Human Rights 17 - Indonesia at Melbourne

Indonesia under pressure over female genital cutting

Many were shocked on 6 February when Unicef reported that an estimated 60 million Indonesian women and girls have undergone genital cutting. Dr Dina Afrianty writes that although some Indonesians believe female circumcision is an important expression of religious identity, theological justification for the practice is weak.

Revoking citizenship to fight terrorism is misguided and reckless

Analysis, Human Rights, Security

On Indonesia at Melbourne last week, Bhatara Ibnu Reza warned against revising anti-terror legislation to provide police or intelligence officials with greater powers. Christian Donny Putranto writes that the proposal to strip the citizenship of individuals suspected of fighting with terrorist groups is just as dangerous.

Jokowi's unlikely promise: settling past human rights abuses

Analysis, Human Rights

In January, President Joko Widodo twice instructed senior officials to resolve past violations of human rights by the end of the year. Yati Andriyani and Nurkholis Hidayat write that unless major changes are made to the reconciliation process, prospects for meaningful resolution do not look good.

Gafatar attack shows the limits of unity in diversity

Analysis, Human Rights, Religion

Al Makin writes that as long as Indonesians remain a pious people oriented toward religion, new religious movements like Gafatar will continue to emerge. Both the government and Indonesian citizens need to accept this fact. Photo by Jessica Helena Wuysang for Antara.

LGBT Indonesians on campus: too hot to handle

Analysis, Education, Human Rights

Last weekend, the minister of higher education, research and technology stated that he would ban LGBT Indonesians from all universities in the country. Although he has attempted to qualify this statement, Hendri Yulius describes how the incident is part of a trend of increasing restrictions on the discussion of LGBT issues in Indonesian universities.

Indonesia on trial: rights activists face backlash

Analysis, Human Rights, Law

Last month, the International People's Tribunal on 1965 crimes against humanity provoked a predictably strong response in Indonesia. Associate Professor Katharine McGregor and Dr Jemma Purdey reflect on the tribunal and its consequences for the activists who participated.

Talking Indonesia: Rohingya asylum seekers and Indonesia

Analysis, Human Rights, Talking Indonesia

What accounts for the sympathetic and supportive Indonesian response Rohingya asylum seekers received on their arrival in Aceh in May, and how have they fared since? Dr Dave McRae explores these issues and more with Dr Antje Missbach in the final Talking Indonesia podcast for 2015.

Interview: Dr Melissa Crouch on religious freedom

Human Rights, Interview, Religion

What makes West Java so prone to religious intolerance and violence? And which regulations, if any, need to be reformed to reduce conflict? Indonesia at Melbourne explored these issues with Dr Melissa Crouch, whose book examines religious conflict and the use of the courts by intolerant groups in West Java.

Filep Karma: from a small prison to a big prison