The final and binding ruling by the Supreme Court against the Supersemar Foundation led by former president Suharto is historic and crucial because it is the first legal decision against the former

It's typical Indonesia – or more precisely, it's becoming typical of President Joko Widodo's administration.

Soe Tjen Marching – This month, it will be 70 years since Indonesia declared its independence from Dutch colonial rule. But what has Indonesia been best known for internationally in recent years?

Johannes Nugroho – In late 1945 the first prime minister of Indonesia, Sutan Sjahrir (1909-66), made a radio broadcast to the people of Australia, thanking them for their support at the onset of In

William Pesek – Indonesia has come a long way since Oct. 20, when Joko Widodo was sworn in as president. Unfortunately, the distance the country has traveled has been in the wrong direction.

Indonesia made a step forward in its democracy when in 2006 the Constitutional Court annulled clauses in the Criminal Code on defamation of the president and vice president – while many other count

Amid recent criticism, the police, especially the Jakarta Police, deserve credit for their quick move to unveil corrupt practices behind the lengthy dwelling times at Tanjung Priok seaport, which i

Nick Xenophon – East Timor is one of the world's youngest and poorest countries located just off our north-west coast.

Edward Aspinall, Marcus Mietzner & Dirk Tomsa, Guest Contributors – Under 'moderating president' Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Indonesia's democracy suffered no reverses – but it didn't move forwar

Marking the anniversary of the Attorney General's Office (AGO) on Wednesday, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo warned state prosecutors against extorting individuals under investigation, a practice th

As a nation, Indonesia has one major piece of unfinished business: providing a solid, unshaken and irreversible foundation for pluralism to flourish across the archipelago.

One death was too many.

Johannes Nugroho – Ditching initial plans for a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the Indonesian government has instead opted for a mere Reconciliation Committee to deal with past state-sponsore

One of the main foundations of modern Indonesia was the awareness that the nation could only survive if it would accept, respect and accommodate differences.

In yet another incident that many fear marks a setback for Indonesian democracy, Judicial Commission chief Suparman Marzuki and his deputy Taufiqurrohman Syahuri will have to undergo a criminal inv

The business community should not be surprised, nor inordinately worried, about the March regulation of the Environment and Forestry Ministry regarding the reallocation of up to 30 percent of indus

Because the Rp 255 trillion (US$19 billion) entrusted to regional administrations has hardly been spent, let's, for the sake of the public, including the poor and needy, protect officials who fear

Gregory B. Poling, Jayapura, Jubi – Ongoing troubles in the West Papua region, and the unwanted attention they have garnered, are a sore spot for Indonesian authorities.

David Robie – The Melanesian Spearhead Group leaders' summit in Honiara this week must go down as the most shameful since the organisation was founded two decades ago.

Richard Bennett, Hong Kong – As far as Indonesia has come on human rights since the repressive Soeharto years, the authorities have stubbornly refused to deal with crimes of the past.

The Constitutional Court on June 18 announced its ruling on the 1974 Marriage Law, rejecting requests to change the marriageable age for girls from 16 to 18 and to make it possible to legalize inte

Benny Wenda – For more than half a century, my people have suffered under a repressive military occupation that is estimated to have claimed 500,000 West Papuan lives.

Jenny Munro, Guest Contributor – Jokowi's actions, whether those of the powerless or duplicitous, could lead to disaster in Papua.

It is under the administration of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo that the campaign against the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has gained the most momentum and looks to have reached the poi

Rosalia Sciortino, Bangkok – The judicial review of the proposed change to the marriageable age stated in Article 7(1) of the 1974 Marriage Law, which was filed by the Women's Health Foundation (Ya

Imanuddin Razak, Jakarta – The country's president constitutionally has the prerogative and the liberty to nominate and appoint candidates for top posts in the government and the military, includin

No matter how we slice and dice the issue of West Papuan independence, it always comes down to this: Do the indigenous peoples of a distinct and discrete land mass have the democratic right to self

Leong Tsu Quin, Bangkok – From June 4 to 5, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) held a workshop with Indonesian lawyers that we would much rather not have had at all.

As if to show their defense of people's interests, House of Representatives members have proposed a whopping budget of Rp 11.2 trillion (US$842 million) for next year to be spent on development pro

Dr. Tarcisius Kabutaulaka – West Papua will be the highest-profile issue at the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) leaders' summit in Honiara, Solomon Islands, on 24-26 June 2015.

Iwan Dzulvan Amir, Jakarta – Once again, Aceh has become a national laughingstock and an international embarrassment.

The Corruption Eradication Commission is on the verge of becoming merely a place where proxy wars between the National Police, Attorney General's Office and Indonesian Military take place.

Under Indonesia's Constitution, the division of labor between the executive and legislative branches of governments when it comes to spending public funds is clear-cut: the administration allocates

Women in Banda Aceh are now banned from being outside their homes after 11 p.m., with exceptions for those in humanitarian work, such as nurses and medical practitioners, and if they are accompanie

With Freeport Indonesia, the local unit of US mining giant Freeport-McMoRan, agreeing to work under a Special Mining Business Permit, or IUPK, from its current Contract of Work, or KK, the governme

Public perception that President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo tends to reserve strategic posts in his government for political parties that supported his election last year is difficult to deny, although a

Nobody should be above the law in a democratic country that upholds equality before law.

Phelim Kine – It appears to be business as usual this week for Indonesian government officials intent on maintaining the decades-long restrictions on foreign media access to the far eastern provinc

One by one, graft suspects are humiliating the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in court, capitalizing on the Criminal Law Procedures Code (KUHAP) to not only escape the commission's enforce

Another day, another controversy under President Joko Widodo's administration.

For an administration that has been vociferous on following through with the letter of the law, the government of President Joko Widodo has shown a callous and wanton disregard for human rights.

Budi Hernawan – Many of us were surprised but pleased when Indonesian President Joko Widodo announced early this month that the decades-long restriction on foreign journalists in Papua would be lif

Tom Clarke – As the Timorese celebrate their 14th "Restoration of Independence Day" this week, it is once again Australia's self-interest that prevents their long struggle for sovereignty from bein

Cillian Nolan, Jakarta – In his fourth visit to Papua in just over a year, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo last weekend told Papuans that he wanted to "turn over a new page" in their relations with

Cillian Nolan and Sidney Jones, IPAC – Indonesia's Papua, covering its two easternmost provinces, simmers with the highest levels of deadly violence – inter-ethnic, electoral, land-related and dome

Jayapura, Jubi – Indonesian President Joko Widodo's visit to Papua from 9-10 May included a stop at Pasar Pharaa, traditional market, at Sentani, the launch of the Institute of Public Administratio

Following his campaign pledges, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has signaled a different approach to Papua, announcing on Sunday in Merauke that Papua and West Papua are now open to the foreign pres

James Giggacher – This weekend has seen some possibly big developments in Papua, where Indonesia President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo has released five political prisoners in the disaffected provinces.

President Joko Widodo made a historic decision when he publicly announced in front of the nation's security chiefs on Sunday that foreign journalists now can freely enter Papua.

It is simply beyond our imagination to let the Yogyakarta sultanate, as one of the oldest living monarchies in the country, crumble in the wake of modernism.