Adela Eka Putra Marza – After expressing their disagreement several days ago over the setting of the Jakarta minimum provincial wage (UMP) for 2015, which has declined relative to the value of the rupiah against the US dollar, on Wednesday November 26 workers finally took to the streets to convey their demand for a revision of the UMP.

Muhammad Muhyiddin, Jakarta – The walkout by 129 members of the Democratic Party faction just prior to the House of Representatives (DPR) vote on the Draft Law on Regional Elections (RUU Pilkada), which abolished the direct election of regional heads, appears to have been a political maneuver or game.

Jakarta – The vote count for the Prabowo Subianto and Hatta Rajasa (Prabowo-Hatta) presidential ticket at the army’s Special Forces (Kopassus) complex in Cijantung, East Jakarta, far surpassed the rival ticket of Joko Widodo and Jusuf Kalla (Jokowi-JK).

Atmi Pertiwi, Jakarta – US investigative journalist Allen Nairn has spoken out about Indonesia’s two presidential candidates. Although he has a negative opinion of presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto, his views about presidential candidate Joko “Jokowi” Widodo are not necessarily positive either.

Sherr Rinn – Between 2010-12 there was an awakening of the Indonesian labour movement that can be seen in the writings of people such as Danial Indrakusuma, Rahmat, Tarikh, Hidayah and Rekomendasi.

Kirmanto: Lebaran’s just around the corner...

Kid: Why’s it only just before Lebaran that the roads get fixed Dad?

Man: It’s what you might call a Holiday Bonus Gift Project fool!

Bahri Kurniawan, Jakarta – Commemorating 16 years since the attack on the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) headquarters on July 27, 1996, banners and a billboard filled the former site of the PDI office on Jl. Diponegoro in Central Jakarta.

Laurencius Simanjuntak – Founded on July 22, 1996, or when Suharto’s New Order regime was still savage and cruel, it was not an easy time for the People’s Democratic Party (PRD). Moreover the social-democrat orientated party explicitly declared its opposition to Suharto’s power.

Laurencius Simanjuntak – The revolutionary ideals of the People’s Democratic Party (PRD) founded 16 years ago were thwarted. The New Order regime of former President Suharto in a rage of fury obliterated the party only a few months after it was declared on July 22, 1996.

1st Man: Prices keep going up...

2nd Man: Prices shall go down

1st Man: What, just like that? Prices will go down?

2nd Man: I said so in a speech didn’t I?

Democracy in South-East Asia is currently under attack. After the Thai Embassy in Jakarta was the target of a demonstration on June 27 because the Thai government arrested Red Shirt activist leaders, today it was the turn of the Malaysian Embassy on Jl. HR Rasuna Said in Kuningan, South Jakarta, to be the target of demonstrators.

Jakarta – On Tuesday November 9 activists from the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) and other organisations working against violence and crimes against humanity visited the Coordinating Ministry of Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Kemko Polhukam) on Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat, Central Jakarta.

I respectfully bow my head
To all of you the victims
Because to you alone I shall bow my head
[But] to the oppressors
Never will I bow in submission
I shall always stand erect

Zely Ariane – In July 2008, Barrack Obama, now the United State’s new president elect said: “If someone launches a rocket at my home while my two sons are sleeping, then I would make every effort to put an end to them, and I hope that the Israeli people would also do the same” (www.Solidarity-US.org

[The following is a statement from (the temporary) National Collective of National Student League For Democracy-The Politics of The Poor (Liga Mahasiswa Nasional untuk Demokrasi-Politik Rakyat Miskin, LMND-PRM), Indonesia, about the capitalist crisis now and the solutions being taken by our government, the Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono-Jusuf Kalla re

Melly Febrida/M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – Hundreds of victims of the New Order regime will witness a hearing into the crimes committed by former President Suharto between 1965 and 1998.

Jakarta – On the afternoon of Thursday November 1, around 50 people from the Solidarity Network for the Families of Victims or JSKK again held a peaceful action in front of the State Palace in Central Jakarta.

A.J. Susmana – It has been 61 years since Indonesia declared itself as an independent nation. But the question so often asked by the cynical is: “Are we really free?”.

Windoro Adi – “We are grateful that the government has finally acknowledged our fallen son a hero of reformasi. They did not die in vain”, said Hiratetty, the mother of Elang Mulia Lesmana at a press conference at the Trisakti University campus on Monday May 8.

Ali Imran, Meulaboh – People in Meulaboh, West Aceh, are again starting to feel concerned after the appearance of a sticker which they are obliged to buy and display on their motorbikes.