James Balowski

  • Journalist killed in Kalimantan

    Journalist killed in KalimantanOn July 25, Naimullah, a reporter with the Jakarta daily Sinar Pagi, was found dead in his car in Pantai Peniungan, about 90 kilometres from Pontianak, the capital of West Kalimantan. He had

  • Indonesian commemorations attacked

    Indonesian commemorations attackedScores of people were injured and 85 arrested when the Indonesian military attacked peaceful protesters commemorating the first anniversary of the July 27, 1996, riots in central Jakarta.

  • Indonesian MP jailed

    Indonesian MP jailedYet another opposition figure has been jailed for speaking out against the Suharto dictatorship. On July 21, Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) legislator Aberson Marle Sihaloho, who is a close aide to

  • Mystery surrounds death of David Alex

    Mystery surrounds death of David AlexMystery still surrounds the death of David Alex, deputy chief of staff of the East Timorese armed resistance, Falintil, who was shot and captured in Kaibada, Bacau, on June 25. The

  • PRD activists tortured

    PRD activists torturedOn June 26, SiaR magazine reported that two People's Democratic Party (PRD) activists, Coen Husein Pontoh and Mohammad Sholeh, had been tortured following the June 11 riot at the Medaeng prison in

  • East Timorese killed in election violence

    East Timorese killed in election violenceIndonesian authorities have confirmed that at least 13 East Timorese were killed in the lead-up to voting in the Indonesian general elections on May 29. Dili police chief, Colonel

  • Jail terms called for in PRD trials

    The subversion trials of 14 Peoples Democratic Party (PRD) activists are now dragging into their fourth month and the Indonesian government is moving quickly to bring them to a "conclusion". On March 26, the Jakarta daily

  • Growing support for Indonesian election boycott

    Indonesia's general elections on May 29 will be conducted under some of the most restrictive campaign rules to date. But what make these elections unusual is that, for the first time, large sections of the population did want

  • The man Suharto finds 'intolerable'

    In a statement released by Human Rights Watch/Asia dated March 10, executive director Sidney Jones described Sri Bintang Pamungkas as "a man the president finds intolerable". Jones went on to say: "He's everything that good

  • Growing support for Indonesian election boycott

    Growing support for Indonesian election boycottIn the context of widespread anger against the ousting of popular opposition figure Megawati Sukarnoputri from her position as leader of the Indonesian Democratic Party

  • Armed forces accuse the PRD

    For the second time in two weeks, the armed forces' chief of social and political affairs, Syarwan Hamid, has accused the People's Democratic Party (PRD) of being behind the riots which have been rocking the country over the last

  • More Indonesian activists on trial

    On February 6, People's Democratic Party (PRD) activists Ken Budha Kusumandaru, Victor Da Costa and Ignatius Putut Arintoko, who are being tried in Jakarta for subversion, presented a protest letter to court. Signed by PRD