Jakarta – The Draft Law on Regional Elections (RUU Pilkada), which abolishes the direct election of regional heads and was successfully enacted into law (UU Pilkada) by the parties backing Prabowo Subianto’s Red and White Coalition (KMP) is a threat to democracy.

Jakarta – A 10-year old boy, Markus Yernirkolaus, suddenly appeared in the middle of a Kamisan (Thursday Action) and gave a speech about human rights violations by presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto.

Sunariyah, Jakarta – Workers apparently are still traumatised by the administration of former President Megawati Sukarnoputri. Although more than 10 years have passed, they still recall several of Megawati’s policies that brought suffering to workers. One of these was the policy on outsourcing that is still in force to this day.

Arif Wicaksono, Jakarta – Labour organisations are proposing the establishment of an alternative political party that would take up pro-people programs for the Indonesian nation. Up until now, there has been no political party that has been capable of providing welfare for the ordinary Indonesian people.

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.

Indramayu – A peaceful International Labour Day action ended in chaos when members of the Pancasila Youth (PP) attacked protesters during a May Day action in the West Java city of Indramayu on Wednesday May 1.

[The following is a joint statement by the Yogyakarta Working People’s Association-Political Organisation Congress (KPO-PRP), the Politics of the People (PR) and the People’s Liberation Party (PPR).]

Safari Sidakaton – International Women’s Day (IWD) was commemorated by a variety of different women’s communities and organisations that united under the International Women’s Day Action Committee (KAHPS), which presented a “Claim for Payment” to government institutions and agencies on Friday March 8.

Oktovianus Pogau, Jakarta – Scores of youths and students from the group Papuan National Solidarity (NAPAS) held a peaceful action in front of the Indonesian national police headquarters and the State Palace in Jakarta on the afternoon of Monday July 2 in protest against the spate of recent shootings in West Papua.

Jakarta – Humanitarian Solidarity for Papua (Skup) is urging all government institutions to end the stigmatisation of the Papuan people as separatists in responding to developments in West Papua.

Friends and comrades, all the people of Indonesia, are you aware of the escalating violence that has been taking place in West Papua over the last few days. Terror, violence and intimidation have become the daily face of life for the Papuan people.

Vitalis Yogi Trisna, A. Wisnubrata, Jakarta – West Papua is a region of Indonesia that is extraordinarily rich in natural resources and culture. Parts of Papua have even been designated as “a heaven that has been lost” because of its beauty.

PT Freeport Indonesia, a subsidiary of Freeport McMoran Cooper and Gold – of which 90.64 percent of the shares are owned by Freeport CEO James R. Moffet – is the largest mining company in the world. Freeport contributes 95 percent of the entire production of gold by Freeport McMoran and a significant percentage of its copper production.

[The following essay by Surya Anta was written in response to a series of questions, I emailed him yesterday, August 4, 2011 - Max Lane]

‘I am here to give solidarity, not as a provocateur’

Ari Saputra, Jakarta – The Malaysian Embassy in Jakarta has been ‘attacked en masse’ by scores of labour and youth activists condemning the arrest of 30 Malaysian Socialist Party (PSM) activists by the Malaysian government.

E Mei Amelia R, Jakarta – Indonesian police arrested three Malaysian citizens in relation to the 18th ASEAN Summit in Jakarta on May 7-8. The three were questioned for allegedly taking part in a demonstration at the ASEAN Secretariat on Jl. Sisingamangaraja in South Jakarta on May 5.

Yohan Wahyu – If we look at the still sidelined state of workers and employees, the need to unite and organise oneself should be a big one. The historical facts in Indonesia however show the reverse, with political parties claiming to be based among workers not in fact “selling well” in the eyes of the voting public.

The newly-formed union SPK-PPBI (Security Workers Union, aligned with the United Movement of Labour Indonesia) is calling for solidarity from unions and individuals.

Over the eight years of Venezuela Bolivarian Revolution, it has never been free of intervention, harassment and provocation by the United State government.

Alie Usman, Jakarta – Scores of demonstrators from the group Solidarity for Papua (SUP) that had gathered at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta on Monday June 28, ended up stopping at several points along the length of Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat on their way to the State Palace.