Security 5 - Indonesia at Melbourne

The politics of the label 'radical'

Analysis, Politics, Religion, Security, Society

The Indonesian government has recently issued a decree on addressing "radicalism" among civil servants. Kate Grealy warns that vague definitions of radicalism mean there is a risk the policy could be used to silence the government's opponents.

'If we are monkeys, don’t force monkeys to fly the Indonesian flag': racism, nationalism and Papua

Analysis, Human Rights, Security, Society

Dr Richard Chauvel writes that exposure of racism towards Papuans has prompted a shift in the discourse about the acceptance of Papuans in Indonesia.

Talking Indonesia - women and Islamist extremism

Gender, Religion, Security, Talking Indonesia

Why do women join extremist networks? What roles do they play in these networks? Dr Dirk Tomsa discusses these questions and more with Nava Nuraniyah in the latest episode of Talking Indonesia.

Talking Indonesia: politicised law enforcement

Law, Politics, Security, Talking Indonesia

Are perceptions about the politicisation of law enforcement justified? How do the government and other external parties intervene in legal cases? Dr Dave McRae discusses these issues and more with Dian Rositawati in the latest episode of Talking Indonesia.

Neles Tebay: a champion of peace in Papua

Analysis, Human Rights, Security

The struggle to convince a re-elected Jokowi government to abandon its dead-end policies in Papua will be much more difficult without the faith, vision and determination of Neles Tebay, writes Dr Richard Chauvel.

Rejecting elections: warning signs of a dangerous trend in Bima

2019 Indonesian Elections, Elections, Policy in Focus, Politics, Religion, Security, Society

While former Muslim militants swap bullets for ballots in Central Sulawesi, a community in West Nusa Tenggara appears to be going the other way, write Ihsan Ali-Fauzi, Irsyad Rafsadie and Siswo Mulyartono.

Ballots not bullets: former Muslim militants turn to politics in Poso

2019 Indonesian Elections, Policy in Focus, Political parties, Politics, Religion, Security

Former militia and released terrorists have turned to democratic means to advance their agenda in Central Sulawesi, write Ihsan Ali-Fauzi, Irsyad Rafsadie and Siswo Mulyartono.

Ba'asyir's bizarre on/off release disrupts Jokowi's campaign

2019 Indonesian Elections, Analysis, Politics, Security

Professor Tim Lindsey writes that Jokowi's backtracking on plans to release Abu Bakar Ba'asyir is a reminder that there are still powerful nationalist forces in government who regarded Islamist hardliners as an existential threat.

More of the same? Candidates make unconvincing commitments to human rights in first debate

2019 Indonesian Elections, Human Rights, Politics, Religion, Security

With rights on the agenda during the first debate on 17 January, expectations were high. But as Dr Ken Setiawan writes, the performance of both candidate pairs left little hope for an improvement in the human rights situation.

Posted in: Security