Oktovianus Pogau, Jayapura – The most saddening Christmas gift for the Papuan people this December was the death of five civilians in Paniai regency, Papua, who were shot dead by a joint unit made up of the municipal police (Polresta) and the Indonesian military (TNI) on Monday December 8 at around 10am.

Sherr Rinn – On Monday October 20, the Student Struggle Center for National Liberation (Pembebasan) held protest actions in several Indonesian cities including Jakarta, Medan and Siantar in North Sumatra, Yogyakarta in Central Java, Tarakan in East Kalimantan, Palu and Poso in Central Sulawesi, Makassar in South Sulawesi and Ternate in North Mal

Two thousand protesters from 160 civil society organisations that make up the People’s Sovereignty Movement (GRB) demonstrated at the House of Representatives (DPR) building in Jakarta on Wednesday October 14 in protest against the political elite’s about face and efforts to return to the New Order era of former president Suharto.

Kartika Virgianti, Jakarta – One hundred and thirty-two civil society and non-government organisations (NGOs) have expressed their concern over Indonesian democracy which will soon return to the era of the New Order dictatorship.

Jakarta – Army Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad, Green Berets) commander Lieutenant General Gatot Nurmantyo has expressed doubts about the current course of democracy.

Jakarta – Presidential Instruction Number 2/2013 on The Handling of Domestic Security Disturbances is easily subject to misuse by regional heads for their own political interests. This is because regional governments themselves are often the cause of horizontal conflicts.

Jakarta – Humanitarian Solidarity for Papua (Skup) is urging all government institutions to end the stigmatisation of the Papuan people as separatists in responding to developments in West Papua.

Jakarta – Problems related to Papua are Indonesia’s internal affair. The United State has never considered the Papua problem in its cooperative defense relationship.

Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition for Workers’ Rights (KMSHB) has condemned Jakarta Military Commander Major General TNI Waris for being arrogant, anti-democratic and provocative.

Jakarta – The government is being urged to prioritize dialogue over a militaristic approach in resolving the Papua problem. It is precisely this militaristic approach that is provoking continued violence. Because of this therefore, violations of civilian human rights must stop.

Jakarta – Out-dated perspectives on viewing security problems are being strengthened through the Draft Law on National Security (RUU Keamanan Nasional).

Jakarta – The government is still dealing with problems by military means (securitisation, use of extraordinary means in the name of security) in attempting to overcome problems in Papua. But instead of resolving the Papua problem, securitisation is instead the trigger for even more widespread human rights violations.

Jakarta – Conflicts between the Indonesian military (TNI) and the people shows that internal reform within military as an institution is not fully complete. The security approach, like the era of Suharto’s New Order regime, is still being used by the TNI, particularly when confronted by problems.

Jakarta – The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) says human rights violations were committed in cases of torture and murder that took place in Puncak Jaya, Papua, although it is not recommending the formation of a human rights court.

Adi Nugroho, Jakarta – The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) has concluded that serious human rights violations were committed by the Indonesian military (TNI) against people in Puncak Jaya, Papua.

Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is being asked to immediately issue a presidential regulation in accordance with a request by the 2004-2009 House of Representatives (DPR) to establish an ad hoc human rights court. Neglecting the human rights agenda will have an affect on the gloomy outlook for human rights in 2010.

Jakarta – Like previous years, 2008 was marked by a variety of actions by students who took to the streets opposing government policies that they believe harm the people.

Only, in concert the approach of the 2009 legislative and presidential elections, so too has the tendency for these student actions to end in clashes and violence.

Didi Syafirdi, Jakarta – Beep...! Beep....! The sound of vehicles beeping at each other reverberated along Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat in Central Jakarta. It was total gridlock from the Horse Statue to the State Palace as hundreds of workers and students prepared to descend upon the State Palace.

Jakarta – Waves of protesters commemorating 10 years of reformasi took to the streets on Wednesday May 21. At least 6,000 people from a number of mass and student organisations gathered at the State Palace and the House of Representatives (DPR) between 11am and 6pm. The protesters presented seven people’s demands to the government.

Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta – The 62nd anniversary of Indonesian independence failed to prevent student and non-government organisations from demonstrating. An action in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta even became quite heated.