The Labour Movement With the People (GEBRAK) strongly condemns the coup d’etat in Bolivia against the government of Evo Morales.

Adi Ahdiat, Jakarta – Research and international digital rights advocacy institute Freedom House says that internet freedom in Indonesia has worsened compared with last year.

According to their rating, in 2018 Indonesia was rated as 54 out of 100, but in 2019 its position dropped to a ranking of 51.

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.

Reza Gunadha, Eleonora Padmasta Ekaristi Wijana – Lawyer and human rights activist Veronica Koman has been awarded the Sir Ronald Wilson Human Rights Award by the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID).

The ACFID presented the award to Koman at its annual conference in Sydney on the evening of Wednesday October 23.

Jakarta – Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) Chairperson Abdul Manan predicts that violence against journalists by security forces will still represents a real threat under the next administration of president and vice president elect Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Ma’ruf Amin.

Egi Adyatama, Jakarta – Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Minister Syafruddin has emphasised that state civil servants or ASN are not allowed to criticise the government in public. If they do, he assured them that they will have to be prepared to face criminal charges.

Christoforus Ristianto, Jakarta – Centre for Innovation Policy and Governance (CIPG) researcher Klara Esti says that the political buzzer phenomena can be said to have begun during the 2012 gubernatorial (pilgub DKI) elections in Jakarta.

Fitria Chusna Farisa, Jakarta – Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) Deputy Coordinator Feri Kusuma believes that the arrest of filmmaker and journalists Dandhy Dwi Laksono and musician Ananda Badudu is reminiscent of how the country was before the era of reformasi – the reform process that began in 1998.

Reja Hidayat, Felix Nathaniel and Haris Prabowo – On Tuesday afternoon in front of the House of Representatives (DPR) building, held back by a fence, the protester’s fury reached its climax.

September 24 marks the commemoration of National Farmers Day. Every year, thousands of farmers take to the streets to demand the justice and prosperity that seems to have been forgotten by the government.

Rahel Narda Chaterine, Jakarta – Indonesia Madani Circle (LIMA) founder and director Ray Rangkuti has said that President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo doesn’t deserve to receive the “Son of Reformasi” award. The issue went viral on social media after news circulated that the Trisakti University will give the award to Widodo.

Jakarta – The Papua Students Advocacy Team from the Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) has reported alleged ethical violations committed by the East Java regional police (Polda) and the Metro Jaya Polda against Surya Anta, Veronica Koman and several other Papuan students who have been declared suspects.

Nur Azizah Rizki Astuti, Jakarta – The National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) is urging the House of Representatives (DPR) to immediately ratify the Draft Law on the Elimination of Sexual Violence (RUU-PKS).

Jakarta – Papua Student Alliance (AMP) lawyer Veronica Koman has finally spoken out about being declared a suspect by the East Java provincial police for inciting an incident at the Papuan student dormitory in the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya in August.

Ratu Annisaa Suryasumirat, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs Wiranto has responded to plans by separatist figure Benny Wanda to take the Papua conflict to the United Nations Human Rights (HAM) High Commission which met in Geneva on Monday September 9.

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.

Devina Halim, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid is of the view that the naming of Veronica Koman as a suspect could create fear among the public about speaking out on issues related to human rights (HAM) violations in Papua.

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.

Medan/Bandung/Jakarta – Scores of student from Papua studying in the North Sumatra city of Medan have protested the persecution, intimidation and racism against fellow Papuan students in the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya.