Nearly 160,000 security personnel will be deployed to try to make Christmas and New Year celebrations in Indonesia safe, reported ucanews.org. This is an increase from last year, when nearly 90,000 security personnel guarded about 50,000 churches across the country. An official of the National Police Traffic Corps told journalists that police, military personnel and Read more
Posts Tagged ‘Indonesia’
Indonesia rethinks ban on sex outside marriage
Monday, September 23rd, 2019Indonesia’s president has delayed a vote on controversial new laws that would have outlawed sex outside marriage. They’d gained a lot of attention online, with the Australian government updating its advice for tourists heading to Bali. Now President Joko Widodo says the new laws need more consideration and has delayed next week’s vote. Bali’s a Read more
New Zealand concerned about unrest in near neighbour
Monday, September 9th, 2019
In the last four years, New Zealand has become one of the top destinations for West Papuan students to obtain higher education. Last year, there were 160 West Papuans studying in New Zealand. In August a long-simmering discontent exploded into a mass uprising. The number involved has reportedly reached tens of thousands. At least 10 Read more
Woman jailed for complaining adzan call to prayer is too loud
Monday, August 27th, 2018A Buddhist woman in Sumatra has been jailed after she complained the adzan, or call to prayer, from her local mosque is too loud. Indonesia’s largest Islamic bodies have denounced the jailing, with senior figures from Indonesia’s two largest Islamic bodies backing them. “I do not see how saying ‘adzan is too loud’ is an Read more
Indonesian government gets Catholic universities to help improve quality of higher education
Thursday, April 19th, 2018
Atma Jaya Catholic University in Jakarta and the Catholic University of Soegijapranata in Semarang, Central Java, are among 29 leading Indonesian educational institutions picked to help improve the quality of higher education. The government wants the 29 universities to transfer knowledge between them and the institutions they have been assigned to, not only on the academic Read more
Indonesian bishop Leteng resigns in finance, mistress scandal
Thursday, October 12th, 2017The bishop of Ruteng in Indonesia has resigned amid mounting concerns surrounding an alleged mistress and reportedly stolen funds. Bishop Hubertus Leteng, 58, was accused of borrowing $94,000 from the Indonesian bishops’ conference, as well as $30,000 from the Diocese of Ruteng. Continue reading
Indonesia’s comments on West Papua fail to impress Churches
Thursday, September 14th, 2017
The Pacific Conference of Churches says it is unimpressed by comments made by Indonesian officials about a protest over West Papua at the recent Pacific Island Forum Leaders’ Summit in Apia. Indonesia’s Ambassador to Samoa, Tonga and New Zealand, Tantowi Yahya, says protesters supporting West Papua independence should have sought a government permit before they Read more
Social justice priest faces suspension for running for office
Friday, July 8th, 2016
An Indonesian bishop says he will suspend a priest who has decided to run for political office. Bishop Ludovicus Manullang of Sibolga in North Sumatra said he would suspend Fr Rantinus Manalu. The priest is to run for public office in local elections next year. Fr Manalu is known for his anti-corruption stance and support Read more
239 Catholic couples wed at one nuptial Mass
Tuesday, June 21st, 2016More than 200 Catholic couples were married in a huge tent in a nuptial Mass in Indonesia. The event, involving 239 couples and several priests, took place on the property of St Filomena Church in Mena. The main reason for the combined wedding was the desire to assist the issuing of marriage certificates by the state. This Read more
Almost 1700 arrested in West Papua demonstrations
Tuesday, May 10th, 2016
Reports from Indonesia indicate police arrested almost 1700 people in West Papua for taking part in a series of demonstrations across the region. Most have since been released. In the wake of the arrests, New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully, not for the first time, was pressed about the rights situation in West Papua. “The Read more