From left: Yudhoyono, Megawati Sukarnoputri, Jusuf Kalla.

Kid: It’s a festival of democracy, right dad? So how come they smile at each other on TV but criticise each other behind their backs?

Father: It’s a masquerade party, don’t you know!

Bandar Lampung – The Lampung province I regional leadership board (DPD) of the National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) is calling on its members to block presidential and vice presidential candidates that are pro-neoliberalism. They are also inviting the people to build a national coalition government for national self-sufficiency.

Kurniasih Budi, Jakarta – A group of workers who have declared themselves as a voluntary team to support Jusuf Kalla and Wiranto believe that Kalla’s performance has been better than the other presidential candidates.

Clowns on TV: Neoliberalism! People’s economics?

Man: The success team’s job? To campaign for the candidates’ respective programs... not...

First Man: It’s the rainy season, so how come it’s so hot?

Second Man: Local warming...

Writing on umbrella: Crisis

Clockwise from top: Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, Megawati Sukarnoputri, Prabowo Subianto, Wiranto, Hidayat Nur Wahid, Jusuf Kalla, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

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

Oppose the 2009 elections of the political elite – an election of the human rights violators, capitalists, corruptors and opportunist!

[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

Jakarta – The Talangsari incident in Lampung regency in February 1989 is threatened with the same fate as other cases of gross human rights violations.

Suwardiman – The geo-political map in the 2009 general elections could be very different from previous elections. Shifts in regional control may be largely coloured by the growth in the self-confidence of political parties following the election of regional heads (pilkada).

Ramadhian Fadillah, Jakarta – ExxonMobil is to be taken to court for allegedly supporting human rights violations by the Indonesian military (TNI) in Aceh.

Jakarta – The chairperson of the National Liberation Party of Unity’s (Papernas) advisory board, Dita Indah Sari, has decided to run as a legislative candidate under the Islamic based Star Reform Party (PBR).

Rafiqa Qurrata A., Jakarta – The deputy chairperson of the House of Representatives Commission III on law and human rights, Soeripto says the plan to assassinate Munir was put together during a National Intelligence Agency (BIN) meeting in 2004. At the time, Munir was included in the category ‘G” list or a ‘problem’.

Nurvita Indarini, Jakarta – A number of organisations are endeavouring to thwart the government’s plan to increase the price of fuel and are planning to besiege the State Palace in Central Jakarta on May 21 (the 10th anniversary of the overthrow of former President Suharto) and June 1.

Palembang, Kompas – The Munir murder case could become a political commodity in the 2009 elections if the government does not quickly solve the issue. In the end the case will only be politicised to improve the image of the political parties, presidential candidates or to hit out at their political opponents.

Sultani – The Indonesian public’s attention of late has been focused on the actions and maneuvering of political figures who want to nominate themselves as presidential candidates for the 2009 presidential elections.

Jakarta – In the midst of the current decline in the popularity of national leaders, a potential for the emergence of new leaders is opening up.

Banda Aceh – A plan by the Aceh government to liquidate the Asean Aceh Fertilizer (AAF) factory and have it managed by a foreign company has been opposed by the Aceh People’s Party (PRA). The PRA is instead calling for the government to restart operations at the factory.

Medan – A declaration and inauguration by the National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) in the North Sumatra provincial capital of Medan has been canceled. The event was planned to be held on the grounds of the Merdeka Medan Square on Tuesday Afternoon.

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.