Salsabilla Azzahra Octavia, Nurhadi, Jakarta – This year, Kamisan (Thursday) actions have entered their 18th year. The actions, which are held every Thursday in front of the State Palace in Central Jakarta, have consistently demanded that the state resolve cases of gross human rights violations in Indonesia.

The first Kamisan action was held on January 18, 2007, as a form of protest by the families of the victims of the 1965 tragedy, the Semanggi I, Semanggi II and Trisakti student shootings in 1997-98, the May 13-15, 1998 tragedy in Jakarta, the 1989 Talangsari massacre in Lampung, the 1984 Tanjung Priok killings in North Jakarta and the 2004 assassination of renowned human rights defender Munir Said Thalib.

Sabrina Mutiara Fitri, Ihsanuddin, Semarang – Exactly 18 years since the first Kamisan (Thursday) action was held, dozens of activists have again taken to the streets to fight for justice for victims of human rights violations.

The action, which that took place in front of the Central Java Regional Police (Polda) headquarters in the provincial capital of Semarang on Thursday January 16, was marked by the demonstrators wearing all-black clothing and caring posters with protest messages.

Fika Nurul Ulya, Ardito Ramadhan, Jakarta – The Denny JA Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI) is recommending that the nomination limit or threshold in the election of regional heads (Pilkada) also be abolished as it was for presidential elections (Pilpres).

"We also recommend that the election of regional heads should follow the presidential election rules where the threshold is abolished", said LSI researcher Adjie Al Farabi as quoted on the Denny JA LSI YouYube show on Thursday January 16.

Yogi Eka Sahputra, Zacharias Wuragil, Batam – The Riau chapter of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) regrets the move by the Batam Free Trade Zone Authority (BP Batam) which is allegedly involving the TNI (Indonesian Military) in pushing through the Rempang Eco City National Strategic Project (PSN).

This move by BP Batam is considered to have the potential to worsen the situation in Rempang Island, which has been marked by several incidents of violence between project developer PT Makmur Elok Graha (PT MEG) and the police and local residents who reject the project.