqi Hasan, Denpasar – Hundreds of Balinese student activists held a demonstration at the US Consulate General in provincial capital of Denpasar on Monday December 10. The action was part of International Human Rights Day commemorations and at the same time to protest the United States' intransigence on climate change.
Alfian, Jakarta – Activists proposed Sunday a model for a truth and reconciliation commission in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam aimed at accommodating the victims' sense of justice.
Gede Suardana, Denpasar – The United States' stand in refusing to reduce emissions in order to overcome global warming has received a strong reaction with hundreds of students demonstrating in Bali on Monday December 10.
Bill Guerin, Jakarta – Southeast Asia's biggest economy has a brand new bourse, a long-awaited merger of two pre-existing financial markets aimed at attracting more foreign capital through a one-stop shopping platform for both equity and bond investors.
Jakarta – The Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating for the third quarter of 2007 remained steady, increasing a mere 0.1 points to 112.8 from the previous quarter.
Luh De Suryani, Contributor, Denpasar, Bali – More than 2,000 members of local and international civil society organizations gathered at Bajra Sandhi park in Puputan Renon, Denpasar, on Saturday morning to protest against the proposed carbon trade scheme known as REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation).
Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – Countries in Asia and the Pacific may have reduced the threat of terrorism but were warned by prominent terrorism researcher Sidney Jones not to become complacent, at a security conference Saturday in Jakarta.
Jakarta – Memories of murdered human rights activist Munir are still strong in the mind of many activists. Thus it was on December 8, when a commemoration was held to coincide with his birthday. Hundreds of activists from various community organisations took to the streets to demand justice for Munir.
Jakarta – Indonesian human rights activists said Friday that despite many shortcomings, the efforts to improve human rights awareness in Indonesia have started to show results.
Haris Azhar of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) said there had been concrete progress in Indonesia in 2007 that had earned it international recognition.
Nusa Dua, Bali – More than 200 hundred people from four of the world's continents gathered here in a forum called Solidarity Village for a Cool Planet, which kicked off Friday at the Kampong CSO in Nusa Dua complex near the main climate change conference venue.
Jakarta – Dozens of transvestites and activists staged a peaceful protest at City Hall on Wednesday, demanding the city administration investigate the death of a transvestite following a raid by public order officers.
Jakarta – Dozens of journalists gathered in front of the National Police Headquarters in South Jakarta on Friday, protesting violence against journalists.
"We want the National Police chief to punish Sr. Comr. Julius Srijono, who forcibly seized the camera of a Jawa Pos reporter," Suparni, from the group Jakarta Journalist Axis, said as quoted by Detik.com news portal.
Munawwaroh, Jakarta – As many as five different protest actions will colour Jakarta's streets over the weekend. "People should keep away from protest points in order to avoid traffic jams," said First Brigadier Witardi, a Traffic Management Center (TMC) official at the Metro Jaya Regional Police Traffic Directorate.
Although the 7 December 2000 Abepura case is now closed according to the law, victims of this bloody incident are not satisfied. On Friday this week they went to the DPRP building to seek justice.
Jakarta – The National Commission on Human Rights said it would soon decide if human rights abuses that occurred under former president Soeharto's reign can be classified as "gross violations of human rights".
A study and research team from the commission has examined six cases that took place under Soeharto's regime believed to be gross violations of human rights.
Ian Munro – East Timor is pressing for an extension of the United Nations mission (UNMIT) to support the country's fledgling democracy.
While the country's political and security situation was calm and stable, it was also fragile according to the leader of the council's mission to East Timor, South African ambassador Dumisani Kumalo.
Ruslan Sangadji, Poso – Two explosions marred preparations for Thursday's opening of the revived Poso Lake Festival, which had been canceled indefinitely following religious conflict in Central Sulawesi in the early 2000s.
Jakarta – The National Police needs to improve its recruitment and training if it hopes to reform its image as a corruption-riddled institution, observers said Thursday.
Jjakart – The Indonesian public ranks the police the most corrupt government institution, followed by the judiciary and legislatures, according to a list compiled by German-based Transparency International.
Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – The House passed on Thursday the bill around political parties and freedom of association, pluralism, gender quality and peaceful settlement of internal disputes.
Jakarta – A new study by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences has examined the way different communities in the country were impacted by the 2005 increase in fuel prices.
LIPI researcher Maxensius Tri Sembodo said Thursday the increase had the biggest impact on low-income communities, with most enduring declines in monthly income and struggling to survive.
Jakarta – A recent survey by the National Resilience Institute (Lemhanas) has revealed that some 60 percent of Indonesians are against the ratification of a Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) and Extradition Treaty with Singapore.
Jakarta – Outgoing Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Marshall Djoko Suyanto has confirmed that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will install Army chief Gen. Djoko Santoso as his replacement before the end of this year.
Jakarta – A member of the President's Advisory Council, Adnan Buyung Nasution, has stated his disappointment with the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) leader election process carried out by the Legal Commission of the House of Representatives (DPR).
Jakarta – The victims and families of victims of human rights violations say the government is reluctant to resolve past human rights cases.
Alfian, Jakarta – The selection of a government prosecutor to lead the much-anticipated anti-corruption commission has seen a law expert say close supervision of the commission's performance would be required.
"Tight supervision will hamper anyone attempting to violate the rules," Saldi Isra of West Sumatra's Andalas University told The Jakarta Post.
Jayapura – The case of the hoisting of the Kejora flag on 1 December in Timika is being intensively handled by the Mimika police with back-up from the police force in Papua.
Chief of Police in Papua, Drs. Max Donald Aer said that this case is being pursued. Yesterday, the number of suspects increased by one to seven people.
Mark Forbes – Papua will ban all log exports from next month, in a radical move to preserve one of the world's largest remaining tracts of untouched forests.
Governor of the Indonesian province, Barnabas Suebu, told The Age that the Bali climate change conference should endorse funding the anti-logging moves, due to its impact on reducing global warming.
Fabio Scarpello – The diminutive Maria Ana Pereira, 28, does not look for excuses. The widow simply accepts that life is tough in Hudi Laram, a neighbourhood southwest of East Timor's capital, Dili, where she is struggling to raise her seven children.