Endangered tiger brutally killed in Sumatra
Villagers on the island of Sumatra recently killed a male Sumatran tiger. They then skinned the animal and hung its body from the ceiling of the village hall. Some in the Indonesian press have called the incident “barbaric.” Did the villagers not know that tigers are a critically endangered species?… Read more
The Impact of Indonesians Working Abroad
A report from the World Bank recently discussed the opportunities that Indonesians have to work abroad. Currently, approximately 7% of the Indonesian population is a migrant worker. In 2016, the nine million Indonesians who worked abroad sent home approximately the equivalent of 9 billion USD, which has contributed significantly to… Read more
Indonesia Recognizes Native Religions
In a landmark ruling made in early November, Indonesian’s Constitutional Court allowed for Indonesians to register as penhayat kepercayaan, or native-faith adherents for the first time. All Indonesians are required to register as followers of one of the official religions. This registration appears on their identity cards. The six official… Read more
Survey Reveals an Increase in Intolerance Among Indonesian Students
Benar News reported that a survey released on October 30, 2017 showed about a fourth of Indonesia’s college students support fighting for the implementation of an Islamic caliphate system in Indonesia. Jakarta-based Alvara Research Center and Mata Air Foundation polled 1,800 students from 25 leading universities in Indonesia plus 2,400… Read more
New Bill Aims To Recognize Other Faiths
Indonesia officially recognizes six religions: Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. The government is now realizing that this rule actually contradicts freedom of religion, rather than encouraging it. They realize many Indonesians practice traditional religions, and are not being recognized. The Religious Affairs Ministry is now working to officially… Read more
177 Indonesians Detained for Posing as Filipinos
A group of Indonesians were trying to go on hajj, but were detained in Manila because they had forged Philippine passports. Vice President Jusuf Kalla says the travel agency should take responsibility, and that the Indonesians are victims, not suspects. It is believed that they were going on Filipino passports… Read more
Several Indonesian Languages are on the Brink of Extinction
Dadang Sunendar, the head of language development for the Culture and Education Ministry recently stated that 139 local Indonesian languages are on the brink of extinction. With 707 languages, Indonesia has the second largest number of languages in the world. Only Papua New Guinea has more, with 839. There are… Read more
10 Years Since Mud Volcano Began Spewing
It has been almost 10 years since a mud volcano in Sidoarjo began spewing. Since then, the mud has covered an area equal to 650 football fields, completely burying several villages and displacing thousands of people. Thirteen people died when an underground gas pipeline exploded as a result of the… Read more
Christian Woman Caned Under Shariah Law in Aceh
For the first time ever, a non-Muslim woman has been caned under Shariah law in Indonesia. Remita Sinaga was found guilty of selling alcohol, which is illegal in Aceh. Mrs. Sinaga is a Christian and is 60 years old. She received 28 lashes after spending 47 days in jail. Several… Read more
Multiple Blasts in Jakarta
On Thursday, January 14, at 10:50 a.m., a bomb went off near Sarinah Shopping Center. Over the next few minutes, more bombs went off, including one in a Starbucks. In the hours that followed, police engaged in gunfire with the terrorists. It wasn’t long before ISIS confirmed that they carried… Read more
Female-only Motorcycle Taxis Becoming Popular in Indonesia
Motorcycle taxis, or “ojeks”, are a popular form of public transportation in Indonesia. Ojeks are typically men, which has caused problems for a couple of reasons. For one thing, conservative Muslim women will not ride a motorbike with a man unless he is a relative because they believe that Islam… Read more
Leaving Islam
Adit grew up in a home with a Muslim father and a Catholic mother in Indonesia. His Catholic grandparents often babysat him when he was little, and they told him stories about Jesus, which he liked. But his father hired a Quran tutor so she could learn how to recite… Read more
Churches in Aceh Burned, Others Shut Down
On Friday, October 16, a mob attacked several churches in Aceh Singkil and burned them down. The mob said that the churches did not have the proper permits to exist. Now, authorities in Aceh are shutting down several churches this week. Authorities have contacted church leaders, and at least 6… Read more
Forest Fires on Sumatra
On Wednesday, satellite imagery picked up over 600 fire hot spots across Sumatra, with the worst areas being the Jambi, South Sumatra, and Riau provinces. The fires in Jambi are so bad that they have had to close schools. Another big concern in Jambi is that fires are threatening oil… Read more
No Survivors in Papua Plane Crash
On Sunday, a Trigana Air Service plane crashed into a mountain in Papua. The plane was going from Jayapura to Oksibil. There were 44 adults, 5 children, and 5 crew on-board, and none of them lived. The plane also had $470,000 that was going to help with a village assistance… Read more
Bali Flights Being Cancelled
For the third day in a row, flights have been cancelled going to and from Bali. On July 9, Garuda tweeted that the airports in Bali, Lombok, Jember, and Banyuwangi were being closed due to ash. Mount Ruang has been erupting for several days now. The volcano is near Banyuwangi,… Read more
Indonesia Celebrates Ramadan in Multiple Ways
The fasting month of Ramadan began this week. Every country has its own unique food and rituals to celebrate. In Indonesia, because there are so many people groups, Ramadan is celebrated differently throughout the country. The Javanese welcome Ramadan with nyadran. In this ritual, friends and family visit the graves… Read more
Aceh Stretched in Caring for Boat Migrants
Over the past few weeks, hundreds of Rohingya and Bangladeshi refugees have flooded into Aceh, Indonesia, as well as Malaysia. Thousands of others are believed to still be out at sea. Those on the ground say conditions are improving, but more assistance is needed as they aren’t just meeting immediate… Read more
Convicts Praised God Until They Were Executed
On Wednesday, April 29, 2015 at 12:35 a.m., eight men were executed in Indonesia for drug trafficking. Indonesia has received worldwide criticism for these convictions, as all but one of the men were foreigners whose countries requested clemency, and Indonesia refused. The relationship between Australia and Indonesia is particularly strained.… Read more
Asia-Africa Conference Begins in Jakarta on Sunday
Sixty years ago, the historic first Asia-Africa Conference took place in Bandung, Indonesia. On this sixtieth anniversary, Indonesia invited 109 world leaders to the conference. As of April 16, 77 countries have representatives coming to the Asia-Africa Conference. There are also 34 heads of states attending the anniversary. The conference… Read more
