Batam – Scores of workers from the Indonesian Metal Trade Workers Federation (FSPMI) in Batam, Riau Islands, held a demonstration at the Batam Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) building on Tuesday July 2 urging house members to convey their concerns over the Draft Law on Mass Organisations (RUU Ormas).

Jakarta – The Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI) and a number of Islamic mass organisations oppose attempts to ban female circumcision by any groups on the grounds that it represents a religious teaching, the implementation of which is a human right protected by the Indonesian constitution.

Denpasar – Scores of workers in the Balinese provincial capital of Denpasar from the Unity for a People’s Independent Nation (Perkasa) demanded that the Bali provincial government immediately form an independent labour supervisory committee.

Khaerudin, Nasru Alam Aziz, Jakarta – The disparity and gap between those who are rich and poor in Indonesia is clearly illustrated by data on the control of national productive assets.

Jakarta – The proposed banning of mini-skirts in an around the House of Representatives (DPR) was one of the issues taken up in an action commemorating International Women’s Day in front of the State Palace in Central Jakarta on Thursday.

Fatkhurrohman Taufiq and Hari Tri Wasono, Surabaya – The second year of the administration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) and Vice President Boediono was commemorated with protests on Tuesday October 20 by students, workers and even street children in the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya and the nearby East Java city of Kedi

Jakarta – The political elite in this country should use the holy fasting month of Ramadan as a moment for introspection and evaluation, to ask whether their policies side with the ordinary people or not.

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.

Labour activists from the Workers Challenge Alliance (ABM), the Yogyakarta Labour Alliance (ABY), the Greater Jakarta Labour Federation of Struggle (FBPJ) and the United Indonesian Labour Movement-Security Employees Union (SPK-PPBI) explicitly opposed further labour liberalisation.

Jakarta – The Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) along with several legal institutions have submitted a request for a judicial review with the Constitutional Court against Law Number 4/PNPS/1963 dated April 23, 1963, on the securing of printed materials whose contents could disturb public order.

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – “The courts are simply an extension of the perpetrators of human rights violations”. Thus spoke the late human rights activist Munir during a speech at a demonstration at the Supreme Court in 2004. Likewise is the human rights situation at the start of 2009, including the investigation into his murder.

Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta – Scores of residents in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta held an action today opposing the enactment of the Draft Anti-Pornography Law. The reason, the draft law will harm the Indonesian nation’s spirit of diversity.

Djoko Tjiptono, Jakarta – Scores of student from the Student Action Front for Reform and Democracy (Famred) have again taken to the streets to demand the government nationalise foreign-owned oil and gas companies.

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – Government opposition figures gathered at the Century Park Hotel in the Senayan area of Central Jakarta on Saturday July 5 to discuss the problems of the nation, which may possibly become an arena of lobbying by the political elite in the lead up to the 2009 general elections.

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – There are steps being taken by the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) that are damaging the interests of the state and even benefiting the interests of other parties.

Beginning last Monday, the National Student League for Democracy (LMND) held two-day demonstrations in Jakarta to rally the campaign for the nationalisation of oil, gas, and mining industries.

Jakarta – Over the last three years of the administration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the upholding of human rights has been limited to building a good image. This can be seen from the administration’s concentration on issues to maintain its power.

Rofiuddin, Sohirin, Semarang – Victims of the September 30 Movement/Indonesian Communist Party (G30S/PKI) affair will issue a summons against President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono because up until now the president has never provided rehabilitation to the victims of the 1965 affair.