INDONESIA EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Indonesia is a multiparty ...

INDONESIA 16
The law provides for freedom of assembly, and the government generally
respected this right in practice. The law generally does not require permits for
social, cultural, or religious gatherings; however, any gathering of five or more
persons related to political, labor, or public policy requires police notification, and
demonstrations require a permit. In general these permits were granted routinely.
During the year police arrested participants in peaceful demonstrations that
included the display of illegal separatist symbols (see section 2.a.).
On September 7, presidential security personnel assaulted several human rights
activists during a demonstration in front of the presidential palace. Major national
newspapers published photographs showing a Presidential Security Force member
grabbing a prominent human rights activist by the throat. The Presidential Security
Force commander and President Yudhoyono’s spokesperson defended the actions,
citing security concerns.
During the year there were a number of large demonstrations throughout Papua.
The majority were conducted in accordance with the law and remained peaceful.
However, on October 19, police and military units violently dispersed participants
in the Third Papua People’s Congress, a gathering held in Jayapura October 16-19.
Activists displayed banned separatist symbols and read out a Declaration of
Independence for the “Republic of West Papua” on the final day of the gathering.
Police fired into the air and detained hundreds of persons, all but six of whom were
released the following day. Three persons were found shot and killed in the area.
Police spokesmen claimed that the police were equipped only with rubber bullets
and other non-lethal ammunition. Police beat many of those detained, and dozens
were injured. At year’s end, six of the leaders of the Third Papua People’s
Congress faced charges of treason and weapons possession.
Freedom of Association
The law provides for freedom of association, and the government generally
respected it in practice.
Members of the Ahmadiyya religious group have not held any national conferences
since 2008, when the Bali police refused to issue them a permit. In addition, some
local governments continue to restrict their right of assembly.
c. Freedom of Religion
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2011
United States Department of State • Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor