Windoro Adi – It was just like the good old days when on the afternoon of Friday July 28, RMH Heroe Syswanto NS Soerio Soebagio, who is affectionately called Sys NS, appeared once again in an event at a hotel in Jakarta.

Radzie, Banda Aceh – A statement by Indonesia’s senior representative on the Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM), Major General Bambang Darmono, which categorised the Aceh Referendum Information Center (SIRA) as an illegal organisation has been condemned by civil activist groups in Aceh.

Banda Aceh – Dozens of students from Student Solidarity for the People (SMUR) held a peaceful action at the Simpang Lima roundabout in the Acehnese provincial capital of Banda Aceh on May 19. The action was protesting the decision by the Attorney General to terminate the legal case against former President Suharto.

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.

After triggering a wave of protests, the government’s version of the draft revision of the labour law has been canceled.

Jakarta – Around 100 women activists from the Women’s Anti-Poverty Movement (GPAK) held a peaceful action at the State Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday March 8 to commemorate International Women’s Day.

Yophiandi Kurniawan, Jakarta – The general chairperson of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Megawati Sukarnoputri, is pessimistic that the implementation of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the government and the Free Aceh Movement will be in accordance with expectations.

Gede Suardana, Denpasar – A sentence of five months jail and 10 months probation is being sought by the prosecution for 12 Udayana University students from the People’s Struggle Front for Democracy (Front Perjuangan Rakyat untuk Demokrasi, Frontier).

Gatot Prihanto, Jakarta – The plan by the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) to infiltrate radical Islamic groups in order to cripple terrorism is a step backwards. If BIN’s actions are followed by other government institutions it could turn Indonesia into an intelligence state.

Veronika Kusuma Wijayanti, Jakarta – Rats. Student released the animals – which are often the symbol of corruption – into the Jakarta police headquarters at a demonstration on Monday October 31. Fifteen white rats that had been given this names of corrupt police officers even assailed the offices of national police chief General Sutanto.

Jakarta – The first anniversary of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Jusuf Kalla (SBY-JK) on Thursday October 20 was accompanied by demonstrations in a number of place in Indonesia including in front of the State Palace (Jakarta), Solo (Central Java) and Palembang (South Sumatra).

[The following is a compilation of abridged translations on demonstrations between September 16-25 against the government’s plan to increase fuel prices by as much as 60 per cent on October 1.]

Malang students oppose fuel price increases

Detik.com – September 16, 2005

Triono Wahyu Sudibyo, Semarang – Old, young and even the children of Semarang gathered to commemorate a year since the death of human rights activist Munir. Calling themselves the People Against State Violence (Masyarakat Anti Kekerasan Negara, Makna) they held a ‘music performance’.

AK-41, Bandung – The All-Java Aceh Social Forum in Bandung has succeeded in reaching an agreement to support the signing of the Helsinki peace agreement. The signing of the agreement between the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) will take place in Helsinki on August 15.

Jakarta – The former director of the National Intelligence Agency (BIN), AM Hendropriyono, says there is no requirement for him to fulfill the summons from the Fact Finding Team (TPF) investigating the murder of human rights activist Munir.

Dusk had only just fallen when a black Land Cruiser entered the grounds of the national police headquarters on Jalan Trunojoyo in South Jakarta on Sunday May 29. Just a few metres from the gate the vehicle stopped. “Should we turn right Sir? To the chief of police’s office”, asked the driver. “Ah, you. No!

Ayu Cipta-Tempo, Jakarta – Bay Harkat Jonday Firdaus, a sixth semester English literature student from the faculty of culture and humanities at the Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University (UIN) in Ciputat, South Jakarta, could face 10 months jail for insulting the head of state.

Jakarta – Lively commemorations of May Day on May 1 were celebrated in demonstrations by labour organisations, political parties and other social organisations in a number of parts of the country. The largest demonstrations were held in Jakarta and the West Java provincial capital of Bandung.

[The following is an abridged translation of a selection of articles from Detik.com which were posted on its web site between March 15-18.

Muchus Budi R., Solo – International Women’s Day (IWD) which fell on March 8 was commemorated by demonstrations in the Central Java city of Solo. The actions was organised by two small groups with the same aims, opposing fuel price increases which they believe will further worsen the economic conditions of the people.