Attention and concern. Something ordinary people hope for from their leaders. Such hopes were clearly apparent when Justice and Human Rights Minister Patrialis Akbar visited the Abepura Penitentiary in Papua on Saturday May 15.

Mega Putra Ratya, Jakarta – Around 200 people from the Indonesian People’s Opposition Front (FOR Indonesia) held an action in which 100 candles were lit at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta to commemorate 17 years since the murder of labour activist Marsinah.

Anung Wendyartaka – To this day there has yet to be any visible sign of a breakthrough in the improvement of workers’ standard of living. On the one hand, the basic rights possessed by the working class are still felt to be inadequate and on the other, workers themselves appear to fail to appreciate their existence.

Jakarta – Thousands of workers from various different labour organisations and alliances arrived in waves at the State Palace on Jl. Merdeka Utara to commemorate May Day on Saturday May 1.

Vivi W – Commemorating May Day, 5,000 workers from the Workers Challenge Alliance (ABM) held a protest action in Jakarta today against the pro-capitalist administration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Boediono (SBY-Boediono), which have consistently brought suffering to the Indonesian working class.

Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta – May Day was also commemorated by hundreds of workers in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta with demands for the abolition of contract labour, wage increases and for May 1 to be designated as a national holiday.

Rohman Taufiq, Surabaya – Students in the Central Java provincial capital of Surabaya enlivened a protest action when they joined workers commemorating May Day on Saturday May 1 in front of the State Grahadi building.

Muchus Budi R., Solo – Hundreds of workers in the Central Java city of Solo commemorated May Day by holding a cultural action and free speech forum, in which they rejected the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA) agreement and planned electricity rate hikes.

Abd Azis, Makassar – Scores of students from the United Anti-Global Neoliberalism People’s Movement for a Makassar Revolution (Makassar Revolutionary Gate, GRM) commemorated May Day with a demonstration at the Panakkukang Mall in the South Sulawesi provincial capital of Makassar on Saturday May 1.

Ambrosius Harto, Samarinda – Around 100 worker and student activists commemorated May Day with a demonstration at the East Kalimantan governor’s office in Samarinda on Saturday May 1.

Triono Wahyu Sudibyo, Semarang – Hundreds of workers and activists in the Central Java provincial capital of Semarang commemorated May Day by calling for improved welfare and labour conditions.

Khairul Ikhwan, Medan – Commemorating May Day today, thousands of students, workers and social organisations held a long-march through the main streets of the North Sumatra provincial capital of Medan on Saturday May 1.

Arif Ardiansyah, Jakarta – Journalists from the print and electronic media in the South Sumatra city of Palembang commemorated May Day on Saturday May 1 expressing concerns about union busting and low wages in the media industry.

Muhammad Taufik, Mojokerto – The commemoration of May Day in the East Java city of Mojokerto on Saturday May 1 was joined by around 5,000 workers from various parts of the regency who held a protest action in front of the Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) and the regional government offices.

Sofian, Jakarta – Loading and unloading activities at the Koja Container Terminal (TPK Koja) in North Jakarta were paralyzed by a strike that began at midnight on May 1 and will continue for two days.

Muhammad Taufiqqurahman, Jakarta – A clash between hundreds of workers and police broke out during the commemoration of May Day in front of the State Palace in Central Jakarta on Saturday when demonstrators became angry after police arrested a protester who they alleged was a provocateur.

Ayu Fritriana, Jakarta – During a break in the labour demonstrations in Jakarta, a rat joined the protest action. Of course it wasn’t a real rat.

Ratih P Sudarsono, Bogor – Around 400 workers in the city of Bogor commemorated May Day by spending Saturday afternoon enjoying popular dangdut music at the Bogor Botanical Gardens.

Ahmad Fikri, Bandung – A number of labour and peasant organisations in the West Java provincial capital of Bandung commemorated May Day by holding a protest action in front of the governor’s office.

Rofiqi Hasan, Denpasar – Scores of workers and non-government organisation (NGO) activists commemorated May Day with a protest action at the Badjra Sandhi Monument in the Balinese provincial capital of Denpasar on Saturday May 1.