Eight years on from the 2018 disaster, a new 6.7-magnitude tremor has claimed at least one life and caused damage to dozens of homes. It is worth noting that the Central Sulawesi region, situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire, is among the areas in Indonesia most at risk from earthquakes. This has raised questions about the effectiveness of mitigation measures and building inspections.
Faced with a wave of share sell-off and a currency that has fallen to historic lows against the dollar, Prabowo supporters blame Singapore and turn to social media with the hashtag #buyIndonesia. Students are taking to the streets against rising fuel prices and subsidy cuts, riled by the president's costly free school lunch programme.
The latest toll stands at 37 dead, four missing, and more than 450 injured. Bishop Gilbert Garcera, president of the CBCP, has called on all Filipinos to contribute aid to the relief effort. Many parts of the earthquake-stricken area are still without power. Homes have been destroyed, and more than a thousand people have been evacuated, including in Indonesia.
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
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.
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.