Egi Adyatama, Jakarta – The Indonesian Women's Commission said that the rape of 13 female students in an Islamic boarding school in Bandung is evident that Indonesia (RI) is in dire need of a law on protection against sexual violence.

Maria Fatima Bona, Jakarta – The government has decided to start vaccination against Covid-19 for children aged 6-11 years tomorrow, ten days earlier than the initial schedule, Maxi Rein Rondonuwu, the interim director general of disease prevention and control at the Ministry of Health, said on Monday.

Triyan Pangastuti, Jakarta – E-commerce transaction value is projected to hit Rp 395 trillion, or approximately around $27.5 billion, by the end of 2021, a senior official said on Monday.

Arjuna Pademme, Jayapura, Jubi – Tens of residents of Kisor Village, South Aifat District, Maybrat Regency who have been displaced since September, returned to their village on December 9, 2021, though it was only for a few hours to collect some of their stuff and day-to-day needs and take it with them to the refugee camps.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) says that around 350 companies will be let off the hook thanks to the enactment of Law Number 11/2020 on Job Creation (Ciptaker). This number may change because Walhi is still collecting data.

Bangun Santoso, Yosea Arga Pramudita – Amnesty International Indonesia recorded cases of the criminalisation and repression of civil society using the Information and Electronic Transaction Law (ITE Law) throughout 2021. Between January and November this year, there were 84 cases of violation of freedom of express with a total of 98 victims.

Fana Suparman, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission, or KPK, named 15 members and former members of the Muara Enim Legislative Council in South Sumatra as suspects on Monday in the lead-up to graft conviction against their district heads.

The 15 suspects dressed in orange vests were presented at the KPK building during a news conference on Monday.

Bayu Marhaenjati, Jakarta – The counter-terror squad Detachment 88 has arrested five suspected militants in separate raids in South Sumatra and South Sulawesi, police said on Monday.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – A court in Indonesia has rejected a bid by two palm oil companies to have their permits restored after they were scrapped by local authorities for a litany of violations.

For the Indigenous peoples whose territory fell within the companies' concessions, the ruling offers a rare chance to finally have their land rights officially recognized.

Antara, Jakarta – The increase in internet use amid the COVID-19 pandemic has heightened the risk of online gender-based violence (GBV), Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Minister Bintang Puspayoga has said.

Linda Yulisman, Jakarta – Haunted by trauma, survivors of the deadly Mount Semeru eruption earlier this month in Lumajang, East Java, are hoping for a relocation of their settlement to avert recurrent danger.

Owen Howell – As the new Omicron variant spreads through the Asia-Pacific region, Indonesia is proceeding with its pro-corporate reopening agenda and rapidly dispensing with any public health measures to control the virus.

Antara, Jakarta – Victims of online gender-based violence (GBV) can experience psychological and material losses, Southeast Asia Freedom of Expression Network (SAFEnet) Executive Director Damar Juniarto stated.

Chairul Fikri, Tangerang – Police raided a warehouse in Tangerang just south of Jakarta on Friday evening and seized nearly 43,000 bottles of fake motorcycle engine oil.

A man believed to be the owner of the warehouse was arrested at the scene.

Jakarta – Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI) Deputy Chairperson Anwar Abbas has made a statement strongly criticising the fact that 1 percent of the population controls half of the land in Indonesia. The criticism was even acknowledged by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.

Nivell Rayda, Bandung, Indonesia – As Rahmat Sutrisno descended the slope of the Citarum riverbank, he could not help but grin.

For decades, the 71-year-old had been patrolling the river which was once dubbed as one of the most polluted watercourses in the world.

Jakarta – We have seen the government announce a policy only to withdraw it or water it down again and again, sometimes at a cost. Most recently the government repealed its decision to impose the second most stringent public activity restrictions (PPKM) nationwide during the year-end holiday period meant to anticipate a third wave and the spread of the Omicron variant.

Reiner Brabar, Jayapura – Throughout the leadership of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, the agenda of upholding human rights has not seen any change. One of the indicators of this is the failure to resolve cases of past gross human rights violations in Papua.

MG Noviarizal Fernandez, Bisnis.com, Jakarta – The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) is urging President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to order the Indonesian police chief to fulfill the National Human Rights Commission's (Komnas HAM) recommendation on the 2004 assassination of renewed human rights defender Munir.

Ryan Dagur, Jakarta – Timor-Leste has inaugurated its first Catholic university, dedicated to St. John Paul II who is considered to have inspired the country's struggle for independence.

The Catholic University of St. John Paul II was inaugurated on Dec. 8 by Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak and Archbishop Dom Virgilio Do Carmo da Silva of Dili.

Russell Searancke – Timor-Leste's national oil company Timor Gap has been awarded a new production sharing contract for an onshore exploration block in its home country.

Kate Lamb, Stanley Widianto and Prastyo Wardoyo, Jakarta – In the wake of the deadly Semeru eruption in Lumajang, East Java, the entwined bodies of a mother and daughter encased in molten ash have come to symbolise what many living in the shadow of the volcano feel went wrong.

More details have emerged from the grim case involving an alleged serial rapist who is also an Islamic boarding school (pesantren) teacher in Bandung, West Java, whose victims reportedly gave birth to nine babies, with two more on the way.

Regional governments across Indonesia can start vaccinating children aged 6-11 from Dec. 24, should they meet several conditions laid out by the central government.

Yuliana Lantipo, Jayapura, Jubi – The Ruang Damai Foundation and the Women's Coalition to Save Papuan Humans held an online discussion titled "Women Can Do Anything" on Wednesday, December 8, 2021. This webinar is part of a series of activities for the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence in Papua.

Theo Kelen, Jayapura, Jubi – The central government must trust the regional government to manage the Papua Special Autonomy (Otsus) Fund to build human resources, the economy, and empower Papuan people, said head of the West Papua Regional Development Planning Agency Dance Sangkek.

Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) says that efforts to fight for human rights have been increasingly eroded during President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's second term in office.

Jakarta – As in years past, International Anticorruption Day was observed at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Thursday to celebrate the agency's role in the country's fight against graft. But this year, the KPK – and Indonesia as a whole – must reckon with profound failures on that front.

Yogi Eka Sahputra, Batam, Indonesia – Indonesian officials in Sumatra's Riau Islands province have reported a 280% increase in seizures of mangrove wood from would-be smugglers this year, attributing the surge in illegal logging to economic hardship among local fishers.

Timo Duile – In Western academia, it seems common sense that discrimination should have no place in society, including against LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual/transgender) people.

This achievement is the result of decades of struggle and bitter experiences of LGBT-phobia in Western societies.

Egi Adyatama, Jakarta – President Joko Widodo, or Jokowi, on Thursday's Summit for Democracy 2021 event that was held virtually, expressed Indonesia's commitment to advancing democracy and human rights on regional and global scales.

The commitment, he said, is evident in the Bali Democracy Forum on December 9 that has been held for 14 consecutive years.

Mirza Bagaskara, Jakarta – The Indonesian Ombudsman received reports about suspected maladministration in the Covid-19 quarantine by a number of hospitals. The report was received following complaints from the public and the Civil Society Coalition.

Imam Hamdi, Jakarta – The Indonesian government has greenlighted all provinces to start inoculating children aged 6 to 11. The rule is set forth in Home Affairs Minister's Instruction no. 66/2021 on the prevention and handling of Covid-19 during Christmas and New Year.

Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian signed the instruction on Thursday, 9 December.

M Rosseno Aji, Jakarta – Tempo Magazine was granted with the 2021 Press Council Award on Thursday, Dec. 9, as the print media which promotes press freedom. The magazine's executive editor Bagja Hidayat hopes the award will trigger Tempo and other press firms to continue to create high quality journalistic products.

Joe Lo – On 25 November, a group of scientists, business people, civil servants and campaigners were gathered at a conference centre just south of Jakarta listening to a presentation by a distinguished forestry professor when chaos broke out.

Egi Adyatama, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo in the international human rights day commemoration on Friday proclaimed that the government is staying committed to upholding and solving severe human rights violations.

Egi Adyatama, Jakarta – President Joko Jokowi Widodo acknowledged public concerns about the limitation of the freedom of expression following the presence of the Electronic Information and Transactions Law or ITE Law. He guaranteed that the law would not curb the rights of people to freely express their opinions.

Lani Diana Wijaya, Jakarta – Transjakarta Workers Union head Benny Malau rebutted allegations that Transjakarta's board of directors had a meeting with operators while enjoying a belly dance performance as shown in a viral video on social media.

Juwita Trisna Rahayu, Jakarta – Household incomes were 78.9 percent lower during the period from October to November 2020 in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a survey released on Friday. "2020 was not an easy year for households.

Arnold Belau, Jayapura – Coinciding with the commemoration of International Human Rights Day on December 10, the Jayapura city Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) have launched the Papua Legal Aid Association for the Press (Perkumpulan Bantuan Hukum Pers Tanah Papua, PBHPTP).

Jakarta – A student demonstration held near the Arjuna Wijaya Horse Statue in Central Jakarta has ended in chaos with three students being arrested, one of which was assaulted by police.

Police chased down the students after the chaos broke out on Jalan Medan Merdeka Selatan. The reason for the chaos is not yet known.

Syafiq Hasyim, Norshahril Saat – A member of the Council of Ulama Indonesia (MUI) was arrested recently for his involvement in Jemaah Islamiah. MUI should make amends by explaining how such an association came about, and effect a more rigorous recruitment regime.

Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – Indonesia has reached a new milestone in its fight against the Covid-19 pandemic after the number of fully vaccinated citizens surpassed the 100 million mark earlier this week.

Benny Mawel, Jayapura, Jubi – The Papuan Church Council on Wednesday, December 8, 2021, for the umpteenth time, asked President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to fulfill his promise to seek a peaceful Papua.

Hazara refugee Reza Akbari* is living a life in limbo. The 24-year-old hasn't been allowed to work, study or even drive during the eight years he's been stranded in Indonesia.

"I'm just eating and sleeping like the others here," he told SBS News.

Mr Akbari is one of over 13,000 refugees in Indonesia with no prospects of being resettled into other countries.

Katharina R. Lestari, Jakarta – Child abuse in Indonesia has increased significantly over the last three years with many of the recorded cases being sexual in nature, according to the Ministry of Women Empowerment and Child Protection.

Jakarta (New York Times) – A court in Indonesia has sentenced a militant to life in prison after finding him guilty of making bombs for a 2005 market bombing that killed 22 people.

The militant, Upik Lawanga, is a member of Jemaah Islamiah (JI), a South-east Asian terrorist group with links to Al-Qaeda.

Gili Trawangan, Indonesia – Chef Ilhani used to serve up Japanese cuisine to holidaymakers every night, now he makes just US$3 (S$4.09) a day selling fried snacks on the near empty streets of once bustling Gili Trawangan.

Indonesia has achieved quite the feat in the battle against COVID-19 with more than 100 million of its population now fully vaccinated, thus putting the country first among its Southeast Asian neighbors.

Johnny Blades – A Polish man imprisoned by an Indonesian court in 2018 after visiting West Papua as a tourist remains languishing in a cell in Papua's remote interior with limited help from the government of Poland, and no compassion from Jakarta.