Muhammad Ridwan – The administration of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Vice President Ma’ruf Amin has now been working for 100 days of Widodo’s second term in office.

Jakarta – The police have been cited as the principle actor in incidents of violence when land conflicts have broken out throughout 2019. These findings were based on an annual report by the Agrarian Reform Consortium (KPA). Some 279 agrarian conflicts occurred in 2019, although this number is lower than last year which saw 410 cases.

Waa... waa... waa... waa... waa... waa... waa... waa... waa... waaa!

Kristian Erdianto, Jakarta – During a working meeting with the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission I, Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto explained the concept of defense and security which he will pursue over the next five years.

Jakarta – A representative of the Islamic-based Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS), Jazuli Juwaini, has asked Defense Minister (Menhan) Prabowo Subianto to pay more attention to missionaries or religious leaders in Papua.

Jakarta – Civil freedoms under the administration of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo are seen as having declined. Based on the results of a Saiful Mujani Research Center (SMRC) survey between May and June 2019, 43 percent of respondents said they were afraid of expressing an opinion in public.

Jakarta – The 2019 Press Freedom Index in Papua is still in the lowest position out of Indonesia’s 34 provinces. The Press Freedom Index for Papua stands at 66.56 or “slightly free”, or only one level above “almost free”.

Racism by the ruling class through the security forces and reactionary civil militia groups against the Papuan people has triggered a fight back. The siege and attack on the Papuan student dormitory in the Central Java city of Surabaya on August 16 triggered a wave of anti-racist protests in Papua and across Indonesia.

Jakarta – Jakarta Metro Jaya regional police chief Gatot Eddy Pramono has emphasised that they will not issue permits for people wanting to hold protests in Jakarta. The ban will remain in place from Tuesday October 15 through to the inauguration of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Vice President elect Ma’ruf Amin on Sunday October 20.

Sydney – Veronica Koman, who is currently on the Indonesian police’s wanted persons list, met with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Australia on Tuesday October 8.

Jakarta – Trisakti University Student President Dino Ardiansyah is urging President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to issue a government regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) to annul the recently revised Corruption Eradication Commission Law (UU KPK).

Jakarta – Inter-faith religious leaders have called on the government to be careful in dealing with the problems in Papua.

Jakarta – The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) believes that the police have failed to look at the context when they declared Veronica Koman and Surya Anta suspects. Komnas HAM Deputy Chairperson Sandrayati Moniaga said that both are included in the ranks of human rights defenders.

Since the siege on the Papuan student dormitory in Surabaya, a wave of demonstrations by the Papuan people has taken place. Massive protest actions have taken place in at least 14 districts in Papua and West Papua provinces.

Eva Safitri, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Wiranto has spoken out about the alleged involvement of Papuan separatist figure Benny Wenda accusing him of being part of a conspiracy which triggered the recent rights in Papua.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) head of organisational development, Febriyonesta, has criticised police for declaring eight people as suspects for flying the Morning Star flag during a protest action in front of the State Palace on August 28.

On Friday the 21st of June 2019, the Ministry of Education and Culture resolved to work collaboratively with the Indonesian National Armed Forces in disseminating material to new students during school orientation week.

Jakarta – Scores of Papuan students have again flown the Morning Star flag during a protest action demanding a referendum for Papua in front of the State Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday August 28. They also asked President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to meet with them.

Guruh Permadi, Jakarta – The coordinator of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), Yati Andriyani, believes that the statement by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on the riots in Papua was totally inadequate.

Muhammad Irfan, Jakarta – Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) Coordinator Yati Andriani is calling on President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to learn from Indonesia’s fourth president Abdurrahman “Gus Dur” Wahid in how to deal with the problems in Papua, including the flying of the symbolic Morning Star flag.