On 28 July 2026, Indonesian Naval Military Police personnel shot and injured Mr Timotius Rumpaidus at his residence in Klalin 6, Warmon Village, Aimas District, Sorong Regency, Southeast Papua Province. Mr Rumpaidus is a civilian and former member of the Indonesian Navy.

Vidya Pinandhita, Jakarta – A massive fire that swept through Kasepuhan Cipta Mulya customary village in Cisolok district, Sukabumi regency, West Java, last week destroyed homes and generations-old cultural assets, renewing concerns over the vulnerability of indigenous communities to climate-related disasters.

Jayapura, Jubi – Dozens of residents in the Korowai area of Yahukimo Regency, Highland Papua Province, have reportedly fled into the forest since 22 July 2026. The displaced residents are believed to be sheltering in the border region between Yahukimo, Pegunungan Bintang Regency, and Boven Digoel Regency in South Papua Province.

Philip Jacobson, Jakarta – Two palm oil companies embroiled in a long-running land dispute with an Indigenous community in Indonesian Borneo have resumed the clearing of rainforest and other land to expand their plantations for the first time in more than a decade.

On 26 July 2026, Indonesian military personnel reportedly entered the compound of the St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish Church in Titigi Village, Sugapa District, Intan Jaya Regency, Central Papua Province, while parishioners were attending Sunday Mass. The unexpected presence of armed personnel caused fear and panic among the congregation.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – The Constitutional Court ruled that the government must separate funding for the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program from the national education budget by the time it drafts the 2028 State Budget (APBN), prompting economists to call for fiscal adjustments starting in 2027.

Eva Fitriani, Pangkalan Bun – More than 80% of Indonesia's palm oil exports now consist of value-added downstream products rather than crude palm oil, reflecting the growing impact of the government's industrialization strategy, an official said.

Dede Leni Mardianti, Jakarta – Indonesia's Defense Ministry has allocated Rp1.064 trillion for national defense education programs targeting future managers of the Red and White Village Cooperatives and Red and White Fisher Villages.

The budget will cover training expenses for 35,476 participants enrolled in the 45-day program, according to the ministry.

Zhulfakar, Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) said on Thursday that one of its own employees had been arrested as part of an investigation linked to the corruption case involving Pemalang Regent Anom Widiyantoro, marking an unusual twist in the agency's latest anti-graft operation.

Celvin Moniaga Sipahutar, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto on Thursday sought to dispel speculation of tensions between Indonesia's top law enforcement agencies, declaring that the National Police and the Attorney General's Office remain united despite the ongoing corruption investigation involving former senior prosecutor Febrie Adriansyah.

Kaya Selby – A new Human Rights Watch (HWR) report says that the Indonesian government is silencing environmental activists in Papua region, known internationally as West Papua.

The shortage of subsidized fuels such as Pertalite and diesel in various regions exposes the poor state of national energy management. Long queues of vehicles at public gas stations reflect the superficial nature of quota planning, the chaos in risk mitigation, and weak oversight.

Antara, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has increased performance allowances, locally known as tukin, for Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) personnel and Ministry of Defense employees through two presidential regulations after approximately eight years without adjustments.

Between 24 and 30 July 2026, joint Indonesian military and police operations reportedly killed three civilians in the Korowai region, causing hundreds of indigenous Papuans, including children, pregnant women and elderly people, to flee their homes and seek shelter in the surrounding forest (see photo on top, source: independent HRD).

Shreya Dasgupta – Indonesian authorities are wrongfully prosecuting environmental defenders and Indigenous leaders who protest deforestation, pollution and land grabs, says a new report by international nonprofit Human Rights Watch (HRW).

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto's electability in the latest survey by Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting (SMRC) has drastically decreased. Jamiluddin Ritonga, a political communication expert from Esa Unggul University, stated that Prabowo needs a major evaluation to improve his electability, including reshuffling the cabinet.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) said anti-graft enforcement accelerated sharply in the first half of 2026, carrying out 12 sting operations that led to the arrests of seven regional leaders and several government officials.

Maretha Uli, Jakarta – The Constitutional Court ruled on Thursday that the government should no longer source funding for President Prabowo Subianto's costly free nutritious meal program from the education budget.

Nandito Putra, Jakarta – Indonesia's shift toward low-emission vehicles is advancing faster than expected, driven by a sharp increase in electrified vehicle sales during the first half of 2026, Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita said.

Antara, Jakarta – The rupiah exchange rate against the US dollar at the close of trading on Thursday weakened by 38 points, or 0.12 percent, to Rp18,111 per US dollar, compared to the previous close of Rp18,073 per US dollar.

Jayapura, Jubi – Beginning in 1947, Dutch colonial authorities intensified efforts to suppress support for the Indonesian republican movement among civil servants, including both Indigenous Papuans and migrants from other parts of the archipelago.

Agencies, Jakarta – Indonesia recorded a sharp increase in potential fire zones in July as El Nino conditions intensified across the country, the head of the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) agency said on Thursday, adding that the weather system was expected to last into early 2027.

East Timor has become the unlikely venue for a war crimes case against Myanmar's military leadership, as proceedings advance in Dili's courts and test Asean's uneasy approach to the junta.

Theresia Sufa, Bogor – The Forestry Ministry has arrested a suspected member of an international pangolin trafficking network following an investigation into two major trafficking cases in recent months.

Mitra Tarigan, Jakarta – Lecturer from the Department of Indonesian Language and Literature Education at Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta (UNY), Pangesti Wiedarti, assesses that the government should prioritize strengthening the quality and welfare of lecturers before building Universitas Republik Indonesia (URI).

Savero Aristia Wienanto, Jakarta – Activist Maria Katarina Sumarsih gave a public lecture on Aksi Kamisan at Taman Ismail Marzuki, Central Jakarta, Indonesia, on Monday, July 27, 2026.

Basten Gokkon – An alleged corruption case at Indonesia's Surabaya Zoo has renewed scrutiny of how the country's wildlife conservation institutions are governed and prompted experts to warn that financial misconduct can have consequences that extend beyond public finances to the welfare of animals entirely dependent on human care.

Akmalal Hamdhi, Jakarta – The Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) on Tuesday urged the government to accelerate deregulation and remove barriers to doing business, arguing that addressing the underlying pressures facing companies is the most effective way to prevent a wider wave of layoffs.

Ria Fortuna Wijaya, Jakarta – Indonesian stocks ended lower on Wednesday as investors reacted to global rating agencies' concerns over Bank Indonesia's independence after Governor Perry Warjiyo's resignation, adding to caution ahead of the US Federal Reserve's interest rate decision.

A security force operation in the KM 4 Logpon area of Dekai District, Yahukimo Regency, Papua Pegunungan province on 17 July 2026, reportedly resulted in the death of two members of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) and one civilian named Mr Yafoluk Heluka (see photo om top, source: independent HRD).

Aristo Setiawan, Jakarta – Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting (SMRC) says that Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto would not be elected again as the country's leader if the election were held this Wednesday July 29.

Rahmat Hidayat – Former Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD criticized West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi's public reward initiative for capturing robbery suspects, warning that the policy risks encouraging vigilantism and weakening the state's responsibility to enforce the law.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting (SMRC) released the latest electability survey results on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. The results indicate that if the general and presidential elections were held today, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto would not win.

Maudey Khalisha, Jakarta – As layoff figures continue to rise, the government has acknowledged that the trend is "difficult to avoid" amid mounting global economic pressures.

Muhammad Aulia, Jakarta – Nine Indonesian activists who were detained by Israeli authorities after attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza have filed a criminal complaint with Indonesia's Attorney General's Office, alleging kidnapping and abuse during their four-day detention.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – Indonesia has recorded more fire hotspot activity by late July 2026 than at the same point in any previous year, including during the devastating fire seasons of 2019 and 2023, according to new data.

Aliy Arivin Anward, Jakarta – The Saiful Mujani Research & Consulting (SMRC) has recorded that the majority of the Indonesian public is not confident that the Red and White Village Cooperative (KDMP) will develop in the future.

Jayapura, Jubi – The limited representation of Indigenous voices in media coverage of Indonesia's Indigenous Peoples Bill (RUU Masyarakat Adat) came under scrutiny during the Green Editor Forum, Reading the Indigenous Peoples Bill in Mass Media Coverage, held in Jakarta on Monday.

Akmalal Hamdhi, Jakarta – Indonesia's national employment social security agency, BPJS Ketenagakerjaan, paid out 2 million Old-Age Security (JHT) claims worth Rp 30 trillion ($1.7 billion) in the first half of 2026, a 22.6% increase from a year earlier, while stressing that the rise was not primarily driven by layoffs.

Gembong Hanung and Wahyoe Boediwardhana, Jakarta/Surabaya – A number of regions in Indonesia are suffering from crop failures, as the onslaught of the warming El Nino climate phenomenon intensifies and may drag the dry season on until next year, with rice production already dropping in the last three months.

Gayatri Suroyo and Stefanno Sulaiman, Jakarta – Amajor disagreement with the finance minister over economic growth strategies preceded Perry Warjiyo's sudden resignation as Indonesia's central bank chief, three sources told Reuters, underscoring months of reported tensions between the country's top financial officials.

Mita Amalia Hapsari, Jakarta – Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung on Tuesday urged residents not to be provoked by ethnic issues following a deadly clash in Central Jakarta, stressing that Indonesia's capital remains an open and diverse city.

Jayapura, Jubi – The Wio Students' Association (IMPW) in Jayapura has issued a statement calling for comprehensive measures to address recurring inter-community conflict in Jayawijaya Regency, the capital of Papua Highlands Province, following repeated outbreaks of violence between 2024 and 2026.

President Prabowo Subianto and the Gerindra Party should not be using indigenous people as a source of votes. The job of the government, and that of the other parties in the House of Representatives (DPR) is to ensure that the Indigenous Peoples Bill currently being deliberated is able to protect the weakest groups in society, who have long been victims of state policy.

Jakarta – Indonesian authorities are pursuing wrongful prosecutions of environmentalists and Indigenous community leaders who protest deforestation and pollution, or defend land rights, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today.

Natasha Khairunisa, Ricki Putra Harahap, Jakarta – Indonesian rupiah extended its decline on Tuesday morning, slipping past the psychologically important 18,000-per-dollar level as investors continued to digest Bank Indonesia Governor Perry Warjiyo's resignation while awaiting the US Federal Reserve's policy decision.

Bangun Santoso Novian Ardiansyah – Public satisfaction with the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program has declined. According to a survey conducted by Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting (SMRC) from July 5-19, the majority of the public expressed dissatisfaction with the program. Only 33.8 percent were very satisfied or somewhat satisfied.

Carmeneza dos Santos Monteiro, Geordie Fung – What happens before Timor-Leste's 2027 presidential and 2028 parliamentary elections will shape whether political legitimacy in the country's next era rests on historic loyalty networks or on policy performance, economic credibility, and public accountability.

Indonesia, West Papua – This 11-page report lists cases and developments, including human rights violations and their patterns; developments in the armed conflict and its impact on civilians; significant political shifts in Indonesia affecting West Papua; and international responses and initiatives.

Human rights

Abdullah Faqih – Louis Vuitton, Bottega, Lady Dior, Hermes Lindy, Gucci Bamboo, Prada Monolith, and other luxury goods are not merely brands that we encounter in luxury malls or high-end shopping centres. They have come to represent elite status and an affluent lifestyle, particularly because they are often associated with celebrities and influencers.