Quake-hit Indonesia searches for victims in the rubble
Cinajur, IndonesiaReuters Indonesian President Joko Widodo urged rescue workers on Tuesday to prioritise saving victims trapped in rubble a day after an earthquake devastated a West Java town, killing up to 162 people and injuring hundreds more. The epicentre of the shallow 5.6-magnitude quake hit on land in a mountainous area of Indonesia’s most populous […]
G20 summit opens in Bali with a plea for unity as Ukraine war tops agenda
Nusa Dua, Indonesia Reuters Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told leaders of the world’s wealthiest nations on Tuesday that now was the time to stop Russia’s war in his country under a peace plan he has proposed. He spoke by videolink to leaders of the Group of 20 nations who have gathered for a summit on […]
To avert future flood chaos, Indonesian capital urged to defend nature
Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaThomson Reuters Foundation Indonesia’s flood-hit capital Jakarta must protect and plant trees, stop extracting so much groundwater, and develop long-term plans together with surrounding towns if it is to keep pace with the growing threats from climate change, green groups said. Since 31st December, some of the heaviest rain since records began has […]
Indonesian President open to dialogue with Papuan separatists
Jakarta, IndonesiaReuters Indonesian President Joko Widodo has opened the door to holding talks with separatists in the restive easternmost region of Papua, a departure from the stance of previous governments and some of his cabinet ministers. The offer, which drew a cautious response from Papuan leaders, comes after seven weeks of violence triggered by racist […]
Indigenous people under threat from Indonesia’s plan to move capital
Bangkok, ThailandThomson Reuters Foundation Thousands of Indigenous people may be uprooted from their ancestral lands on Borneo island as large areas of forests are cleared to make way for Indonesia’s new capital, human rights groups said last week. President Joko Widodo said this week the new capital would be moved to the province of East […]
Indonesia arrests 34, blocks internet in Papua to curb protests
Timika/Jakarta, IndonesiaReuters Indonesia has arrested 34 people and cut internet access in its easternmost region of Papua to rein in violence after protesters torched buildings, a market and a prison over mistreatment of students and perceived ethnic discrimination. Police have flown in 1,200 more officers to quell sometimes violent protests since Monday in towns such […]
End child marriage “hell” for Indonesian girls, lawmaker urges
Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaThomson Reuters Foundation Indonesia must change its laws to end child marriage in the world’s most populous Muslim country where thousands of girls are trapped in a kind of “hell”, an Indonesian lawmaker said on Monday. Indonesia has one of the worst records for under-age marriage – its high number of child brides […]
Indonesia’s President urges calm after violent protests in Papua cities
Jakarta, IndonesiaReuters Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Monday sought to ease tension after violent protests in several cities in Papua in response to claims of racist abuse and physical mistreatment of students from the country’s easternmost region. His chief security minister, Wiranto, also pledged a “complete and fair” investigation into incidents in East Java that […]
Quick facts – Seven capital cities that were built from scratch
Bangkok, ThailandThomson Reuters Foundation Indonesian President Joko Widodo tweeted last week that he will move the country’s capital away from the crowded main island of Java to Borneo. The current capital, Jakarta, is home to more than 10 million people, but about three times that many people live in the surrounding towns adding to the […]
Religious freedom advocacy calls for re-elected Indonesian President to defend religious freedom as a “priority”
Religious freedom advocacy CSW has called on recently re-elected Indonesian President Joko Widodo to defend religious freedom as a “priority” of his second term in office and to make greater efforts to counter religious extremism and intolerance. In a report released on Wednesday, the UK-based organisation praised the smooth conduct of what was one of […]