Asia Justice and Rights - AJAR

08/10/2026

From 18 to 22 September 2026, we organised the Care, Courage, Collective Power Workshop for 21 Human Rights Defenders across Asia. Over five transformative days, participants mapped their realities, examined the challenges of shrinking civic spaces, and shared powerful stories and lessons of resilience from Indigenous women, conflict zone defenders, and LGBTQI+ movements.

Together, they engaged in crucial dialogues with UN OHCHR and explored practical tools for protection, including strategies for mental well-being through a psychological first aid session. Defenders also deepened their understanding of transitional justice, built digital resilience, and learned how to leverage social media for creative resistance.

Beyond classroom sessions, participants took part in a study visit to Taman 65, a community-led memorialisation space for the 1965 massacre in Bali. To sustain their well-being, the workshop integrated morning walk to the beach, yoga and evening joyful movement.

Ultimately, this workshop served as a vital space for HRDs to reflect, rest, and re-strategise. Hopefully, the participants will continue to connect, collaborate, and build enduring solidarity through the Asia HRD Learning Hub.

08/10/2026

Our book Light and Shadow of the Fireflies: A Memory Book of Survivors’ Stories, 1975–1999 is published!
Read it on our website https://asia-ajar.org/resources/books-research/light-and-shadow-of-the-fireflies-a-memory-book-of-survivors-stories-1975-1999/

02/10/2026

Thank you for everyone that came to the film discussion on ‘Myanmar Diaries’.

The discussion highlighted how the film represents many lives that were affected by the coup, while also reminding us of the importance of continuing to talk about and remember the resistance of people fighting for democracy.

We thank Galuh Wandita and Kelana Wisnu as a speaker, and Nany Afrida who moderated the discussion.

The photo exhibition The Coup Year: A Visual Chronicle of Resistance in Myanmar will be held until 11th of October. There will be several film discussions and a book launch. We look forward to welcoming you again and continuing the conversation. See you at the next event!

20/09/2026

📢 Opening Event | The Coup Years

Join us for the opening of The Coup Years: A Visual Chronicle of Resistance in Myanmar in Jakarta, featuring a panel discussion on “What ‘ASEAN Way’ for Myanmar?”

The discussion will explore ASEAN’s role and approach to Myanmar, with Mercy Chriesty Barends (Parliamentarian, DPR RI / APHR) and Debbie Stothard (ALTSEAN), moderated by Rosalia Sciortino (SEA Junction).

📅 26 September 2026
🕔 5:00–8:00 PM
📍 Dia.Lo.Gue. Artspace, Jakarta
🗣️ English–Indonesian simultaneous interpretation
📺 The event will also be livestreamed on SEA Junction’s Facebook.

, ArtExhibition Jakarta IndonesianArt ArtJakarta

07/09/2026

Remembering the Suai Massacre | 6 September 1999

On 6 September 1999, civilians seeking refuge at Suai Church were attacked by pro-integration militias, with the involvement of Indonesian military forces. Around 200 civilians were killed, including three priests who had tried to protect the people seeking safety inside the church.

The violence did not end with the massacre. Survivors and families were forced from their homes, women and girls faced abuse, and many bodies were taken across the border to West Timor. Almost three decades later, many families still do not know the fate or burial place of their loved ones.

Survivors and victims’ families have continued to gather each year to remember those they lost and keep their memories alive. Known as Setembro Negro (Black September), these commemorations have become an important act of remembrance where survivors and victims’ families continue to hope for the return of their missing loved ones, meaningful recognition from the state, healthcare and social support, and genuine reconciliation grounded in truth and justice.

31/08/2026

This 30th of August 2026 marks two decades of the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances. To commemorate this, we look back at the histories of conflict and authoritarian rule in Indonesia and Timor-Leste. Our recent research highlights the often-overlooked impact on victims’ families, particularly women, who have fought for decades to make their voices heard.

The impact of enforced disappearance does not end with the disappearance—it continues to shape families and communities across generations. We call on governments, institutions, and communities to listen to survivors and families, uphold their rights to truth, justice, and reparations, recognise the gendered impacts of enforced disappearances, and take meaningful action to ensure these violations never happen again.

To read more, check our website https://asia-ajar.org/resources/policy-papers/in-the-shadow-of-absence-women-searching-for-the-disappeared-in-indonesia-and-timor-leste/or scan the QR code on the last slide.

27/08/2026

Watch this podcast by AJAR Timor Leste with the title: “Invasion of Mafia Scam Call Centres and the Threat to Timor-Leste's Democracy” in
Educational Series and Public Campaign to Strengthen Human Rights and Democracy

Serial Edukasaun no Kampaña PublikuBa Hametin Direitu Umanus no De...

27/08/2026

On 25 August 2025, Rohingya Refugees in Cox Bazaar commemorated the Rohingya Genocide Remembrance Day with a march in the camp and painting and embroidery activity visualising their home and longing for home.

Nine years after the 2017 genocide, over a million Rohingya refugees are still trapped in exile, facing dwindling aid, dangerous living conditions, and the threat of forced return.

09/07/2026

BUKAE: Sobrevivente La'o ba Justisa (Survivors Walking Towards Justice) tells the story of some of Timor-Leste's forgotten survivors of sexual violence during and after the Indonesian occupation. Although Timor-Leste gained its independence in 1999, many survivors still await meaningful recognition and redress from the state. The effects of this violence have proven enduring and intergenerational, and it now shapes the lives of children and families who continue to face prejudice, exclusion, and ongoing trauma.

Innitially released earlier this year by AJAR Timor-Leste, the documentary is being relaunched to mark the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture and to honour the lives of those who have been marginalised and overlooked.

Swipe to see a glimpse of the documentary and watch the full film on AJAR's YouTube channel! Click the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sFLCEsF5vg or scan the QR code on the last picture. We implore you to stand with these survivors in their continuing pursuit of recognition and justice!