Mehulika Sitepu, Indonesia – Police used water cannons to disperse a rally by Papuan near the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta on Thursday December 1.

Arnold Belau, Jayapura – Indonesian colonial police arrested 221 people on December 1 in three different cities with 203 people arrested in Jakarta, four in Sentani, West Papua and 14 people in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta.

Melki Pangaribuan, Jakarta – Through an unpretentious press conference at the offices of the Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) in Jakarta on Thursday November 29, the Indonesian People’s Front for West Papua (FRI-West Papua) declared its support for self-determination for the people of Papua, which they refer to as the West Papuan nation.

Surya Anta – Increasingly broad mobilisations by the Papuan people in recent years shows that there must be a new assessment of West Papuan as an entity. An entity that should be, must be, recognised as a nation.

Muhammad Kemal Macharani, Jakarta – Scores of activists from the movement Indonesia Without Militarism (ITM) held a protest action in front of the State Place in Central Jakarta.

Jakarta – Scores of demonstrators from the Indonesian People’s United Resistance (PPRI) demonstrated in front of the Presidential Palace in Central Jakarta on Wednesday May 20 calling on President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to abdicate from his throne.

Jakarta – Indonesian People’s United Resistance (PPRI) spokesperson Surya Anta believes that the administration of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo is one that relies on the interests of the political elite so it cannot take Indonesia in a better direction.

Andri Yunarko, Jakarta – On Monday April 27 the Indonesian People’s United Resistance (PPRI) held a press conference at the offices of the Jakarta Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) to declare its position on the commemoration of International Labour Day or M

Jakarta – International Women’s Day (IWD) was commemorated by various different elements of society who held a demonstration in the vicinity of the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta on Sunday March 8.

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.

Kartika Virgianti, Jakarta – One hundred and thirty-two civil society and non-government organisations (NGOs) have expressed their concern over Indonesian democracy which will soon return to the era of the New Order dictatorship.

Yogi Bayu Aji, Jakarta – The Political Alternative Committee Alliance (AKPA) held a protest action at the General Election Commission (KPU) offices on Jl. Imam Bonjol in Central Jakarta on Thursday March 13 calling on the public to oppose the 2014 elections.

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.

[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’

Surya Anta, a leading member of People’s Liberation Party (formerly KPRM-PRD), was arrested by the Metro Jaya regional police in Jakarta at 12noon on August 1.