Political situation Dealing with the consequences of years of dictatorship

For a long time, the political culture in Indonesia was characterised by clientelism, a parliament that was not always able to assert itself, a lack of transparency in the judicial, financial and security sectors, and a cumbersome administration that was prone to corruption.

In many areas, the necessary reforms have not yet been completed. For example, the justice system is often still unable to comprehensively guarantee due process under the rule of law. Corruption remains widespread, and the government’s efforts to combat it sometimes meet with considerable resistance. In the Corruption Perceptions Index (External link) compiled by the non-governmental organisation Transparency International, Indonesia ranks 110th out of the 180 countries evaluated (2022).

The human rights situation is good overall. Deficits are to be found above all in connection with protecting ethnic, religious and sexual minorities (see also Social situation). There is also need for action with regard to gender equality: women are significantly underrepresented in leadership positions in politics, administration, business, the judiciary and the education system. Despite a legal ban, the practice of female genital mutilation is still widespread. After six years of debate the Indonesian parliament passed a law to fight sexual violence in April 2022. This has made the prosecution of cases of domestic violence, for example, easier and stricter. However, enforcing the corresponding penalties is difficult because of religiously and culturally inspired resistance.

There has been progress on achieving the goal of eradicating child labour. However, it is estimated that hundreds of thousands of children are still expected to contribute to the family income, for example by working in agriculture.

Freedom of the press and freedom of opinion are guaranteed in principle. However, intimidation and attacks on journalists still occur frequently. Given the lack of clarity in the definition of certain crimes (such as slander, libel and blasphemy), they are regularly at risk of being prosecuted for their reporting activities.

The regional conflicts and sometimes violent disputes of the past have become less acrimonious. The former Indonesian province of Timor-Leste, the occupation of which was accompanied by grave human rights violations, became independent in 2002. Since then, both countries have been working towards reconciliati(Moluccas), where ethnic and religious tensions have largely been put to rest.

In West Papua, violent clashes between separatist gron and good neighbourly relations. The province of Aceh gained wide-ranging autonomy in 2002, ending decades of fighting. The situation has also stabilised in Central Sulawesi and on the Maluku Islands oups and government security forces continue to take place. Many people from the provinces in the western part of the island of New Guinea do not identify ethnically and culturally with Indonesia, and are demanding more autonomy or even independence. They accuse the central government in Jakarta and members of other ethnic groups who have settled in Papua of discrimination and economic exploitation.