[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).]

Dani Prabowo, Jakarta – Thousands of workers from the Labour Joint Secretariat (Sekber Buruh) held a protest action at the General Election Commission (KPU) building on Jl. Imam Bonjol in Central Jakarta at 11.30am on Wednesday May 1.

Putra Prima Perdana, Bandung – Shouts of “Free Papua” resounded from a megaphone belonging to the Papuan Students Alliance (AMP) in the midst of a demonstration by hundreds of workers commemorating International Labour Day in front of the Gedung Sate governor’s office in the West Java provincial capital of Bandung on Wednesday May 1.

Suhartono, Jakarta – The Labour Secretariat (Sekber Buruh) in Jakarta and the satellite cities of Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi is calling on the thousands of workers planning to hold actions on May Day to establish a people’s party, that is truly of the people and for the people themselves.

Zico Nurrashid Priharseno, Jakarta – Around 30 people from the Women’s Action Committee (KAP) held a protest action at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta on Sunday April 21.

Heru Sri Kumoro, Jakarta – Scores of workers from the Association of Independent Trade Unions (GSBI) commemorated Kartini Day on Sunday April 21 with a protest action at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta.

Yogyakarta – Scores of activists from the Yogyakarta Women’s Network (JPY) in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta demonstrated at the regional police headquarters on Tuesday July 3.

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.

The following is a compilation of abridged translations from the Indonesian media on commemorations held around the country to mark 19 years since the death of labour activist Marsinah. Marsinah was a women activist who led a strike at the PT Catur Putra Surya watch factory in Surabaya, East Java.

Today, May 1, coinciding with the commemoration of International Labour Day, the Greater Jakarta Joint Labour Secretariat (Sekber Buruh) again took to the streets. This was done as a protest and as our responsibility to convince the majority of people that this beloved country is still living in misery.

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.

Adan Bakar, Lampung – A May Day action in the South Sumatra city of Lampung ended in chaos on Tuesday after scores of protesters were involved in a clash with public order agency officers (Satpol PP). As a result one student was injured.

Ismoko Widjaya, Harry Ondo Saragih, Medan – Around 2000 workers blockaded a road directly in front of the Polonia Airport in the North Sumatra provincial capital of Medan on the afternoon of Tuesday May 1. As a result traffic from the city center was paralyzed causing a 5 kilometre traffic jam in both directions.

Baban Gandapurnama, Bandung – Thousands of workers and other groups, which took to the streets to commemorate International Labour Day or May Day at the Gedung Sate governor’s office in the West Java Provincial capital of Bandung, voiced almost identical demands.

Angling Adhitya Purbaya, Semarang – Commemorating May Day, thousands of workers from the Workers Challenge Movement (Gerbang) held a protest action at the Central Java governors’ office on Jl. Pahlawan in the Central Java provincial capital of Semarang.

Jakarta – As many as 100,000 workers from an alliance of trade unions held May Day action in front of the State Palace in Central Jakarta on Tuesday May 1 demanding welfare for the working class.

Taufan Mustafa, Banda Aceh – A demonstration commemorating International Labour Day in the Achenese provincial capital of Banda Aceh on Tuesday May 1 began with a convoy from the Raya Baiturrahman Mosque to the Aceh governor’s office.

Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta – Thousands of students and workers in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta commemorated International Labour Day or May Day on Tuesday May 1.

Chazizah Gusnita, Jakarta – May 1 is not just for celebrating International Labour Day. In Papua, people commemorated May as the day Papua was annexed into the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI). More than 1300 people took to the streets.

Akhirul Anwar/JIBI, Jogja – Scores of people from the United People’s Committee (KBR) held an action in front of the Beringharjo Market on Jl. Ahmad Yani in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta on the afternoon of Friday April 27.