Jakarta – Mother’s Day, which is commemorated on December 22 each year, has different meanings. There are some who see it as a form of respect for the contribution by mothers and wives who struggle to take care of the family.

Jakarta – The Palm Oil Workers Coalition (KBS) has criticised the government for not involving workers in efforts to resolve the crude palm oil (CPO) dispute between Indonesia and the European Union. Yet the government frequently uses palm oil plantation works as a “shield” in the dispute.

Jakarta – The younger brother of missing radical street poet and labour activist Wiji Thukul, Wahyu Susilo, is urging presidential hopeful Prabowo Subianto to go to the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) and testify on the abduction and the forced disappearance of democracy activists by the Rose Team in 1997-98.

The Timber and Forestry Trade Union (SPKahut) is demonstrating at the House of Representatives (DPR) demanding the payment of back wages and severance pay from a pulp and paper company owned by Prabowo Subianto.

Jakarta (Antara) – A protest action against the execution of migrant worker Muhammad Zaini Misrin was held at the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Jakarta on Tuesday March 20.

The Indonesian People’s Center of Struggle (PPRI) has re-launched the Women’s Struggle Committee of the People (KPPR, Komite Perjuangan Perempuan Rakyat), which had begun to die down over the last few years, to coincide with the momemntum of commemorating International Women’s Day (IWD) which for the last 100 years has been commemorated on March

Migrant workers: We’re always the victims. Platform reads Foreign Exchange Heroes, bubble reads Legal Protection.

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.

Shesar Andriawan/FMB, Jakarta – According to Budi Wardoyo, the national secretary of Politics of the People and the Joint Labour Secretariat (Sekber Buruh) working body, complaints [by employers] about the large number of public holidays that cause a drop in productivity are simply a red herring.

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.

Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition for Workers’ Rights (KMSHB) has condemned Jakarta Military Commander Major General TNI Waris for being arrogant, anti-democratic and provocative.

Although during his 2009 election campaign President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono pledged to uphold human rights, the reality over the two years of his administration indicates a different reality. Human rights violations continue to occur and are disregard by the state.

Iman Herdiana, Bandung – The West Java provincial government office in Bandung has again been the target of hundreds of workers with around 500 people from the Indonesian Trade Union Congress Alliance (KASBI) besieging the Gedung Sate building.

Jakarta – The government should be more serious about controlling the rising rate of inflation. If the situation continues, people’s purchasing power, especially fixed-income labor groups, will continue to decline and impact on national consumption levels.

Hery Winarno, Jakarta – The inauguration of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) and Boediono as the president and vice president of the Republic of Indonesia for the period 2009-2014 will be the target of thousands of protesters. Scores of mass organisations will hold protest actions in front of the House of Representatives (DPR) building.

[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,

Jakarta “belonged” to workers yesterday when tens of thousands of protesters flooded on to the main streets of the capital city to commemorate Labour Day, which is popularly known as May Day.

Jakarta – The commemoration of International Women’s Day (IWD) was marked by the accumulation of bitter gifts in the form of the soaring price of basic commodities and soybean, the bacteria infection of powdered milk products and the high cost of education and healthcare.

Iqbal Fadil, Jakarta – As many as four demonstrations at four separate locations will be held in Jakarta today, Tuesday January 8. Those who do not wish to be inconvenienced by the actions should avoid the following locations.

Jakarta – On December 7, around 500 trade union members from the United Workers’ Alliance held a demonstration in front of the offices of the Provincial Legislative Council (DPRD) in Jakarta on Jalan Kebon Sirih Central Jakarta.