Government of the Gun

Gun reads: Missing persons, law of the jungle, political banditry

The execution-style killing of four prisoners by the army's Special Forces – the latest in a string of violent incidents involving members of the military – has renewed calls for military personnel to be tried in civilian courts instead of by military tribunals, which lack accountability, transparency and neutrality, and foster a culture of impunity by handing down lenient sentences.

Kompas - March 30, 2013

Public mistrust

Public mistrust in the legal system accompanied by an alarming trend toward street justice appears to be on the rise, with a new LSI survey finding 57% of the public are dissatisfied with law enforcement and the majority believe that the police act unfairly and easily accommodate vested interests. An LSI survey in January 2010 found a 37% level of dissatisfaction, which grew to 41% in October 2010 and jumped to 50% in September 2011.

Kompas - March 27, 2013

Food Mafia

Cart reads Prices.

Critics warn that Indonesia's food supplies are currently under the control of a politically connected "food mafia", who are taking advantage of market liberalisation to throttle supplies and jack up prices, and have little concern about empowering farmers or contributing to food security.

Kompas - March 20, 2013

Political thuggery

Bag reads Political Thuggery, gun reads Politicisation of Thugs.

Clearly on the defensive after the execution-style killing of four prisoners by the army's Special Forces, the military is trying to portray the soldiers as "guardians of the people" in the fight against petty crime and thuggery. For most people however, the daily experience of extortion and violence is at the hands of the police, government officials and religious thugs, who act with impunity and often, the government's blessing.

Kompas - March 16, 2012

Let's run around naked

Anas: Come on, let's all run around naked then... if you've got the guts!

Observers say former Democrat Party chair and graft suspect Anas Urbaningrum is unlikely to follow through with threats to air the party's dirty laundry in public as it will only implicate him further in the Hambalang sports complex corruption scandal and undermine his own claims that he is innocent and a victim of a plot by President Yudhoyono (right) and his political rivals to oust him from the party.

Kompas - March 2, 2013