Special Report

In the Name of Development

Some major infrastructure development plans of President Joko Widodo, as described in over a dozen Strategic National Projects in several provinces, have been accused of leading to some human rights violations. Land conflicts could have been avoided if the government did not place the economic agenda above the fundamental rights of the populace.

Special Report

Taking the Lands of Ancesstral Kings

The Lake Toba tourism development program is being accused of plowing over fields where villagers earn their living. A battle of claims over the land.

Special Report

Mohammad Choirul Anam, Commissioner, National Commission on Human Rights: Good Intentions Alone are Not Enough

President Joko Widodo once again received the red card from the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) for failing to live up to his human rights commitments.

Special Report

The Airport’s Sacrificial Goats

Land snatching for the Yogyakarta International Airport resulted a number of residents losing their livelihoods. Some of their children can no longer go to school.

Interlude

The Last Perkenier of Banda Naira

NUTMEG, the main commodity of the Banda Naira islands, had its heyday in the 16th century. The Dutch, through the Dutch East-Indies Company (VOC), even sent 37 perkeniers (plantation owners) from the Netherlands to Banda to manage the plantations, in order to cover the nutmeg monopoly supply for Europe’s market. Only one descendant remains of the 16th-century perkeniers: Pongky Erwandi van den Broeke, who manages 12.5 hectares of land. He was the victim of unrest in 1999.

Interlude

An Expedition to Revive a Tradition

For over three decades, the tradition of planting upland rice had disappeared in the villages of Samo, Posi-Posi, and Gumira, all located on the outer edges of Halmahera Island in North Maluku. The people of those three villages prefer to buy rice to be consumed as a variation rather than take the effort to grow it themselves. Some left this practice after going to work for a lumber company which cut down forests in their area, and they began using their daily wages to purchase rice. Others initially stopped farming rice to raise funds to rebuild a mosque which had collapsed in their community. The PakaTiva Association, with the support of the EcoNusa Foundation, has been working to revive this tradition, not only for local food self-sufficiency, but also for the purpose of maintaining the forest. Tempo joined the Maluku Expedition, an activity organized by the EcoNusa Foundation, which among other things visited those three areas.

Interlude

Arka Kinari’s Spicy Journey

Departing from Rotterdam in the Netherlands on August 23, 2019, the crew of the Arka Kinari ship finally anchored in Indonesia on September 1 this year. On the ship were the artist couple Nova Ruth Setyaningtyas and Grey Filastine, and six international crew members. On this low-carbon journey, they visited a number of countries and gave mini concerts on board. Their expedition faced numerous challenges, from storms, the coronavirus pandemic, to permit processing that left them in limbo on the open sea. In addition to campaigning for the environment, the Arka Kinari crew was involved in the Spice Route movement proclaimed by the education and culture ministry’s directorate-general for culture. This made them change their sailing route onto a number of spice locations: Sorong (West Papua), Banda Neira (Maluku), Selayar and Makassar (South Sulawesi), Benoa (Bali), and Surabaya (East Java).

Interlude

Guardians Of Dayak Identity

The arrest of Effendi Buhing, chief of the Laman Kinipan Customary Community, in late August has brought the name Tariu Borneo Bangkule Rajangk to the fore. A militia group named Pasukan Merah (the Red Brigade) has come forward to defend this traditional leader in Lamandau, Central Kalimantan. Red Brigade Chief Pangalangok Jilah claims that he has some 50,000 members spread all over the island of Kalimantan, including in Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam. While it used to be active in preserving Dayak customs and culture, the Red Brigade now also focuses on advocacy for its members who are entangled with the law. Tempo reports from Bukit Raya Toho, Mempawah Regency, West Kalimantan, one of the customary forests under the care of the Red Brigade.

Interlude

Indonesia’s Rich Alcohol Tradition

Local alcoholic beverages in a number of regions have strong traditional roots. Brewers are starting to sell them in attractive packaging.

Interlude

After the Pandemic: ‘The New Normal’

An influenza pandemic changed many things for the Dutch East Indies and the world. A new way-of-life was begun. Some things had to change for the pandemic not to recur.

Interlude

1918-1919: Spreading Like Brush Fire

The Spanish Flu is the deadliest pandemic in history, wiping out tens of millions of people between 1918 and 1919. It was also a nightmare in the Dutch East Indies.

Interlude

Hans Pols, Writer of Nurturing Indonesia: Medicine and Decolonization in the Dutch East Indies: Javanese Doctors Knew of the Discrimination

In colonial times, the fight for independence was also driven by native doctors who graduated from the School tot Opleiding van Indische Artsen (STOVIA).

Interlude

Doctors without Protection

Native doctors and orderlies were heroes when the pestilence outbreak hit Malang in the 1910s. Doctor Cipto Mangunkusumo became an icon and a voice in the media.

Interlude

Epidemics and Quarantine in the Dutch East Indies

Indonesia faced several epidemics during the Dutch East Indies era. From outbreaks of cholera and pestilence in the 18th and 19th centuries, and in the early of the 20th century up until the impact of the Spanish Flu. Those pandemics resembled the current situation. After a late response to the outbreak, the colonial government finally enacted a regional quarantine. Many things can be learned from past epidemics. Mitigation strategies, appropriate isolation measures, and rapid responses are needed.

Special Report

Innovations Amid the Pandemic

Vocational Middle School students are coming up with various innovations for suppressing coronavirus transmission. They put theory into practice while honing their entrepreneurial skills.

Special Report

Support from Gardens and the Internet

Non-formal education institutions are looking for ways to continue instruction during the pandemic. It is not purely a business concern but a part of a mission for equal access to education.

Special Report

Back to School With TVRI

The government is providing some home-based education platforms to reach students in the provinces. Not all students and teachers can easily adapt.

Special Report

Beyond Classrooms

A number of top campuses are helping government’s Covid-19 mitigation efforts. From virus testing, searching for natural antidotes, to examining potential compounds as vaccines.

Special Report

Disinfectant Robots & Portable Ventilators

Universities are urged to develop health instrument in the fight against Covid-19. This ranges from disinfectant robots to portable ventilators.

Special Report

Academia Battles Against Covid

UNIVERSITY researchers are putting their heads together in conducting studies to counter the Covid-19 pandemic. Studies in a number of fields—from engineering and medicine to sociology and economics—are used to battle against the pandemic caused by the coronavirus.