Indonesia

by Mathias Hariyadi | INDONESIA

Job losses stem from weakening exports, rising costs, soaring gas prices, an influx of imported products, and uncertainty in the global economy. The central government is preparing mitigation measures. Observers and experts are calling for collaboration between the government, employers, and trade unions to safeguard sustainability.

 

by Mathias Hariyadi

Dadan Hindayana, who headed the agency for two years, has been jailed, along with Sony Sonjaya and Lodewyk Pusung. The prosecution cites “solid” evidence supporting the charges, whilst the investigation continues. The agency’s new head announces a radical change: the target of reaching 83 million people is no longer a priority

| 05/06/2026
| INDONESIA
by Mathias Hariyadi

Archbishop Petrus Canisius Mandagi weighs in on the criticisms of the Catholic Church contained in the documentary denouncing national strategic projects launched by the Indonesian government in South Papua. “The accusations against me and the archdiocese are entirely baseless,” the prelate says. For years, the Church has struggled “to uphold the dignity of Papuans” with “schools, healthcare, agricultural programmes, livestock farms, credit unions” in some of the remotest areas.

| 23/05/2026
| INDONESIA
by Mathias Hariyadi

President Prabowo wants to centralise all exports of coal, palm oil and other strategic raw materials through Danantara Indonesia. The measure, justified as an application of Article 33 of the 1945 Constitution, aims to halt capital flight and price manipulation, according to the former general, but has already sparked serious concerns among business leaders and financial markets.

| 21/05/2026
| INDONESIA

The 75th anniversary of Caritas Internationalis and the 20th anniversary of the solidarity foundation promoted by the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference were marked on the island of Flores with a Mass and a gathering presided over by Cardinal Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi. In the spirit of the encyclical “Laudato Si’”, the gathering brought together local farmers involved in the Harvest Programme, which aims to build independent and sustainable communities.

| 20/05/2026
| INDONESIA

A new report highlights coordinated online campaigns against voices critical of the government, whether media outlets or NGOs, following Prabowo Subianto’s accession to the presidency. Accounts linked to the military have spread accusations of being “foreign agents”, with consequences including violence, whilst major social media platforms have refrained from intervening.

| 19/05/2026
| INDONESIA
by Mathias Hariyadi

The blast occurred in the courtyard of St Paul's Church, Intan Jaya Regency, shortly after Sunday Mass. The injured are all civilians from the local community. Indonesian authorities have not yet clarified the origin of the device, delivered by a drone, nor identified those responsible. Meanwhile, fighting between separatists and Indonesian forces intensifies.

| 18/05/2026
| INDONESIA
Editor's choices
 
After eight years, the trial against the Sisters has ended. In 2018, far-fetched child trafficking charges were laid against them, sparking worldwide media coverage. The High Court's verdict declared them not guilty. For Bishop Mascarenhas, “after ...
| 18/06/2026
| INDIA
 
by Alessandra De Poli
In online scam centres across South-East Asia, thousands of young people are reduced to digital slaves in one of the forms of violation of human dignity also highlighted in the encyclical ‘Magnifica Humanitas’. On the border between Thailand ...
| 17/06/2026
| SOUTH EAST ASIA
 
by Arundathie Abeysinghe
The new sustainability rules are causing difficulties for many local exporters. The European Union is the largest market for the textile industry. From September, companies will have to comply with requirements across the entire supply chain: firms are ...
| 16/06/2026
| SRI LAKA - EU
 
by Andrea Ferrario
Once classified by the Communist Party as “spiritual pollution”, this genre now generates billions of yuan in revenue and has become part of the state's cultural promotion strategy, within a clear geopolitical vision. "The Wandering Earth" ...
| 11/06/2026
| RED LANTERNS
 
by fr. Gabriel Romanelli *
On the Feast of Corpus Christi, the small community of the Holy Family performed the Eucharistic blessing towards the four cardinal points from the church square. The parish priest said: “From here we also blessed the towns that no longer exist: ...
| 09/06/2026
| GAZA
 
by Gregory
Stored gelignite reportedly caused a massive explosion that killed at least 55 people in a village in Shan State. The catastrophe has put the spotlight on the TNLA, a controversial militia that struck a deal with China. Meanwhile, according to the United ...
| 02/06/2026
| MYANMAR
 
by Chow Hang-tung *
In a message written from prison, the lawyer on trial alongside Lee Cheuk-yan and Albert Ho for the 4 June vigils in Victoria Park speaks of the importance of resilience in remembering the 1989 massacre in Beijing, whilst the Hong Kong authorities cover ...
| 01/06/2026
| HONG KONG - CHINA
 
by Shafique Khokhar
In his encyclical, Pope Leo XIV singles out Pakistan's first female prime minister as a public figure who promoted the greatness of humanity. A Muslim, she was assassinated in 2007 in Rawalpindi. Pakistani Catholics expressed gratitude towards her ...
| 28/05/2026
| PAKISTAN – VATICAN
“L’Asia: ecco il nostro comune compito per il terzo millennio!” - Giovanni Paolo II, da “Alzatevi, andiamo”