Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – Violent acts involving Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel in North Sumatra are on the rise, with 12 cases recorded already this year, compared with just 10 last year, Kontras said.
The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims (Kontras) said from January to October this year it had recorded 12 cases of violence involving TNI personnel.
Jakarta – Consumers in the country are still seeing prices of goods and services picking up, weighing down their purchasing power and overall confidence in the economy, according to the latest survey from the Danareksa Research Institute.
Indonesians now know for sure that the state does not tolerate polygamy outside the conditions regulated by law. On Wednesday the Constitutional Court ruled against businessman Muhammad Insa, who wanted an easing of the restrictions on polygamy in the Marriage Law.
Ary Hermawan, Denpasar – In a radical move, Bali Deputy Governor Alit Kesuma Kelakan has suggested establishing a red-light district on the island as a way to control prostitution.
The suggestion was made following reports that more than half of the island's HIV/AIDS patients were infected with the virus through sexual contact.
Jayapura, Papua – At least 300 members of the Biak Traditional Council (DAB) protested Thursday outside the Biak Numfor regency legislative council, demanding the government review its decision to permit the launch of a Russian satellite from the area in 2010.
Irawaty Wardany, Jakarta – Activists asked the government Thursday to immediately establish a witness and victim protection institution to watch over people before they testify in court.
Zakki Hakim, Jakarta – Indonesia, which is losing its forests faster than any other country, hopes to plant 79 million trees in a single day ahead of a major UN climate change meeting this year, a forestry ministry spokesman said Friday.
Indra Harsaputra, Malang – Sex workers across the country might bemoan their reduced income during the fasting month of Ramadhan as local administrations ban them from operating.
But in Malang, East Java, they can still make money, thanks to the cigarette factories that invite them to work there, rolling cigarettes.
Step Vaessen, West Timor – An ongoing drought in West Timor has left almost a quarter of the children in the Indonesian province malnourished and at risk of starvation, local officials say
Alfian, Jakarta – The government has been ignoring the country's education problems in preference for making the sector more commercial, said Marcellinus Marcellino, vice rector of the Atmajaya Catholic University and Winarno Surachmad, former rector of the Teachers Training Institute (IKIP) of Jakarta.
Jakarta – A public discussion on the general election bill in Jakarta on Wednesday turned into a heated debate between politicians and a political expert around the most appropriate and accountable system for the 2009 polls.
Lindsay Murdoch – A former East Timorese guerilla at the centre of allegations that forced Fretilin prime minister Mari Alkatiri from office last year has been arrested in Dili.
Jon Lamb – Human rights activists from East Timor and Indonesia have slammed the latest round of the Indonesia-East Timor Truth and Friendship Commission (CTF), which began hearings in Dili on September 24.
Dili – A former East Timorese guerrilla fighter was arrested on Wednesday and charged in connection with deadly unrest that flared here last year, the United Nations mission said.
Ramadhian Fadillah, Jakarta – Scores of monks and protesters from the Indonesian Buddhist Solidarity (SBI) held a peaceful action at the Myanmar Embassy on Wednesday October 3. They also presented a 'love letter' to the Myanmar junta.
Markus Makur, Timika – Papua province's rich natural resources have had no impact on life in the remote villages of Asmat and East Mimika Jauh, in Mimika regency. The villages are symbols of the lack of development in many areas of the province.
Daniel Rose, Jakarta – Nur, a young woman in a white shirt and green veil is quietly assembling a key chain from threads and other materials. Mouth open, her eyes focus on the movements of her own fingers. Behind her are children of all ages, sitting around on a red carpet, some just as deeply engrossed in making key chains as Nur.
Jakarta – Like Londoners talking about the weather, Jakartans have made traffic jams a common topic of discussion. And the traffic jams that have people in the city really talking are those caused by the construction of new busway lanes on several busy roads.
Ramadhian Fadillah, Jakarta – The Myanmar Embassy has again been rocked by demonstrations. Following an action by monks, this time it was the turn of the Confederation of Prosperity Labor Unions (KSBSI). Wearing various types of red clothing, they held the action in front of the Myanmar Embassy on Jl. Agus Salim in Central Jakarta on Wednesday October 3.
Jakarta – An Indonesian businessman's bid to make polygamy easier was rejected by the country's constitutional court on Wednesday.
Indonesia allows polygamy, but according to the marriage law, a man can only get court approval to take a second wife if his first wife agrees, or if she is disabled or cannot have children.
Alfian, Jakarta – Terror attacks are not always linked to religious fanaticism and can be triggered by issues including poverty, discrimination and marginalization, a Muslim organization said Friday.
Jakarta – Within five months, a family from Rawa Buaya subdistrict in West Jakarta lost two children to what was diagnosed as typhoid fever by doctors at the Sumber Waras Hospital.
Jakarta – Mahmud has been a contract teacher for 28 years, earning only Rp 500,000 a month. Since 2002, the father of three has been scavenging garbage outside of teaching hours to provide for his family.
Donggala, Central Sulawesi – Workers have sealed off a base transceiver station (BTS) owned by cellular telecommunication operator PT Telkomsel in Donggala regency, Central Sulawesi, because its project holder, PT Thiess Contractors Indonesia, allegedly failed to pay them.
Desy Nurhayati, Jakarta – An alliance of several NGOs has asked the President to order the selection team for the country's anti-corruption body to review their candidates, especially those with law enforcement backgrounds vying for leadership.
The West Papua National Coalition for Liberation (WPNCL) is calling on the Government of Indonesia to end more than four decades of oppression and human rights abuses. WPNCL representative, Paula Makabory, said the Indonesian government should discuss the future of West Papua with an elected team of West Papuan political leaders in an international setting.
Evi Mariani, Jakarta – Three years have passed since the launch of the Transjakarta busway, but Sutiyoso's dream to see Jakartans switch from private cars to public transportation is still just that, a survey says.
The latest data on individual income-tax payers, as revealed by Tax Director General Darmin Nasution last week, was not only shockingly small, but also strikingly contrary to what had been reported by his predecessors.
Sarah Smiles – A united front of Papuan leaders has called for crisis talks with Jakarta as human rights abuses escalate in the militarised Indonesian province.
Jakarta – The Central Jakarta District Court on Monday rejected the class-action lawsuit filed by victims of February's floods against Jakarta's governor and five mayors.
Adisti Sukma Sawitri, Jakarta – Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso announced here Monday he was available for political parties to nominate him for the 2009 presidential election.
He told a gathering of hundreds of people attending his "political declaration" at the Four Seasons Hotel in South Jakarta that after 10 years as Jakarta's governor, he was ready to lead the country.
ID Nugroho, Banyuwangi – Time has tattered and torn the three books in which the original lyrics of the notorious Genjer-Genjer song were first written by its composer, the late Muhammad Arief.
The ink may have faded but the song continues to reveal stories, even until today. The song has become synonymous with the controversial 1965 coup and the bloodbath that followed.
Yogyakarta – A number of private universities in Yogyakarta have been forced to merge and scrap study programs due to limited enrollments.
"This month alone, I have received letters from three private universities stating their intention to merge," head of the Yogyakarta Private Universities Association Budi Santoso said.
Jakarta – Interfaith religious organizations in Indonesia condemned the Myanmar military junta Monday for its irresponsible use of force and insisted the republic facilitate peaceful dialogs between conflicting parties.
Theresia Sufa and Adisti Sukma Sawitri, Bogor/Jakarta – A mob went on the rampage on the western outskirts of Bogor early Sunday, attacking cafes, brothels, small hotels and other businesses they felt were "violating the sanctity of Ramadhan".
Sultani – The positive tone of the reaction to the announcement by the United Nations and the World Bank in which they rated Suharto as the biggest corruptor of state assets in the world indicates the public's level of anger over the deadlock in the process of investigating the former president of Indonesia.
Jakarta – Jakarta lacks concern for its residents in many ways, particularly in the commercial sphere, with the city administration paying little attention to the ordinary people, a professor says.
Jakarta – Although the Home Affairs Ministry said it would look into Jakarta's newly endorsed public order bylaw, Home Minister Mardiyanto said there was nothing stopping the city implementing it at any time.
An Indonesian court began hearings on Monday on a 500 billion rupiah ($A62.06 million) civil suit filed by state prosecutors against the youngest son of former President Suharto.
Ben Terrall – "Counterterrorism" has become Indonesia's latest slogan for avoiding military reform while simultaneously strengthening its apparatus of repression. In return for its loyalty in the war on terror, the Bush administration has side-stepped congressional concerns of military abuses in Indonesia.
Banda Aceh, Aceh – Six local parties have registered in Aceh ahead of the 2009 legislative election in the province, according to the provincial office of the Justice and Human Rights Ministry.
Pacific Islands leaders are being asked to consider the plight of the nearly two million Melanesian people in the Indonesian region of Papua when they meet in Tonga in two weeks.
A spokesman for the Australian West Papua Association, Joe Collins, says there is a growing military presence in Papua and increasing human rights abuses there.
A group of pro-independence Papuans said it has asked Indonesia's government to meet to discuss greater democracy and self-determination as well as the withdrawal of troops from the troubled, resource-rich region.
Sarah Smiles, Canberra – The 17-year-old daughter of a prominent Papuan activist has been kidnapped, drugged and assaulted at gunpoint by a group allegedly linked to Indonesian security forces, human rights workers have reported.
Andreas Harsono – Clad in a sarong and cotton shirt, Chief Sergeant Ukas seemes like an ordinary shopkeeper. He runs a family store next to his house on the outskirts of Merauke, a town in Indonesia's troubled Papua province.
"I'm a retiree now," he says with a smile. In fact, Ukas retired from not one profession but two: the Army and the prostitution racket.
Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – More than 1.2 million children in North Sumatra are forced to drop out of school every year for financial reasons.
Director of the Children's Protection and Study Center, Ahmad Sofian, said Saturday that figure was determine following the latest survey of schools and village heads.
In East Timor, the Truth and Friendship Commission has wound up its public hearings. The joint Indonesian and Timorese Commission was established to uncover the truth behind the violence surrounding East Timor's independence vote in 1999.
Ramdhan Muhaimin, Jakarta – Around 50 people from Humanist Solidarity for Myanmar (SKUM) held a demonstration in Bali on Sunday October 30 against the violence by the military junta in Myanmar.
Bramantyo Prijosusilo, Ngawi, East Java – The end of September has always been a time of questions throughout Indonesia's political history.
Panca Nugraha, Mataram – After performing the asyar afternoon prayers in a small mosque, Syahidin, 38, returned to his quarters and took his daughter from his wife, Senah, 30.