Overview of Human Rights in Indonesia

The Republic of Indonesia is a democratic republic. Issues such as widespread corruption, poverty, impunity, high levels of unemployment, and weak educational and health care systems help make the Indonesian people extremely vulnerable to human rights violations. The December 2004 earthquake and tsunami, which left more than 130 thousand missing and/or dead, further exacerbated an already poor situation.

The security forces in Indonesia operate with impunity even as they commit human rights violations. Extra-judicial killings, kidnappings and disappearances, beatings, torture, and arbitrary arrest and detention are committed across the nation by the Indonesian Armed Forces.

In May 2003 the Indonesian government withdrew from peace talks with Aceh and launched a full scale military operation in the region. It was not until August 15th, 2005 that the government signed a peace agreement with the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). Many human rights abuses were perpetrated during this conflict.  In the period before East Timor gained its independence from Indonesia, it was also a victim of gross human rights abuses by the Indonesian security forces.

On the other side of the equation, terrorist groups, armed separatist groups, and militant groups also perpetrate human rights abuses in the region. Indonesia faces a serious domestic terrorist threat. More than 200 people have been killed since 2002 in bomb attacks, which have targeted western style institutions. The government is addressing these threats by improving police and security forces.

Meanwhile, the government frequently impedes on freedoms of expression, press, speech, and religion.

Human Development Index (HDI) Rank:

108th out of 177

Note: Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite index that measures the level of well-being of nations in the world. It uses factors such as poverty, literacy, life-expectancy, education, gross domestic product, and purchasing power parity to assess the average achievements in each nation. It has been used in the United Nation’s Human Development Report since 1993.