Thursday, January 8, 2026

1) Shrinking democratic space: Police detain environmental activist outside Divine Mercy Church in Merauke

2) Police officers accused of arbitrary arrest and torture in Dekai, Yahukimo Regency, Papua

3) Criminalisation concerns in Yahukimo: Student alleged of affiliation with TPNPB

4) Four political activists arbitrarily detained in Nabire

5) Formation of Three Battalions in Papua Deemed to Have Potential to Lead to Human Rights Violations
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Human rights Monitor


1) Shrinking democratic space: Police detain environmental activist outside Divine Mercy Church in Merauke

8 January 2026 / 2 minutes of reading
On 7 December 2025, at approximately 10:40 am, police officers forcibly detained indigenous environmental and land-rights defender, Mr Stenly Dambujai, outside the Divine Mercy (Kerahiman Ilahi) Church in Mangga Dua, Kelapa Lima Village, Merauke Regency, South Papua province 8see photos, source: LBH Merauke). The detention reportedly followed a peaceful, symbolic protest criticising the Archbishop of Merauke’s public support for the National Strategic Project (PSN) in Merauke, which threatens customary land and forests.
After the Sunday Mass concluded, Mr Dambujai unfurled a protest poster outside the church grounds. Reports indicate that church council representatives and legal advocates argued with him and subsequently contacted police. Thereupon, police officers took him to the Merauke Police Station (Polres Merauke) for questioning. Legal aid advocates stated that Mr Dambujai was pressured to sign a written statement committing not to hold further protests in front of churches, and that his request to wait for legal counsel before giving a statement was ignored.
According to the Merauke Legal Aid Institute (LBH Merauke), the detention was arbitrary and appears linked to a wider pattern of restricting peaceful civic expression by Catholic lay communities opposing the PSN. LBH Merauke stated that Mr Dambujai had carried out similar actions dozens of times previously without being questioned, and that this incident therefore signals a targeted escalation.  A separate report citing LBH Merauke indicated the alleged basis for police involvement was a complaint connected to the chair of the parish council, named as Yohanes P. Weng, and an advocate named Hendrikus Timotius Talubun.

Human rights analysis

If confirmed, the reported conduct raises serious concerns regarding freedom of expression and peaceful assembly as enshrined in Articles 19 and 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The arbitrary nature of the (i) detention without a clear legal basis, (ii) pressure to sign a non-protest undertaking, and (iii) interference with the right to legal assistance during questioning violates Article 9 ICCPR, which establishes safeguards against arbitrary detention. Such measures, particularly when triggered by a non-violent, symbolic protest, risk creating a chilling effect on civic participation and legitimate dissent, especially for indigenous communities affected by land and environmental policies. The incident also intersects with the protection of human rights defenders and environmental defenders, particularly where advocacy concerns alleged impacts of large-scale projects on indigenous land.

Police officers arrest Mr Stenly Dambujai outside the Divine Mercy (Kerahiman Ilahi) Church on 7 December 2025

(Photos


Detailed Case Data
Location: Jl. Bahari, Maro, Kec. Merauke, Kabupaten Merauke, Papua Selatan 99614, Indonesia (-8.483057, 140.3986118) Gereja Katolik Stasi Kerahiman Ilahi, Bahari Maro
Region: Indonesia, South Papua, Merauke, Merauke
Total number of victims: 1
#Number of VictimsName, DetailsGenderAgeGroup AffiliationViolations
1.1 Stenly Dambujai
maleadult Activist, Indigenous Peoplesarbitrary detention, freedom of assembly, freedom of expression
Period of incident: 07/01/2026 – 07/01/2026
Perpetrator: , POLRES
Perpetrator details: Polres Merauke
Issues: business, human rights and FPIC, indigenous peoples



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Human rights Monitor


2) Police officers accused of arbitrary arrest and torture in Dekai, Yahukimo Regency, Papua

8 January 2026 / 1 minute of reading
On 9 December 2025, at approximately 10:00 pm, Mr Natan Matuan and Mr Selis Pahabol were arbitrarily arrested in Jalur 3 settlement, Dekai District, Yahukimo Regency, Papua Pegunungan province. They were reportedly detained at the Yahukimo District Police Station Polres Yahukimo) without being informed of the reasons for their arrest. Both were allegedly subjected to torture during interrogation involving beatings while their hands and feet were tied. Mr Selis Pahabol was released on 10 December 2025, at 9:00 pm, while Mr Natan Matuan reportedly remained in custody.

Human rights analysis

Arresting individuals without promptly informing them of the reasons and transferring them to a police station without clear legal grounds raises a strong presumption of arbitrariness. Where arrests are conducted without transparency, documentation (warrants/records), and meaningful access to counsel and family, the risk of abuse and coercion increases sharply.
Moreover, binding hands and feet while beating suspects during interrogation meets the threshold of torture, depending on severity, intent (e.g., to punish, intimidate, or obtain information/confessions), and official involvement. Such acts are absolutely prohibited under the International Covenant against Torture (CAT) and cannot be justified by suspicion of any offence.
Detailed Case Data
Location: Dekai, Yahukimo regency, Highland Papua, Indonesia (-4.8638158, 139.4837298) Jalur 3 settlement, Dekai District
Region: Indonesia, Highland Papua, Yahukimo, Dekai
Total number of victims: 2
#Number of VictimsName, DetailsGenderAgeGroup AffiliationViolations
1.1 Natan Matuan
maleadult Indigenous Peoplesarbitrary arrest, torture
2.1 Selis Pahabol
maleadult Indigenous Peoplesarbitrary detention, torture
Period of incident: 09/12/2025 – 09/01/2026
Perpetrator: , POLRES
Perpetrator details: Polres Yahukimo Members
Issues: indigenous peoples

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Human rights Monitor

https://humanrightsmonitor.org/case/criminalisation-concerns-in-yahukimo-student-alleged-of-affiliation-with-tpnpb/

3) Criminalisation concerns in Yahukimo: Student alleged of affiliation with TPNPB

8 January 2026 / 3 minutes of reading
On 28 November 2025, members of Brimob under Ops Damai Cartenz (Cartenz Peace Operation) arrested 21-year-old student, Mr Iron Heluka (see photo on top, source: independent HRD), in Dekai town, Yahukimo Regency, Papua Pegunungan province (West Papua / Papuan provinces), and subsequently detained him at the Yahukimo Police Station. The arrest appears linked to allegations of affiliation with the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB). Mr Heluka’s relatives dispute the allegations, emphasizing that Mr. Heluka is an active student. Following the arrest, the TPNPB Central Headquarters publicly denied that Iron Heluka is a member of TPNPB.
The incident unfolded during the night of 28 November 2025, when Mr Heluka was on his way back home from an evening gathering with friends. At approximately 02:00 am, Mr Heluka and his friends stopped near a food stall and attempted to light a fire to warm themselves. As police patrol officers arrived, two individuals reportedly fled, while Mr Iron Heluka was apprehended and taken to the Yahukimo Police Station. He was reportedly intoxicated at the time of the arrest and interrogated at gunpoint. In a separate police narrative, the Head of Public Relations for Ops Damai Cartenz, Senior Commissioner Yusuf Sutejo, stated that police responded to a disturbance report, found three people acting suspiciously, and suspected them of burning a vendor’s stall.
On 29 November 2025, Iron Heluka’s relatives visited the Criminal Investigation Unit at the Polres Yahukimo and were told that his detention was based on an alleged burning incident. The family later reported receiving additional information that police also accused Mr Heluka of being a member of Kodap XVI Yahukimo since May 2025, an allegation the family strongly rejects as false. Police reportedly informed the family that Mr Heluka would be detained until 17 December 2025.

Human rights analysis

While allegations regarding the engagement of Mr Iron Heluka in arson may be proven through a criminal investigation, police officers have failed to provide supporting evidence for the association with a criminal organisation to the relatives.  The cumulative allegations (arson allegations alongside claims of armed-group affiliation) and the reported absence of promptly disclosed, verifiable evidence to the family may indicate risks of detention not meeting legal necessity and proportionality standards.
Public assertions describing Mr Iron Heluka as affiliated with an armed group, if made without due process safeguards and substantiated evidence, risk undermining fair trial rights and may expose him and his family to stigmatisation and threats. Reports that officers conducted a forced interrogation while pointing firearms raise concerns about intimidation and potential ill-treatment, requiring independent verification and investigation.
Relatives emphasize that Mr Iron Heluka is a student. Prolonged detention without a clear legal basis and safeguards can interfere with education and may reflect discriminatory patterns frequently reported in the Papuan provinces context.
Detailed Case Data
Location: Dekai, Yahukimo regency, Highland Papua, Indonesia (-4.8638158, 139.4837298) 
Region: Indonesia, Highland Papua, Yahukimo, Dekai
Total number of victims: 1
#Number of VictimsName, DetailsGenderAgeGroup AffiliationViolations
1.1 Iron Heluka
male21 Studentcriminalisation
Period of incident: 28/11/2025 – 28/11/2025
Perpetrator: Mobile Brigades (BRIMOB)
Perpetrator details: Damai Cartenz Task Force
Issues: indigenous peoples

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Human Rights Monitor
https://humanrightsmonitor.org/case/four-political-activists-arbitrarily-detained-in-nabire/

4) Four political activists arbitrarily detained in Nabire

8 January 2026 / 2 minutes of reading
On 24 November 2025, at around 07:15 pm, police officers arbitrarily detained four members of the West Papua National Committee  (KNPB) at a coffee shop near Karang Tumaritis Market, Nabire town, Nabire Regency, Central Papua province, and subsequently detained them at the Nabire District Police Station (Polres Nabire). The police officers failed to provide a clear reason for the detention.  Mr Peume Tebai, 18, Mr Yosua Pigome, 18, Mr Kabel Pigay, 18, and Merten Yobe, 17, were released shortly after following requests by other activists at the Nabire Police Station.
The four activists arrived by motorbike at a coffee shop near Karang Tumaritis Market at 5:40 pm while displaying a KNPB flag (see photo on top, source: independent HRD). At approximately 7:15 pm, police officers arrived and arrested the four activists without showing a warrant. Thereupon, they were taken to the Nabire Police Station. As other activists arrived at Polres Nabire and asked for the legal basis for the detention, the officers reportedly released them without pressing charges or providing a clear explanation for the detention.

Human rights analysis

The case has various human rights implications. Under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Article 9, anyone arrested must be informed of the reasons for arrest and promptly informed of any charges; deprivation of liberty must follow procedures established by law. In the Indonesian context, Article 18 of the Indonesian Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP) sets clear requirements for arrest, including showing assignment letters, providing an arrest warrant that states the reasons, and a brief case description.
The incident also raises serious concerns regarding freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association as enshrined in Articles 19 and 21 ICCPR, where the conduct described (flag-waving and travelling in public) is prima facie expressive activity. Any restriction must be lawful, necessary, and proportionate in a democratic society. Indonesia’s constitutional framework likewise protects freedom of association, assembly, and expression.
Moreover, one of those arrested, Merten Yobe, is a minor under international law. Under the International Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) Article 37(b), a child must not be deprived of liberty unlawfully or arbitrarily; arrest or detention must be a measure of last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of time, with additional safeguards regarding treatment and access to legal assistance and family contact.
Detailed Case Data
Location: Karang Tumaritis, Nabire, Nabire Regency, Central Papua, Indonesia (-3.3813459, 135.4992687) Coffee Shop near Tumaritis Market
Region: Indonesia, Central Papua, Nabire, Nabire
Total number of victims: 4
#Number of VictimsName, DetailsGenderAgeGroup AffiliationViolations
1.1 Peume Tebai,
male18 Activistarbitrary detention, freedom of assembly, freedom of expression
2.1 Kabel Pigay,
male18 Activistarbitrary detention, freedom of assembly, freedom of expression
3.1 Yosua Pigome
male18 Activistarbitrary detention, freedom of assembly, freedom of expression
4.1 Merten Yobe
male17 Activistarbitrary detention, freedom of assembly, freedom of expression
Period of incident: 24/11/2025 – 24/11/2025
Perpetrator: , POLRES
Perpetrator details: Polres Nabire Officers
Issues: indigenous peoples

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A google translate.

Original Bahasa link
https://jubi.id/polhukam/2026/pembentukan-tiga-batalyon-di-papua-dinilai-berpotensi-menciptakan-pelanggaran-ham/

5) Formation of Three Battalions in Papua Deemed to Have Potential to Lead to Human Rights Violations
January 9, 2026 in Politics, Law, and Security Reading Time: 3 mins read
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Author: Larius Kogoya - Editor: Arjuna Pademme

Jayapura, Jubi – Reinhart Kmur, a Legal Aid Volunteer from the Papua Legal Aid Institute (LBH Papua), stated that the formation of three new TNI battalions in three regencies in Papua has the potential to lead to human rights violations.

He stated that this concern arose because the policy for resolving conflicts in Papua has always prioritized a security approach.

According to Reinhart Kmur, based on information gathered by his office, the TNI has officially formed three new battalions in three regencies in Papua: Biak Numfor Regency, Supiori Regency, and Waropen Regency.

He said, these three battalions are new units of the Territorial Development Battalion (TP) which are prepared to carry out duties in Papua in supporting food security, infrastructure development, public health, and economic empowerment to improve welfare and security in Papua.

The presence of these three battalions has the potential to create violence and perpetuate human rights violations in Papua, because the amount of violence [perpetrated by security forces] in Papua is always directly proportional to the continued implementation of a security and armed approach through military operations," Reinhart Kmur told Jubi in Jayapura, Papua, Thursday (January 8, 2026) via text message.

Reinhart Kmur stated that, using his authority as stipulated in Article 100 of Law Number 39 of 1999 concerning Human Rights, he strongly condemned the addition of three new battalions to Papua Province.

"Adding military personnel to Papua will only lead to human rights violations and add to the long list of human rights violations," he said.

Kmur stated that the formation of the battalion would make the public fearful of the presence of TNI personnel. The presence of the new battalion would certainly be accompanied by the mobilization of military personnel.

"[This situation] is very dangerous amidst the TNI's institutional problems, namely its professionalism and human rights violations," he said.

He stated that the formation of the new battalion under the pretext of supporting food security programs, infrastructure development, economic empowerment, and other issues clearly violates the TNI's primary duties and functions as stipulated in law.

Previously, the Kankain Karkara Byak Cultural Institute (KKB), along with tribal chiefs (Mananwir Bar Wamurem, Manfasfas Bar Wamurem, and Manfun Kawsa Byak), declared their rejection of the deployment of Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) soldiers from Battalion Yonif TP 858, Yonif TP 859, and Yonif TP 860 in the Byak customary territory of Biak Numfor Regency and Supiori Regency, Papua.

This statement was conveyed by the Kankain Karkara Byak Cultural Institute and the tribal chiefs, who claim to represent the entire Byak indigenous community, through the Chairman of the Byak Tribal Customary Council, Apolos Sroyer, to Jubi via telephone on Tuesday (January 6, 2026).

Apolos Sroyer stated that personnel from the 858th, 859th, and 860th Infantry Battalions (TP Yonif TP Yonif TP 858, TP Yonif TP 859, and TP Yonif TP 860) were stationed in Biak Numfor, Supiori Regency, from November 29-30, 2025. The military personnel arrived in Biak aboard a Navy ship.

"The presence of these TNI Battalion personnel surprised the public. Approximately 1,700 personnel from the three battalions were deployed to Biak," said Apolos Sroyer.

According to Apolos Sroyer, the TNI personnel were divided into several locations. The 858th Infantry Battalion was stationed in the Wamure customary area of ​​East Biak, while the 859th and 860th Infantry Battalions were stationed in Supiori Regency.

"The presence of these TNI personnel is very worrying and has seriously disrupted the activities of indigenous communities in Biak Numfor and Supiori Regencies, which are part of the Byak customary territory," he said.

He said that, in general, the community was unaware of the deployment of military personnel in these locations. Only certain community members held limited meetings and closed-door meetings with the TNI, then released hundreds of thousands of hectares of land for the construction of TNI posts or headquarters. (*)

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Wednesday, January 7, 2026

1) IDP Update January 2026: Humanitarian crisis deteriorates as Indigenous communities bear brunt of expanding security operations



2) Police stop school graduates in Nabire: Students raise allegations of arbitrary detention and excessive use of force

3) Best of 2025 - Out of darkness comes a shaft of cheer 

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Human Rights Monitor

1) IDP Update January 2026:  Humanitarian crisis deteriorates as Indigenous communities bear brunt of expanding security operations

Human Rights News, Reports / Indonesia, West Papua / 7 January 2026 





Between November and December 2025, human rights defenders and local media covered new internal displacements in West Papua due to new security force raids and the ongoing expansion of military infrastructure in the central highlands. As of 1 January 2026, more than 105,878 civilians across multiple regencies remained internally displaced due to military operations and armed conflict (see table below). The vast majority of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) are indigenous peoples, as security force operations exclusively target areas that indigenous Papuans mainly inhabit. Incidents triggering new internal displacements reportedly occurred in the regencies Mimika, Nduga, Lanny Jaya, Intan Jaya, and Yahukimo.
On 21 November 2025, the Papuan Church Council, in collaboration with the STT Walter Post Jayapura Centre for Social and Pastoral Human Rights Studies, organised a Literacy and Resilience Festival titled “Caring for Memories Through Words” in Jayapura City. The event provided a platform for IDP representatives to share their experiences and brought together civil society stakeholders to document and raise awareness about the humanitarian crisis. The testimonies at the festival illustrated both the challenges faced by displaced populations and grassroots resilience efforts.
The humanitarian conditions across all displacement sites remain uniformly dire, characterised by acute shortages of food, medicine, clean water, and shelter. IDPs sheltering in forests face particularly harsh conditions with minimal humanitarian access, while those in evacuation camps struggle with severe overcrowding, inadequate resources, and the complete cessation of daily activities. The situation is further complicated by restricted humanitarian access due to security force controls and challenging geographical conditions. The militarisation of health access in conflict zones across West Papua has created fear and hesitation in seeking medical care, with fatal consequences for vulnerable populations.
This crisis reveals a systematic pattern of military operations that disproportionately affect civilian populations and violate principles of distinction between combatants and non-combatants. The long-term nature of these displacements, with some populations like those in Pegunungan Bintang displaced since 2021 and over 10,000 Nduga IDPs living in Jayawijaya since December 2019, indicates an entrenched humanitarian emergency requiring sustained attention. The IDPs refuse to return until military forces withdraw from their villages.

Mimika

On 31 October 2025, Indonesian military forces entered Jila District, Mimika Regency, and opened fire on villages without prior warning, despite no reported armed conflict with the TPNPB at the time. The operation reportedly resulted in the internal displacement of approximately 1,500 civilians. Some fled to Timika City while others remained sheltering in forests around Jila District without government assistance or humanitarian access. Restricted internet access in the area hampered the documentation of the situation.
The crisis escalated significantly on 10 December 2025, as military forces reportedly conducted aerial bombardments in Amuagom Village at approximately 5:00 a.m. The attack destroyed civilian homes, livestock, and property, with ammunition casings found in yards and bullet holes penetrating house walls. Hundreds of IDPs fled dozens of kilometres to the Jila District centre without adequate food or water. A dozen residents fled to Puncak and Puncak Jaya Regencies. Military operations reportedly continued on 11 December, expanding to ten villages with additional troops and helicopters deployed.

IDPs fleeing the Jila District after military operations began on 31 October 2025, without prior incident or notice

Full update


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Human Rights Monitor

2) Police stop school graduates in Nabire: Students raise allegations of arbitrary detention and excessive use of force

7 January 2026 / 2 minutes of reading
On 28 November 2025, at approximately 2:40 pm, Nabire Police reportedly blocked a student convoy returning from a graduation celebration linked to the STAK Nabire campus. Officers reportedly used tear gas and firearms to disperse the crowd. Following the dispersal, police arrested and detained nine people, including two female graduates. Mrs Merion Gobay (graduate) and another woman whose identity is not yet confirmed were released at around 9:20 pm after questioning, while seven others reportedly remained in custody at the Nabire Police Station.
According to the information received, students celebrated their graduation by conducting a parade through Nabire while waving the Morning Star flag earlier that afternoon (see video below, source: independent HRD). The group then continued in a convoy on motorcycles circling the city. As the convoy reached the Auri Nabire area, police reportedly blocked the road from the front and rear. Witnesses reported there was no negotiation before police dispersed the crowd using tear gas and gunfire, prompting people to flee. In the aftermath, police reportedly pursued and arrested participants and others in nearby vehicles, transporting detainees to the police station. Family members who attempted to visit detainees were reportedly turned away until the following day.

Human rights analysis

If verified, the reported firing of tear gas and live ammunition against the peaceful crowd raises serious concerns regarding unlawful or excessive use of force and the principle of necessity and proportionality in law enforcement operations, formulated in the UN Guiding Principles on the Use of Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials. The incident also appears connected to the expression of political opinion (display of the Morning Star flag) and therefore implicates the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly as enshrined under Articles 19 and 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Detaining individuals for participation in, or association with, a peaceful parade would likely constitute arbitrary arrest and detention as defined under Article 9 of the ICCPR, particularly if detainees are not promptly informed of the legal basis for arrest, given access to legal counsel, or brought promptly before a judicial authority.

Convoy of school graduates walking through Nabire on 28 November 2025

Detailed Case Data
Location: Nabire, Nabire Regency, Central Papua, Indonesia (-3.3722254, 135.5016253) in front of the Airforce headquarters in Nabire
Region: Indonesia, Central Papua, Nabire, Nabire
Total number of victims: 9
#Number of VictimsName, DetailsGenderAgeGroup AffiliationViolations
1.1 Merion Gobay
femaleadult Indigenous Peoples, Studentarbitrary detention, freedom of assembly, freedom of expression
2.1 Bintang Gobay
maleadult Indigenous Peoples, Studentarbitrary arrest, freedom of assembly, freedom of expression
3.1 
femaleadult Indigenous Peoples, Studentarbitrary detention, freedom of assembly, freedom of expression
4.6 
maleadult Indigenous Peoples, Studentarbitrary detention, freedom of assembly, freedom of expression
Period of incident: 28/11/2025 – 29/11/2025
Perpetrator: , POLRES
Perpetrator details: Polres Nabire
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Duncan Graham
3) Best of 2025 - Out of darkness comes a shaft of cheer 
January 8, 2026 

BEST OF 2025

The news from Indonesia this month has been dispiriting – natural disaster flooding in Bali and Flores, man-made maladministration, political chicanery, perpetual graft and rioting in the cities. The headlines imply the country is crumpling. It’s not, and here’s why.

A repost from 16 September 2025.

Indonesia’s cup runneth over – with religion. Citizens have their faith — one of six approved by Parliament — stamped on their ID cards. Western democrats would find this offensive – the state checking how you pray.

Religion is the essence that unites and divides. It’s splashed across the spectrum of beliefs from major world faiths through to creeds conceived centuries before Jesus and Muhammad.

Last week in Jakarta, there was a display of the best that religions can offer – crossing into the secular affairs distressing the world’s fourth-largest nation, with 285 million souls.

Gerakan Nurani Bangsa (National Conscience Movement – GNB) is a collection of civil and religious leaders concerned about the way their country is heading. They’re seeking to stir the politicians who think defining and controlling the here and now is their exclusive job, and outsiders should worry about the next world.

GNB spokesman Ignatius Cardinal Suharyo urged the government to “listen to the thoughts, ideas, and proposals – especially from academics who have no other interest except love for the homeland. Let them be heard, considered, and seriously reflected upon together”.

Warm words cool easily in the heat of reality. But GNB is too solid to be easily extinguished so President Prabowo Subianto — a leader more likely to open a holster than a holy book — was forced to hear the demands and apparently take them seriously.

Apart from releasing prisoners, foremost has been the reform of the police, who reportedly take bribes and sides during protests or react with excessive force; this was allegedly the situation when tens of thousands of mainly young men rioted in Jakarta and elsewhere, burning cars and vandalising parliamentary buildings and politicians’ homes.

Some were thugs driven to have a smashing good time; others had an agenda of reform, but thought violence was the only way to get heard.

Ten reportedly died, and 3000 were injured. Human rights NGO KontraS reckons 20 more are missing.

The week-long riots were the worst seen in the Republic this century. Men with guns rarely explore better ways of handling dissent. Prabowo has already ordered the military and police to take “firm action”, aka live rounds.

The original igniters of the strife at the end of August were the tone-deaf national politicians voting themselves massive perks and ostentatiously displaying their triumphs. They didn’t care that the image of their joy sat awkwardly alongside Statistics Bureau claims that more than 24 million live below the monthly poverty line of A$54.

The people’s reps get A$10,000 every 30 days, plus housing subsidies.

The average wage depends on the province and varies from A$300 to A$600 a month, but that doesn’t mean workers get paid the official rates, as controls are lax.

Jobs are getting tougher to find as the government shrinks budgets to finance election promises, adding more factors to the violence. The official unemployment rate is under 5%, but the data is unreliable as there are few dependable social security stats.

In Melbourne, the de facto HQ of overseas peaceful protests, demonstrators reportedly chanted:

“We want democracy, we want a stable economy, we want Indonesia to progress. We all deserve to have our voices heard.”

The absence of a fearless legislative opposition, with nine of the ten parties in coalition with Prabowo, means lawmakers generally do what they like and have little regard for the people they’re supposed to represent.

Into this gap strode the 16-member GNB representing all approved religions and NGO leaders. Prominent among those politely confronting Prabowo was Sinta Nuriyah Abdurrahman Wahid, widow of the fourth president Gus Dur (1999-2001).

Her psychologist daughter, Alissa, 52, a noted campaigner for democracy and multiculturalism, was present as leader of the Gusdurian Network.

It claims to “work with grassroots-level activists across Indonesia to promote inter religious reconciliation, active citizenship, democracy, and human rights”.

Partially blind Baghdad-educated Gus Dur led Nahdlatul Ulama (Revival of the Scholars), the largest Muslim organisation in the world, with a claimed 40 million members.

He was a caring progressive, allowing Confucianism to be recognised and Mandarin use lawful, but a lousy organiser whose many missteps led to threats of impeachment and his departure. He was also a ridiculously funny man who usually opened meetings with a joke.

He was dubbed “Father of Pluralism”; Sinta Nuriyah and the couples’ daughters are upholding his values.

In 2018, Time magazine listed the former First Lady among the world’s 100 most influential people for her “progressiveness, support for democracy and work in protecting the rights of minority groups".

She likened Indonesia’s religious diversity to a garden of flowers: “There are roses, jasmines, orchids and Sita-Ashok. All these flowers are beautiful. No one can force the roses to become jasmines or the orchids to become Sita-Ashok (a holy tree in Hinduism and Buddhism).”

The Gusdurians are pushing to preserve some of their hero’s changes, like separating the police from the army, an action that has long infuriated the military, who want total control returned.

Soldiers paid to defend against overseas threats helped put down this month’s domestic issue protests. The GNB wants the police to be reformed, and Prabowo has agreed, though no details have been provided, so that may mean more army control.

The paramilitary police unit Brimob (mobile brigade) was allegedly involved in running down 21-year-old courier Affan Kurniawan and inflaming protesters. The driver of the armed tactical vehicle has reportedly been demoted, but not charged.

Adding theological thump to the GNB delegation was Jesuit Franz Magnis-Suseno, 89, professor emeritus at Jakarta’s Driyarkara School of Philosophy.

He’s one of Indonesia’s foremost public intellectuals and a quiet adviser to previous presidents. Born in Germany, he’s been an Indonesian citizen since 1977.

As this website has reported, Prabowo, a cashiered former military general, has taken a strongman position since being elected the Republic’s eighth president last year, and has set about militarising the public service. The unmarried divorcee is clearly more at ease with men in uniform than independent women, scholars and outspoken clerics from civil society.

If the GNB can keep its mission alive in the public conscience and the door to the palace stays open, the presently disorganised and largely leaderless protests may develop into a moral movement.

As in Australia, the better educated and articulate tend to be the bellwethers. Like most of us they want stability, security, a better future for their kids, freedom from government agencies and religious extremists, and pride in their nation.

They also want roads to those universal goals free of firebombed police cars and corrupt cops.

The fact that Prabowo listened to the GNB for almost three hours is a small but positive sign that Indonesia may recover its reputation for tolerance and prove a beacon to the region – including Australia.

 

The views expressed in this article may or may not reflect those of Pearls and Irritations.


Duncan Graham Duncan Graham has been a journalist for more than 40 years in print, radio 

and TV. He is the author of People Next Door (UWA Press). 

He is now writing for the English language media in Indonesia from within Indonesia.

Duncan Graham has an MPhil degree, a Walkley Award, 

two Human Rights Commission awards and other prizes for his radio, TV and print journalism 

in Australia. He lives in East Java.   


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