Ivan Aditya, Sleman – A group of students calling themselves the Yogyakarta Indonesian Student Union (SMI) held a theatrical action opposing the 2014 elections at the Sunan Kalijaga Islamic State University (UIN) intersection in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta on Wednesday March 5.

Smoke reads: Natural disasters, volcanic eruptions, flash floods, politics, corruption, Constitutional Court bribes, Upstream Oil and Gas Regulator bribery, political parties, election witness fees...

Sign reads: 2014 Festival of Democracy (2014 legislative and presidential elections)

Man: It’s a level 3 alert!

Jakarta – Army Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad, Green Berets) commander Lieutenant General Gatot Nurmantyo has expressed doubts about the current course of democracy.

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.

Jakarta – More than half of voters are confused about the current political situation. A survey by the Soegeng Sarjadi School of Government indicates that as many as 51.45 percent of respondents have yet to make their choice of political party. Yet the 2014 legislative and presidential elections are less that a year away.

Kid: Is that for me, or you Mr?!

Batam – Scores of workers from the Indonesian Metal Trade Workers Federation (FSPMI) in Batam, Riau Islands, held a demonstration at the Batam Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) building on Tuesday July 2 urging house members to convey their concerns over the Draft Law on Mass Organisations (RUU Ormas).

Putra Prima Perdana, Bandung – Voices of protest against the Draft Law on Mass Organisations (RUU Ormas) have again been taken up by students.

Jakarta – The political system in Indonesia is controlled by a capitalist oligarchy. This group represents a handful of individuals who use material power to determine political policies and the election of public officials.

Is Mujiarso, Jakarta – Even when he was a political fugitive, Wiji Thukul could still joke. When it was raining, he once wrote in a poem: The rain falls tonight/to protect me/the secret police with such small wages/must be really annoyed...

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 – Presidential Instruction Number 2/2013 on The Handling of Domestic Security Disturbances is easily subject to misuse by regional heads for their own political interests. This is because regional governments themselves are often the cause of horizontal conflicts.

Aditya Revianur, Jakarta – The coordinator of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), Haris Ashar says that the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) should issue a list of 2014 presidential (capres) and legislative (caleg) candidates that have committed crimes against humanity.

Afriza Hanifa, Semarang – Scores of Papuan protesters from Papua National Solidarity (NAPAS) held an action in front of the East Java regional police headquarters in the provincial capital of Semarang on Thursday August 30.

Laurencius Simanjuntak – Founded on July 22, 1996, or when Suharto’s New Order regime was still savage and cruel, it was not an easy time for the People’s Democratic Party (PRD). Moreover the social-democrat orientated party explicitly declared its opposition to Suharto’s power.

Laurencius Simanjuntak – The revolutionary ideals of the People’s Democratic Party (PRD) founded 16 years ago were thwarted. The New Order regime of former President Suharto in a rage of fury obliterated the party only a few months after it was declared on July 22, 1996.

Poker machine reads: Election of Regional heads

Man: Jackpot democracy...

Jakarta – Humanitarian Solidarity for Papua (Skup) is urging all government institutions to end the stigmatisation of the Papuan people as separatists in responding to developments in West Papua.

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.

Vitalis Yogi Trisna, A. Wisnubrata, Jakarta – West Papua is a region of Indonesia that is extraordinarily rich in natural resources and culture. Parts of Papua have even been designated as “a heaven that has been lost” because of its beauty.