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.

Ezra Sihite/Rizky Amelia/Ulin Yusron – It’s not just Ahok that has been brought into the central leadership board, but scores of retired generals have also joined the ranks of the Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra Party) elite. In addition to this, there are family members and activists.

Atmi Pertiwi, Jakarta – Twenty or so women from the Women’s Justice Forum (Forum Keadilan Perempuan, FKP) distributed around 500 stickers on busses and city public transport vehicles at the Kampung Rambutan bus terminal in East Jakarta on March 6. Written on the yellow stickers was, “Stop rape and sexual harassment”.

In the home and in the streets, women are being raped. The government and the parliament are ignoring cases of rape and are complicit in sexual violence against women.

Yohan Wahyu – Most of the recent social upheavals have been triggered by a decline in public trust in the state. Public pessimism towards the government's performance has stimulated the emergence of several mass movements, from solidarity actions through to the social media and mass blockades.

Ari Saputra, Jakarta – Reports of moves by member of the House of Representative’s (DPR) Commission I on defense, foreign affairs and communication to overturn the United States ban on Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin entering the US has been criticised by human rights victims.

Jakarta – On Tuesday November 9 activists from the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) and other organisations working against violence and crimes against humanity visited the Coordinating Ministry of Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Kemko Polhukam) on Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat, Central Jakarta.

Jakarta – It is as though state has no presence any more. Thus was an assessment by Constitutional Court Chief Justice Mahfud MD in depicting the endless cases of violence in this country. Law enforcers, which it would be hoped are the means to resolve social conflicts, instead generate injustice.

Anwar Khumaini, Jakarta – Newly appointed Deputy Minister of Defence Lieutenant General Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin has already once been refused entry into the United States. He does not however feel there will be any difficulties in performing his duties in the superpower country.

Jakarta – A coalition of non-government organisations (NGOs) have expressed their opposition to the appointment of Lieutenant General Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin as Deputy Minister of Defense saying that he was involved in many cases of gross human rights crimes when he was an active member of the Indonesian military (TNI).

Kid: 2009 has been full of reality shows, corruption, bribery, debtors fleeing the country, evictions, communities clashing with police, student brawls, the gecko vs crocodile scandal, the Bank Century inquiry, it’s been exhausting Dad!

Man: Let us hope for peace on earth and in 2010 and that they’ll be lots of real reality shows!

Rachmadin Ismail, Jakarta – There has been no significant change in the handling of cases of missing person or human rights violations since President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has been in office. Over the next period therefore, Yudhoyono is being urged to show more courage.

Ayu Fitriana, Jakarta – Around 3 hundred people coordinated by the Solidarity Committee for Munir (Kasum) held an action in front of the Supreme Court building on Thursday July 16 to protest against the court’s decision to uphold the acquittal of former top spy Muchdi Purwopranjono for the 2004 assassination of rights activist Munir.

Nograhany Widhi K., Jakarta – On the first day of the new school term, Jakarta will be besieged by six demonstrations. One of them will be held in front of the Chinese Embassy in the Mega Kuningan area of South Jakarta.

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

Chazizah Gusnita, Jakarta – Thirty-four years after the Malari affair – short for The January 15 Disaster – a student actions opposing foreign capital, particularly Japanese capital on January 15, 2974, demands for the foreign debt to be written off are now being articulated again.

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – “The courts are simply an extension of the perpetrators of human rights violations”. Thus spoke the late human rights activist Munir during a speech at a demonstration at the Supreme Court in 2004. Likewise is the human rights situation at the start of 2009, including the investigation into his murder.

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

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