Jakarta – It would be better if the deliberations on the Draft Law on Land Acquisition for Development be delayed while legal uncertainty over the control of land by communities remains unclear.

Man: They say to be involved in politics you have to be like a rat, sniff things out first, then bite!

Kid: That’s right dad! It’s also what’s called a political rat! – a play on the word politikus: politik (politics) + tikus (rat) = politician.

Jakarta – The House of Representatives (DPR) for the period 2009-2014 has been deliberating a packet of three political laws, namely Law Number 22/2007 on Election Organisers, Law Number 2/2008 on Political Parties and Law Number 10/2008 on the Election of Members of the DPR, DPD and DPRD.

Jakarta – The protection of human rights in Indonesia has further deteriorated over 2010.

M Hernowo and Anita Yossihara – The Joint Secretariat (Setgab) of political parties supporting the administration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. This was one of the important political “breakthroughs” in 2010, and the controversy surrounding it has continued to this day.

Alie: It’s your own fault for living in Mentawai, why didn’t you just become the speaker of the House!

Jakarta – The mechanism of checks and balances that should be carried out by the House of Representatives (DPR) over the government is progressively disappearing.

Jakarta – It is as though state has no presence any more. Thus was an assessment by Constitutional Court Chief Justice Mahfud MD in depicting the endless cases of violence in this country. Law enforcers, which it would be hoped are the means to resolve social conflicts, instead generate injustice.

M. Hernowo – On September 28, 2009, a House of Representatives (DPR) plenary session decided to accept the recommendations of the Special Committee on Missing Persons on the results of an investigation into the forced disappearances of activists in 1997-1998.

Jakarta – The government does not feel that it needs to get concerned about military cooperation with the United States, including over assurances about continued restoration of joint training between the two country’s special forces.

M Zaid Wahyudi – The growing number of ordinary people’s votes that are needlessly lost is a direct consequence of the application of an increasingly higher parliamentary threshold.

Lia Harahap, Jakarta – Three people wearing masks with pictures of pigs on them brought a clay earthen pitcher. They also waved monopoly money in the air.

Israel’s attack on a convey of six ships transporting humanitarian assistance for Gaza, the Freedom Flotilla, in international waters, resulted in the death and injury of civil

Hen Hen, Jakarta – A number of social and student organisations held a protest action in front of the House of Representatives (DPR) building on May 21 to commemorated 12 years of reformasi or political reform.

On Friday February 19, there was something different taking place at the Army’s Special Forces or Kopassus headquarters in Cijantung, East Jakarta.

Hery Winarno, Jakarta – As usual, Jakarta will again be marked by protest actions by people wishing to convey their demands. Once again, the parliament building and the State Palace will be the favorite locations for people to voice the public’s hopes.

The following is a compilation of abridged translations of the January 28 protest actions held around the country to commemorate the first 100 days of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's second administration. The reports are ordered alphabetically by city.

A new alliance or united front organization was formed in January in Indonesia to fight the current neo-liberal policies of the Indonesian government. Its leaflet calling for a January 28 protest action lists 17 organisations.

Kompas – The families of the victims of forced disappearances in 1997-1998 are hoping that the government will soon form a team to search for the 13 people still missing. It is hoped that this demand will be fulfilled before the end of the 100 hundred days of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono administration.

Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is being asked to immediately issue a presidential regulation in accordance with a request by the 2004-2009 House of Representatives (DPR) to establish an ad hoc human rights court. Neglecting the human rights agenda will have an affect on the gloomy outlook for human rights in 2010.