�鶹��ý - Indonesia

Indonesia: Military’s expanded role in civilian affairs faces resistance

Ignatius Mahendra Kusumawardhana — Tue, 17 Jun 2025 16:00:00 +1000

Peter Boyle speaks to Indonesian socialist Ignatius Mahendra Kusumawardhana about the disturbing return to the former Suharto dictatorship era’s notorious “dual function” policy for the military.

‘Dark Indonesia’: The new student movement stirring in Southeast Asia

Girard Mariano Lopez — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 14:45:00 +1100

Thousands of Indonesian students across the country are taking to the streets protesting the Prabowo Subianto administration, launching a new movement against the former military general’s program of “budget efficiency”, reports Girard Mariano Lopez.

Indonesia in the Pacific: Military engagement and the quest for control in West Papua

Ali Mirin — Wed, 15 Jan 2025 15:45:00 +1100

In a concerted effort to stifle support for West Papua’s aspiration for independence, Indonesia has embarked on diplomatic initiatives with Pacific nations and communities, writes Ali Mirin.

Prabowo to Trump: ‘All my training is American, Sir!’

Peter Boyle — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 19:45:00 +1100

Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto remains a loyal servant of United States imperialism, as his recent phone call to Donald Trump makes clear, reports Peter Boyle.

Indonesia: The PRD and the Prabowo government

Rudi Hartono — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 16:00:00 +1100

When Indonesia’s new president Prabowo Subianto announced his cabinet, a number of former activists and leaders of the People’s Democratic Party (PRD) were among its 109 members. �鶹��ý’s Peter Boyle spoke to Rudi Hartono, former editor of the PRD’s publication Berdikari, about this development.

Indonesian leftists accuse incoming president Prabowo of ‘crimes against humanity’

Ignatius Mahendra Kusumawardhana — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 16:30:00 +1100

�鶹��ý's Peter Boyle spoke to Ignatius Mahendra Kusumawardhana from Indonesia's Perserikatan Sosialis (Socialist Union), one of the left groups protesting former Suharto-era general Prabowo Subianto, who was sworn in as Indonesia's new president on October 20.

Behind the mass student-led protests that have rocked Indonesia

Rudi Hartono — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 08:45:00 +1000

Since August 22, cities across Indonesia have been rocked by student-led protests against a proposed regional electoral law. Peter Boyle spoke to Rudi Hartono, the managing editor of a new progressive publication Merdika.id, who joined the protesters in Jakarta.

Indonesian elections: Politico-business elites advance control over state institutions

Rebecca Meckelburg — Thu, 21 Mar 2024 09:45:00 +1100

Rebecca Meckelburg looks at the factors driving the result of Indonesia's recent presidential election.

Rally: Bring them here: End the ban on refugees from Indonesia

Richard Boult — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 08:58:17 +0000

The Albanese Labor government maintains the ban today. Indonesia is the major regional gateway for people to come to Australia from other countries such as Afghanistan, Iran, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Sudan.These refugees signed up to enter Australia via the ‘official’ route, but now Australia forbids them to do this.

Melanesian Spearhead Group ‘fails West Papua’

Susan Price — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 14:45:00 +1000

West Papuans and their supporters say they have been “let down” by Melanesian Spearhead Group leaders over a decision not to admit the United Liberation Movement of West Papua as a full member, reports Susan Price.

Open letter to Labor: Increase the allowance to refugees stranded in Indonesia

Kerry Smith — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 17:00:00 +1000

Refugee Action Collectives have launched an open letter asking the Minister for Home Affairs Clare O'Neil to help refugees stranded in Indonesia.

West Papua: How should Indonesian govt, international community, UN respond to OPM hostage demands?

Yamin Kogoya — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 10:30:00 +1100

A peaceful resolution to the kidnapping of Phillip Mehrtens and Indonesia's war of occupation in West Papua needs to be found, writes Yamin Kogoya.

Attacks target human rights activist Veronica Koman's family in Indonesia

Susan Price — Mon, 15 Nov 2021 16:00:00 +1100

The family of Australian-based Indonesian human rights lawyer Veronica Koman has been the target of two recent attacks in Indonesia, reports Susan Price.

Indonesia: A win for the right to clean air in Jakarta

Binoy Kampmark — Mon, 04 Oct 2021 10:15:00 +1100

In October, the Central Jakarta District Court ruled on a lawsuit accusing the Indonesian government of unlawfully permitting air pollution in the capital to exceed permissible, healthy limits, reports Binoy Kampmark.

Refugees in Indonesia: Australia's biggest political pawns

Alfred Pek — Wed, 28 Jul 2021 17:15:00 +1000

Filmmaker Alfred Pek's new documentary exposes Australia’s cruel border protection policy by telling the moving stories of three refugees stuck in limbo in Indonesia.

Indonesia: New rebels, new movement, new hope

Wagimanto — Thu, 22 Oct 2020 14:45:00 +1100

Since Indonesia's parliament secretly signed the Omnibus Job Creation bill into law, more than 100,000 people have protested across the country, writes Wagimanto.

Indonesia: Omnibus law benefits big bosses, threatens people and environment

Wagimanto — Fri, 16 Oct 2020 17:30:00 +1100

Indonesia's new omnibus law facilitates further capital expansion in the manufacturing and natural resources sectors while weakening the position of indigenous communities, farmers and fishers, writes Wagimanto.

As COVID-19 escalates in Indonesia, responses are fractured and fractious

Rebecca Meckelburg — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 15:45:00 +1100

Six months after the first COVID-19 case was officially confirmed in Indonesia, it is clear that the government has failed to control the pandemic, write Rebecca Meckelburg and Charan Bal.

Indonesian protests point to old patterns

Edward Aspinall — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 14:00:00 +1100

Ed Aspinall reports the huge protests across Indonesia against the omnibus law, which have been violently dispersed by police, have resulted in more than 1000 arrests in Jakarta and surrounds alone.

Mass strikes, walkouts in Indonesia over new employment law

Susan Price — Wed, 07 Oct 2020 16:15:00 +1100

Masses of Indonesian workers took strike action across the country on October 6–7 against a new employment law, writes Susan Price.

Indonesia’s new mining law puts profit ahead of people and planet

Pius Ginting — Tue, 28 Jul 2020 11:00:00 +1000

Mining-affected communities, NGOs and environmental activists are organising across the country to oppose Indonesia's new mining laws, which were secretly ratified during the COVID-19 lockdown, writes Pius Ginting.

Imprisoned Papuan activists denied parole under COVID-19 early release program

James Balowski — Tue, 26 May 2020 13:00:00 +1000

Rights groups have slammed a last-minute decision by the Indonesian authorities to deny parole to five Papuan activists jailed on charges of treason over a peaceful protest in August last year, writes James Balowski.

Indonesia: Regional health systems and COVID-19

Rebecca Meckelburg — Thu, 23 Apr 2020 16:15:00 +1000

While news reports on Indonesia’s response to COVID-19 refer to its lack of health infrastructure and trained medical staff, this does not reflect the real improvements in primary health care over two decades, writes Rebecca Meckelburg.

COVID-19: A central Java perspective

Rebecca Meckelburg — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 15:45:00 +1100

Indonesia, which does not have the infrastructure for small-scale, let alone, mass testing is covering up the figures on COVID-19 transmission, reports Rebecca Meckelburg.

Climate emergency: Indonesia faces catastrophic floods, disappearing islands

Peter Boyle — Sun, 02 Feb 2020 13:15:00 +1100

While the stark reality of the global climate emergency struck home in Australia with its worst bushfire season, its neighbour Indonesia faced catastrophic floods and islands disappearing below the rising sea. �鶹��ý's Peter Boyle interviewed Friends of the Earth Indonesia climate change campaigner Yuyun Harmono about the situation.

Scores of Papua activists across Indonesia await trial for treason

James Balowski — Sat, 07 Dec 2019 07:30:00 +1100

Surya Anta Ginting, the national spokesperson for the pro-independence Indonesian People's Front for West Papua — who along with five other Papuan activists is being held in Jakarta's notorious Salemba prison awaiting trial on treason charges — is reportedly seriously ill.

Anta's wife Lucia Fransisca told reporters that she visited him on November 29 and found that he and the other five Papuan detainees were ill and were not receiving proper medical treatment.

More arrests in Indonesia follow West Papua protests

Susan Price — Wed, 04 Sep 2019 12:45:00 +1000

Indonesian People’s Front for West Papua (FRI-West Papua) spokesperson, Surya Anta was arrested in Jakarta on August 31 and accused of “subversive” acts in relation to his advocacy for West Papua.

Protesters demand 'Free West Papua'

Kerry Smith — Fri, 15 Feb 2019 15:30:00 +1100

Free West Papua campaigners rallied in several cities on February 12.

The 'blue growth' illusion won't save our oceans

Zoe Brent — Fri, 02 Nov 2018 16:30:00 +1100

The Indonesian government hosted the fifth Our Ocean Conference in Bali on October 29 and 30. It was the latest in a string of oceans-focused summits — with more on the way, such as the The Economist’s World Ocean Summits and the Sustainable Oceans Summits organised by the industry-coalition the World Ocean Council.

How New Zealand joined Australia to betray West Papua

Joe Collins — Thu, 23 Aug 2018 15:00:00 +1000

New Zealand solidarity activist Maire Leadbeater’s new book, See No Evil: New Zealand’s betrayal of the people of West Papua, features a theme also relevant for Australia. Both countries were involved in the tragic betrayal of West Papua.