Posted in: Natural Resources

Indonesia is one of the world’s largest democracies, but it’s weaponising defamation laws to smother dissent

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Two former coordinators of one of Indonesia’s most prominent human rights organisations have escaped conviction in a defamation case brought by a powerful government minister. While their astonishing acquittal is welcome, the case marked a bleak new low for freedom of expression in one of the world’s largest democracies.

Indonesia’s nickel export ban: is it really in the national interest?

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In August, President Widodo called for an end to trade discrimination at the 15th annual BRICS Summit. It was a thinly veiled criticism of the World Trade Organisation and its ruling against Indonesia’s ban on nickel exports. So what's the problem with Indonesia's nickel export ban? And what does do the WTO ruling mean for the future of Indonesian nickel?

Wrecked? Belitung, Indonesia and the politics of maritime heritage

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In mid-1998, as President Suharto’s regime crumbled, local fishers discovered a 9th century shipwreck in waters near Belitung Island. The Belitung shipwreck was one of the most significant – and controversial – maritime discoveries of recent times.
https://flickr.com/photos/victorulijn/14980742347/

What do illegal loggers and nature conservationists have in common?

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In the minds of many conservationists and the public, nature conservation and illegal logging are polar opposites: one saves forests while the other destroys them. But importantly, in some instances, local communities fear conservationists as much as companies and the state.
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The 2024 elections will be crucial for Indonesian forests: What can we learn from Norway’s anti-deforestation support?

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In 2021 the Indonesian government terminated the REDD+ anti-deforestation deal with Norway. A new agreement between the two countries was unveiled in the lead-up to COP27 but it is lower in ambition and lacks clear financing commitments. What can lessons can we learn from the REDD+ agreement?

Talking Indonesia: undermining resistance

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What are the true costs of Indonesia's extractive industries? On the Talking Indonesia podcast this week Dr Jacqui Baker chats with Dr Lian Sinclair about how Indonesian communities contest the uneven costs and benefits of the extractive industries.

Does Indonesia really need a land bank?

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Plans for a new national land bank need to consider how the institution would meet the government’s goals – and benefit the people.

As Jokowi calls for climate action, destructive coal mining continues to boom

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The president is signalling a shift in energy policy away from coal, but mining for the resource shows no signs of slowing. Article 33’s Santoso gives a closer view of what the practice is costing communities on the ground.

Jokowi’s call to stall mining law revisions rings hollow as deliberations proceed

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Despite mass student protests and an intervention by the president, legislators last week picked up where they left off on dangerous revisions to the mining law, write JATAM’s Merah Johansyah and Alwiya Shahbanu.

Indonesia at Melbourne is supported by:

Melbourne Law School Asia Institute Centre for Indonesian Law, Islam and Society Indonesia Forum Faculty of Arts Indonesia Democracy Hallmark Research Initiative

Indonesia at Melbourne

Room 726, Level 7, 185 Pelham St,
The University of Melbourne
Parkville 3010 VIC Australia

Phone: +61 3 83448581

Email:  indo-at-melb@unimelb.edu.au

Date created: 1 July 2015

Editor: Ary Hermawan

Editorial board: 
Professor Tim Lindsey
Dr Tim Mann
Aron Corbett

We acknowledge and pay respect to the Traditional Owners of the lands upon which our campuses are situated.

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