In Sri Lanka, the preliminary death toll from Typhoon Ditwah stands at 56, with 44,000 people affected. Hundreds of millimetres of rain fell in just a few hours. Government offices and schools are closed. In Indonesia, 19 people are confirmed dead with scores trapped by mud and debris. The archbishop of Medan has launched a fundraiser.
A young Muslim man in a relationship of "mutual respect" with a Christian woman has gone before the Constitutional Court to challenge Article 2 of the Marriage Law because of its ambiguity. Currently, the Civil Registry Office only register marriages performed by religious authorities. Two justices are calling for laws to better respect rights.
A new serious landslide in Central Java province has caused at least 18 deaths and numerous missing persons. Rescue efforts are hampered by a deep fracture in the ground, and new rains could widen the area affected by the disaster. Climate change and geological conditions are putting the entire country at increasing risk.
Indonesia is the world's largest producer of this raw material and the crossroads of discussions on its environmental sustainability. Over the last year, prices have fallen by more than 17%, but operators in the sector are optimistic about the biofuel market. Forty-one per cent of Indonesian plantations are owned by small farmers.
Despite accusations of human rights violations, Indonesia’s incumbent president presented the National Hero title to Suharto’s children. The official narrative cites the role the late strongman played in expelling the Japanese in 1945. The same title was also awarded to the late Abdurrahman Wahid, a symbol of democracy and pluralism, and the late trade unionist Marsinah, who was killed during the Suharto years.
The Ministry of Human Rights is intervening in the struggle of the Batak people of Sihaporas against a paper mill that is threatening their traditional lands. Local Churches had previously filed a complaint requesting action. For Minister Natalius Pigai, “any business or industrial entity must respect the interests of local people”.
