Dian Kurniati, Jakarta – The Presidential Palace invited 55 members of the Nanggala Team to the commemoration of the 74th anniversary of Indonesia’s proclamation of Independence at the Presidential Palace on Saturday August 17.

Jakarta – A number of workers planning to hold a protest action were arrested by police in the vicinity of the House of Representatives (DPR) and People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) building in Jakarta on Friday August 16.

David Sobolim, Jayapura – Papuan students from the Indonesian People’s Front for West Papua (FRI-WP) and the Semarang and Salatiga Papuan Student Alliance (AMP) Committees held a joint protest action in the Central Java city of Salatiga in Thursday August 15.

Adi Ahdiat, Jakarta – The Nduga Regency Humanitarian Team has again called on the government to withdraw Indonesian military (TNI) and police from Nduga regency in Papua because the military operations being conducted there are terrifying local people.

Fakhrizal Fakhri, Jakarta – The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) opposes the Draft Presidential Regulation (Perpres) on the Indonesian Military’s (TNI) role in Overcoming Terrorism which will soon be signed by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.

Zunita Putri, Bogor – The Ijtimak Ulama IV or the 4th Assembly of Islamic Clerics has issued a number of recommendations on the current situation in Indonesia. The assembly has also invited the Islamic community to create a Unitary Islamic State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI Bersyariah) based on Pancasila.

Haris Prabowo – A book raid by a group of people calling themselves the Indonesian Muslim Brigade (BMI) in the South Sulawesi provincial capital of Makassar has caused an uproar on social media. The group confiscated books which they claim contain “communist and leftist ideas”.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) says that 2,087 out of 4,258 hotspots recroded between January and July were located on concession land. Concession land is land for which the government has given land use rights or permits to companies or other agencies.

Irsyan Hasyim, Depok – The Depok City government along with the Depok Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) are discussing a draft regional regulation (raperda) against Lesbian, Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people. But the policy has attracted protests from a number of groups including human rights and health organisations.

Irsyan Hasyim, Depok – The Depok Love Society has questioned the urgency of planned deliberations on an Anti-Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Draft Regional Regulation or Raperda Anti-LGBT by the Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) which was proposed by the Depok municipal government (pemkot).

Siti Sadida Hafsyah, Jakarta – Indonesian Institute of Science (LIPI) researcher Cahyo Pamungkas says that the Trans Papua Highway has yet to bring any benefits to the Papuan people.

The Oxford City Council in Britain has awarded United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) chairperson Benny Wenda the Honorary Freedom of the City accolade for his fight for West Papuan self-determination. The Indonesian government has slammed the award.

Jakarta – The lawyer representing senior Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigator Novel Baswedan, Arif Maulana, believes that the Joint Fact Finding Team (TPGF) established by Indonesian police (Polri) chief General Tito Karnavian has totally failed to properly investigate the 2017 acid attack against his client.

Jakarta – The Anti-Corruption Social Coalition says that it is pessimistic about the police’s effort to uncover the perpetrator behind the 2017 acid attack against senior Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigator Novel Baswedan.

Jakarta – President elect President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo appeared dashing and bold as he addressed the issue of investment in his Indonesia Vision speech in Sentul, West Java, on Sunday July 14. He said he would “stand by and defend” investors and claimed he will pursue and soundly thrash anyone who obstructs investment.

Jakarta – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s first speech as president elect for the period 2019-2024 contained several words which were seen as tough. The potential for authoritarianism in the next administration was also apparent in his speech titled Indonesia Vision.

Mukhlis Dinillah, Bandung – The West Java Ministry of Justice and Human Rights representative office (Kemenkum HAM Jabar) is proposing a special way to handle inmates who have a deviant sexual orientation. Inmates who practice homosexually and lesbianism will be moved to separate cells.

Mukhlis Dinillah, Bandung – The West Java Ministry of Justice and Human Rights representative office has found signs of deviant sex being committed by inmates at a number of correctional institutions and prisons as a result of overcrowding.

Denpasar – A commemoration of 21 years since the “Bloody Biak Tragedy” in West Papua by the Papua Student Alliance (AMP) in the Balinese provincial capital of Denpasar on Saturday July 6 has ended in chaos.

A demonstration by Papuan students in Bali commemorating 21 years since the “Bloody Biak Incident” was forcibly broken up by Tanjung Bungkak Village Balinese traditional security guards and police on Saturday July 6.