Below is a list with tagged columns and company profiles.
Today's Headlines Violence
After Indonesia's General Elections Commission (KPU) declared incumbent President Joko Widodo the winner of the country's 2019 presidential election in the early morning of Tuesday (21.05.2019), protesters started to gather - after noon - in Central Jakarta, specifically in and around Jl MH Thamrin where the office of the Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) is located.
A clash between officers and inmates broke out at the National Police's Mobile Brigade headquarters' detention center in Depok (West Java), not far from Indonesia's capital city of Jakarta, on Tuesday evening (08/05). Reportedly, five officers and one inmate have been killed. One officer is still being held hostage. Several other officers are being treated in a local hospital. Although still unconfirmed it is believed that these rebellious inmates are convicted Islamist militants.
Indonesia's benchmark Jakarta Composite Index fell on Friday (07/04), in line with the performance of most Asian stock markets, after the USA attacked a Syrian air base with 59 cruise missiles in the early morning hours. This attack contributed to the "risk-off" sentiments in Asia today (with the exception of the Philippines where stocks rose on expectation of good GDP growth in Q1-2017). Indonesia's benchmark stock index fell 0.47 percent to 5,653.49 points at the week's last trading day.
Rising religious tensions not only rise in Indonesia due to the blasphemy trial of Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) but also due to a recently issued edict by the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), Indonesia's highest Islamic clerical body. This edict prohibits Muslims to wear Christmas clothes and accessories and primarily aims at those Muslims who work in shopping malls where many restaurant and shop owners make their staff dress up in "Christmas-spirit".
It is highly likely that Indonesia will achieve its foreign visitor arrival target of 12 million people in 2016. In the first ten months of 2016 a total of 9.4 million foreigners already visited Indonesia, up 9.5 percent year-on-year (y/y) compared to foreign visitor arrivals in the same period one year earlier. Moreover, before the year-end, Indonesia's Tourism Ministry will organize several events - including a soccer tournament on the island of Bintan as well as the Festival Wonderful Indonesia - that should attract many additional foreign tourist arrivals.
Between 50,000 and 100,000 protesters are expected to gather today (04/11) in Central Jakarta to express their anger at incumbent Jakarta Governor Basuki Cahaya Purnama (Ahok). This demonstration, which is organized by a coalition of several Islamic groups including hard-line group Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), is held as protesters accuse Ahok (a Christian of Chinese descent) of blasphemy by (mis)quoting Quranic verses during a speech in Kepulauan Seribu, off the coast of Jakarta, in early October.
Foreigners are advised to stay clear of the "anti-Ahok" demonstration that is scheduled for Friday (04/11) in Central Jakarta as Islamic State-inspired terrorist cells may take advantage of the rally. The Jakarta police department will deploy about 7,000 personnel to safeguard security during the rally. However, this actually presents an opportunity for radical Muslims to launch attacks on Indonesian security officers. In the anti-Ahok rally, thousands of Muslims will express their anger toward incumbent Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama.
Religious violence and intolerance flared up in Indonesia's North Sumatra over the weekend when an angry Muslim mob burned down (or damaged) 12 Buddhist temples in Tanjung Balai. According to local authorities the mob was mobilized after an Indonesian woman of Chinese descent complained about the loud volume of the calls to prayer and Koranic recitals at the mosque that is situated in front of her house. One day later, seven people were detained by Indonesian police on suspicion of attacking the temples.
Despite fierce international criticism, Indonesia will go-ahead with the executions of 14 convicted drug traffickers, including 10 foreigners (from Nigeria, Zimbabwe, India and Pakistan). According to local media coffins have already arrived at the Nusa Kambangan prison island (Central Java) where executions usually take place, while the families of those who face imminent executions have already been informed. The executions, by firing squad, are expected to be conducted tonight or tomorrow (traditionally around midnight).
Indonesian Police killed two Islamic militants during a shootout in a the jungle on Indonesia's Sulawesi island on Monday evening (18/07). Reportedly - but not confirmed yet by authorities - one of these militants is Indonesia's most wanted Islamic militant Abu "Santoso" Wardah, an Islamic State supporter and leader of the East Indonesia Mujahidin terrorist cells. This group's "headquarters" are believed to be located in the jungle surrounding Poso (Central Sulawesi).
Latest Columns Violence
While Indonesian President Joko Widodo emphasized the importance of unity among the Indonesian people on the latest Independence Day (17 August 2019), developments in East Java – that occurred several days before Indonesia’s Independence Day – and subsequent protests and violence in Papua had the exact opposite effect. What explains the upsurge in tensions between Papua and Indonesia?
Like in many other countries around the globe, Indonesian women often find themselves in a more difficult position than men. For example, there are much more women than men who work in Indonesia's informal sector. Moreover, a significant portion of these women are unpaid workers. While 57.51 percent of Indonesia's total female workforce is employed in the informal sector, the rate is 48.81 percent for men.
On Friday (04/11) a massive demonstration is scheduled to be staged in Jakarta. In this protest rally thousands of people are expected to gather to ventilate their disapproval of incumbent Jakarta Governor Basuki Cahaya Purnama (better known as Ahok). The rally is organized by a coalition of Islamic groups including hard-line group Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) which has often used violence to achieve their targets. The Muslim groups accuse Ahok of blasphemy by misquoting Quranic verses during a speech in Kepulauan Seribu, off the coast of Jakarta, in early October.
The 17-year-old Ivan Armadi who tried to kill a Catholic priest and detonate a self-made bomb during the Sunday service (28/08) in a church in Medan (North Sumatra) is one example of the Islamic State sympathizers that are present in Indonesia. Although the police investigation indicates that there are no direct links between Armadi and existing militant networks within Indonesia or abroad, the case shows that there are so-called "lone-wolves" in Indonesia who are inspired by radical Islamic doctrine and can learn to make bombs from the Internet.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo has signed a controversial decree that introduces tougher penalties for child sex offenders in Indonesia. By replacing a 2002 law, Indonesia now introduces various new consequences for those who have been found guilty of sex offenses against children. The new penalties comprise the death penalty, chemical castration, life-long prison sentences, electronic monitoring (after release from prison), and the publicly announcement of the identity of the child molester.
Indonesian Army Chief of Staff Budiman, without choosing a side, hopes to see a clear victory for one of the presidential candidates - Joko Widodo or Prabowo Subianto - in the election that is scheduled for Wednesday (09/07) as a large win will reduce chances of public disorder caused by disappointed supporters. Budiman said that a gap of at least five percent between the two contenders (based on the quick count results which will be released on the day of election) is considered a safer level.
Last Thursday night, a Nigerian drug dealer, imprisoned since 2004, was executed by firing squad near Kepulauan Seribu to the north of Jakarta's coast. This execution is the first since the execution of three Islamic radicals (who were involved in the 2002 Bali bombings) in 2008. Meanwhile, on Friday morning, counter-terrorism squad Densus 88 killed three suspected Muslim militants that robbed a jewelry store in Tambora, West Jakarta.
