Jones Gultom, Medan – A number of student organisations from the North Sumatra University (USU) which are part of the group Student Solidarity Speaking Out (Somber) held a peaceful protest at the USU campus on Thursday March 28.

Medan – The North Sumatra Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) says it regrets a decision by the University of North Sumatra’s (USU) rector to revoke the Voice of USU’s (Suara USU) editorial board’s Student Press accreditation.

Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan expects that active TNI (Indonesian military) and Polri (National Police) officers will maintain their neutrality if they hold posts in government.

Mela Arnani – Every year February 9 is commemorated as National Press Day which, it is hoped, will be an impetus to improve press freedom in Indonesia.

Isal Mawardi, Jakarta – Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu has opened the 2018 National Defense Run in Jakarta, an event which was attended by around 3,000 participants representing various stakeholders.

Jakarta, CNN Indonesia – The name of presidential hopeful Prabowo Subianto was shouted repeatedly during a 212 Reunion action on December 2 at the National Monument (Monas) in Central Jakarta with a number of demonstrators calling for Prabowo to become president in 2019.

Rina Ayu, Jakarta – Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko says that law enforcement and human rights have progressed in the four years of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla’s administration.

Christie Stefanie, Jakarta – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo says that he respect the verdict handed down by the Medan District Court against Meiliana who was sentenced to one-and-a-half years in jail after being found guilty of blasphemy.

Reza Gunadha – Many academics, intellectuals and Indonesian youth can speak fluently on the historical ideas of ancient Greece and modern Europe.

Andhika Prasetia, Jakarta – The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) met with President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo today. During the meeting, Widodo asked for input related to the formation of a National Reconciliation Council (DKN) to resolve past human rights cases.

Samsudhuha Wildansyah, Jakarta – The government is planning to form a National Reconciliation Council (DKN). Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs, Wiranto, has already invited a number of national figures to meet and discuss the DKN’s mission.

Mohammad Bernie – The song Hello Hello Bandung was played and sung along to by thousands of workers who packed into the Senayan Sports Arena (Istora) in Central Jakarta as prospective presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto took to the stage alongside Indonesian Trade Union Confederation (KSPI) president Said Iqbal.

Agung DH – Commemorations of May Day or International Labour Day on Tuesday May 1 in the North Sumatran city of Medan were enlivened by entertainment centred at the Youth Arena on Jl. Sutomo Ujung Medan.

Puput Tripeni Juniman, Jakarta – In the lead up to International Women’s Day (IWD), around 1 thousand people gathered in Jakarta on the morning of Saturday March 3 to hold the 2nd Jakarta Women’s March.

Abraham Utama – The Indonesian Military (TNI) says that it will not changes its policies or views on the September 30 Movement (G30S) in 1965 regardless of the release of 39 secret US documents that have been opened to the public and “reveal a number of new facts”.

Jakarta -- The Indonesian Metal Trade Workers Federation (FSPMI) and the Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI) will hold joint screenings (nobar) of the film G30S/PKI on the evening of Friday September 29 at the FSPMI headquarters parking lot on Jl. Pondok Gede No 11 in East Jakarta.

The following is a joint statement by the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) and 15 Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) offices across Indonesia on the recently enacted Government Regulation in Lieu of Law (Perppu) Number 2/2017 on Social Organisations.

Paniai, Jubi – Hundreds of West Papua National Committee (KNPB) activists in Nabire, West Papua, have reportedly being arrested by the Nabire district police and are now being held by the Nabarua sectoral police.

Arbi Sumandoyo – “Jakarta is filthy. We have to be macho. Jakarta is filthy. It must be cleaned up... must be cleaned up”, shouted a speaker through a loudspeaker from a command vehicle on May Day in front of the Jakarta City Hall.

“So make a pile. All in one place. We’ll clean the City Hall of these unclear messages...”

Rezki Alvionitasari, Jakarta – Thousands of workers commemorated International Labour Day today, Monday May 1, by gathering in front of the National Monument (Monas) gates on Jl. Medan Merdeka Selatan and Jl. M. H. Thamrin in Central Jakarta and at the nearby Hotel Indonesia (HI) traffic circle.