During the era of Suharto’s New Order regime, People’s Democratic Party (PRD) activists were very popular. The socialist based organisation was known as a group of young people who resisted Suharto. During the era of reformasi however, they have been unable to find a place for themselves and remain unpopular.

Jakarta – Activists throughout Indonesia will change their strategy in the war against the government, which they say is issuing policies that bring suffering to the people. They will no longer wage war in a spontaneous manner, but unit to fight against government policies that fail to side with the poor.

Jumadi, Makassar – The elections for mayor and deputy mayor in the South Sulawesi provincial capital of Makassar is heating up. An activist from the South Sulawesi Indonesian Poor People’s Union (SRMI), Wahidah Baharuddin Upa, has declared that she will nominate himself to enliven the Makassar municipal electoral contest.

[The following is a slightly abridged translation of a statement by the People's Struggle Front (FPR) condemning recent acts of violence by police against peaceful protests opposing the Indonesian government's planned fuel price hikes.]

Greeting of struggle,

[The following is a compilation of abridged translations from Detik.com and Tempo Interactive covering protest actions around the country on May 21 against the Indonesian government's planned fuel price increases.]

Anti-fuel price hike protest in Bogor ends in clash

Kediri – Protest actions against the government’s planned fuel price hikes continued in a number of cities around the country. Demonstrations by housewives, pedicab drivers, vegetable vendors, the urban poor and students took place in Makassar, Kediri, Yogyakarta, Semarang, Bandung and Sukabumi on Friday May 9.

Surabaya – The commemoration of International Labour Day on Thursday May 1 was marked with protest actions in several East Java cities. Workers and students also held demonstrations in Bandung, Denpasar, Palembang and Bandar Lampung.

Arfi Bambani Amri, Jakarta – Two protest actions will be taking place in Jakarta today. The first protest will be at the Supreme Court building on Jl. Medan Merdeka Utara in Central Jakarta and the second at the Attorney General’s Office on Jl. Sisingamangaraja in South Jakarta.

Vivi W. – Five hundred protesters from the Indonesian Student Union (SMI) held an action today on Thursday February 14 in Central Jakarta. The protest took up a number of key demands including freedom of expression, opinion and association on campus, the revocation of Directorate General for Higher Education Decree No.

Khairul Ikhwan, Medan – On Thursday afternoon, January 31, hundreds of people from the Try Suharto People’s Committee (Koras) held a protest action in front of the North Sumatra Regional House of Representatives building on Jl. Imam Bonjol in Medan.

Jakarta – The large number of incumbent officials that have been loosing in regional elections is being caused by a number of factors, including the public’s rejection of status quo forces and a desire to vote for new leaders. The preferences for a new face is originating from the floating masses whose numbers are considerable.

Makassar, Kompas – On the morning of Monday October 29, police officers from the East Makassar district police in South Sulawesi sabotaged a planned meeting of the National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) that was to be held at the Makassar Bhumibhakti Adhiguna Public Hall. Police said that meeting organisers did not have a permit.

Welcome back to New Perspectives (Perspektif Baru), I’m Jaleswari Pramodhawardani and I’m here with Zely Ariane, an activist from the Perempuan Mahardhika National Network. Today we will be speaking about an issue that is of concern to us all, the urban poor.

Wibatsu Ari Sudewo, Solo – Over the last two years, the National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) has become hot news in the Central Java city of Solo and other parts of the country. This new party has indeed triggered controversy after it was accused of being a reincarnation of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).

Agustinus, Jakarta – Despite being attacked by right-wing thugs on March 29, the National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) will declare itself in June. This was confirmed by Papernas general secretary Haris Sitorus during discussions with Media Indonesia in Jakarta on Thursday March 29.

J. Osdar – Indonesian journalists roared with laughter when they witnessed the general elections or great election in the Malaysian state of Sabah in 1985. The total number of voters was only 300,000 out of a population of 1.2 million. But more than 30 political parties had registered to contest the elections.

[The following is a compilation of abridged translations of protests between November 15-16 against US President George W. Bush's planned visit to the West Java city of Bogor on November 20. Translated by James Balowski.]

No end in sight for Anti-Bush demonstrations in Bogor

[The following is a compilation of abridged translations of protests between November 10-14 against US President George W. Bush's planned visit to the West Java city of Bogor on November 20. Translated by James Balowski.]

Makassar student demonstrate a mall, hotel against Bush visit

Shinta Shinaga, Jakarta – Female circumcision is indeed already a tradition in Indonesia. However the medical world is now becoming concerned about the practice of removing the clitoris. The results of a Detik.com poll indicated that female circumcision must be banned.

Jakarta, Kompas – Commemorating International Women’s Day on March 8, women in Jakarta, Banda Aceh, Yogyakarta and Makassar held peaceful actions demanding that the government and the House of Representatives (DPR) resolve the nation’s major problems.