Indonesia

Indonesia suspends military co-operation with Australia

Army spokesman Maj Gen Wuryanto said the halt came into force in December and a broad range of activities were affected, including joint training.

Australian Defence officials confirmed Indonesia had halted all defence co-operation over "teaching materials".

Bilateral relations have been tense at times in recent years, although there were recent signs of improvement.

"All forms of co-operation with the Australian military, including joint training, have been temporarily withheld. I hope it can be resolved as soon as possible," Maj Gen Wuryanto said.

Indonesian govt talks to Nauru about relations

According to a RNZ report, an official with Indonesia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Jauhari said the purpose of the visit was to discuss how to increase bilateral relations.

He said the delegation met with Nauru President Baron Waqa and his cabinet, and discussed development in Indonesia, including in Papua region.

President Waqa invited Indonesia to attend celebrations for Nauru's 49th anniversary of independence at the end of January next year.

Among the delegation was an Indonesian government consultant on West Papuan affairs, Franzalbert Joku.

Indonesian push for education about Papua history

RNZ reports the newly-established Indonesian People's Front for West Papua, or FRI West Papua, this week declared its support for West Papuan liberation from Indonesian rule.

Made up of non-Papuans, the group said that the universal right to self-determination was denied in the case of West Papua.

Its spokesman Surya Anta says Indonesians are not well educated about what he calls the illegitimate takeover of Papua.

Indonesia arrests over 100 Papuans in Sorong

The police took in 106 activists from the West Papua National Committee, or KNPB, for their involvement in an inauguration of its local governing body last week.

The KNPB is a pro-independence West Papuan political organisation with a wide following throughout Indonesia's Papua region.

The inauguration of the KNPB's Sorong governing structure included a mass worship celebration and drew Papuans from areas such as Tambrau, Ayamaru and South Sorong.

Indonesia castration law 'will wipe out paedophilia'

He said Indonesia respected human rights but there would be "no compromise" when it came to punishing such sexual crimes.

Indonesia passed controversial laws earlier this month authorising chemical castration for paedophiles.

The laws were subject to fierce debate in parliament.

"Our constitution respects human rights, but when it comes to sexual crimes there is no compromise," President Widodo said.

Indonesia bars LGBT job applicants for new youth position

The advert stipulates that the post is only open to applicants not involved in "sexually deviant behaviour".

It says this must be proven with a doctor's certificate.

Critics have accused the government in effect of destroying the futures of creative young LGBT people.

They have been barred from serving their country because of their sexuality, campaigners say.

Gay sex is not illegal in Indonesia, and the world's largest Muslim country has a vibrant transgender culture.

It is a tradition which is broadly met tolerantly by the Indonesian public.

Indonesian arrested for streaming porn on billboard

The 24-year-old IT analyst has admitted the crime, said police, for which he could face up to six years in jail.

Motorists were left in shock last week when footage from a Japanese porn film was displayed on an electronic screen in south Jakarta.

The video ran for five minutes on Friday before power was eventually cut.

However the clip had already been captured on many mobile phones and soon spread across social media.

The man, who was arrested in his office, allegedly carried out the prank after seeing login details displayed on the billboard.

Jakarta urged to open up on Papua

Several days ago, leaders of a number of Pacific Island countries raised concern at the UN general assembly about alleged human rights abuses against West Papuans.

Indonesia accuses Pacific countries of interference

RNZ reports the accusation during the UN General Assembly came after leaders from six Pacific countries - Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Nauru, the Marshall Islands and Tuvalu - expressed concern about human rights abuses in Papua.

Calls for Papuan self-determination rights to be respected were also made by some of the leaders during this 71st session of the general assembly debate.

"Human rights violations in West Papua and the pursuit for self-determination of West Papua are two sides of the same coin," said the Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, Manasseh Sogavare.

Indonesia executes four convicted drug offenders

Noor Rachmad told reporters outside the Nusakambangan prison that authorities have not decided when 10 other prisoners will be executed by firing squad.

Executed were two Nigerians, one Senegalese and one Indonesian. Petitions to review their cases had been denied.

One of the Nigerians was Humphrey Jefferson Ejike, who was unjustly killed, according to his legal team.