Defending Rights and Realising Just Economies: Human Rights Defenders and Business 2015-2024

The report highlights the risks faced by human rights defenders (HRDs) in Indonesia, using the Rempang Eco-City project as a case study. It details how residents of Rempang Island, including Indigenous seafarers, have faced violence, intimidation, and judicial harassment from government and private security forces while protesting a proposed USD11.6 billion glass and solar panel factory. The document notes that despite the goals of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JET-P) to decarbonise Indonesia's economy, projects like the Rempang Eco-City—which would rely on coal power—have led to evictions and physical attacks on community members.

• Human rights defenders in Indonesia face significant risks and reprisals when sharing information regarding environmental and human rights risks linked to renewable energy, palm oil, mining, and other business ventures.
• The Rempang Eco-City project, developed by PT Makmur Elok Graha (MEG) and involving a proposed USD11.6 billion factory by Xinyi International Investment, has led to protests over land rights, loss of livelihoods, and violations of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), threatening the eviction of approximately 7,500 residents.
• Residents opposing the Rempang Eco-City project have been subjected to state and private violence, including the use of teargas by police on 7 September 2023, and a December 2024 attack by PT Makmur Elok Graha employees using weapons such as machetes, knives, and clubs.
• The Indonesian government used judicial harassment against community defenders, including criminal charges against Siti Hawa, Sani Rio, and Abu Bakar, though these charges were dropped in February 2025 following civil society outcry.

APA

TrendAsia (2025). Defending Rights and Realising Just Economies: Human Rights Defenders and Business 2015-2024. Trend Asia. https://trendasia.org/en/defending-rights-and-realising-just-economies-human-rights-defenders-and-business-2015-2024/

Chicago

TrendAsia. Defending Rights and Realising Just Economies: Human Rights Defenders and Business 2015-2024. Trend Asia, 2025. https://trendasia.org/en/defending-rights-and-realising-just-economies-human-rights-defenders-and-business-2015-2024/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=TrendAsia |title=Defending Rights and Realising Just Economies: Human Rights Defenders and Business 2015-2024 |publisher=Trend Asia |date=26 May 2025 |url=https://trendasia.org/en/defending-rights-and-realising-just-economies-human-rights-defenders-and-business-2015-2024/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{trendasia2025defending, author = {TrendAsia}, title = {{Defending Rights and Realising Just Economies: Human Rights Defenders and Business 2015-2024}}, institution = {Trend Asia}, year = {2025}, month = may, url = {https://trendasia.org/en/defending-rights-and-realising-just-economies-human-rights-defenders-and-business-2015-2024/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }