In early 2025, Indonesia enacted amendments to its National Armed Forces Law that expanded the domestic and bureaucratic roles of the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI), raising alarm among civil society actors, scholars, and democracy advocates. At first glance, the move appears technical – a response to evolving security challenges suchContinue Reading
Every Thursday evening, a group of activists assembles in front of the presidential palace in Jakarta, Indonesia’s congested capital city. They wear matching black t-shirts and carry signs demanding accountability for a legacy of military-led human rights abuses. Some appeal for information about the fate and whereabouts of 17 studentsContinue Reading
Last week, Indonesia’s parliament passed a series of controversial amendments to its Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) Law, which currently only awaits President Prabowo Subianto’s signature before coming into effect. In addition to allowing the appointment of sitting military officers in a wider array of civilian agencies, the revised lawContinue Reading
Unlike President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, Indonesia’s new president, Prabowo Subianto, has yet to introduce a coherent national maritime strategy. In fact, following his inauguration in October, Prabowo began his administration by dissolving one of Jokowi’s main maritime legacies: the Coordinating Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Investment (Marves). Established during Jokowi’sContinue Reading
Indonesia’s parliament today passed a suite of controversial amendments to the country’s military law, which human rights groups say will likely remove hard-won checks on the power of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI). The changes to the 2004 Indonesian Military (TNI) Law expand the government’s ability to appoint servingContinue Reading
On January 28, the French Navy’s Charles de Gaulle Carrier Strike Group made a historic first port call in Indonesia as part of its deployment to the Indo-Pacific under the “Clemenceau 25” Mission. The visit also preceded the French Navy-led “La Perouse 25,” an unprecedented naval exercise involving nine countriesContinue Reading
