The following is a compilation of abridged translations from the Indonesian media on commemorations held around the country to mark 19 years since the death of labour activist Marsinah. Marsinah was a women activist who led a strike at the PT Catur Putra Surya watch factory in Surabaya, East Java.

Ita Lismawati F. Malau, Oscar Ferri – After 19 years and 14 years of reformasi (the reform process beginning in 1998), Marsinah’s killer has still not been found. The government is being called on not to neglect the case until the 20-year statute of limitations for murder cases expires.

Rochmanuddin, Jakarta – The Marsinah FM Radio Community together with the Free Women National Committee (KNPM), the Cross-Factory Labour Forum (FBLP), the Indonesian Trade Union Congress Alliance (Kasbi), the Solidarity Alliance for Labour Struggle-United Indonesian Labour Movement (GSPB-PPBI) and the Student Struggle Center for National Liberat

Today, May 1, coinciding with the commemoration of International Labour Day, the Greater Jakarta Joint Labour Secretariat (Sekber Buruh) again took to the streets. This was done as a protest and as our responsibility to convince the majority of people that this beloved country is still living in misery.

Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta – Thousands of students and workers in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta commemorated International Labour Day or May Day on Tuesday May 1.

Danar Widiyanto, Yogya – The ideals articulated during the momentum of International Women’s Day (IWD), which is commemorated each year on March 8, totally contradict the reality of women’s lives in Indonesia. Indonesian is also one of the few countries where the government fails to protect or provide welfare to women.

Yogyakarta – The commemoration of International Women’s Day (IWD) in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta on Thursday was marked by a protest action by hundreds of women from the Indonesian Women’s Movement (Gerakan Perempuan Indonesia, Gepari) voicing their demands on the grounds of the Yogyakarta Regional House of Representatives (DPRD).

Jakarta – The fact is that sexual violence against women often occurs in the workplace. Iswarini, the spokesperson for the Women’s Justice Forum (Forum Keadilan Perempuan, FKP), says many women workers report being victims of sexual violence at work.

Oris Riswan Budiana, Bandung – Around 60 women from the West Java Regional Women’s Committee (KPR) celebrated International Women’s Day in the West Java provincial capital of Bandung with a protest action on the grounds of the Gedung Sate building on Jl. Diponegoro.

Jakarta – The House of Representatives (DPR) and the government are still not paying attention to the fate of victims of rape and sexual harassment. Moreover the impression given by the DPR and government is that they are ignoring the problem even though year by year the incidents of rape and sexual harassment of women continue to increase.

Jakarta – International Women’s Day (IWD) is commemorated every year on March 8. This afternoon, scores of demonstrators from the Free Women National Committee (Komite Nasional Perempuan Mahardhika, KNPM) held a free speech forum at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta.

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.

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.

PT Freeport Indonesia, a subsidiary of Freeport McMoran Cooper and Gold – of which 90.64 percent of the shares are owned by Freeport CEO James R. Moffet – is the largest mining company in the world. Freeport contributes 95 percent of the entire production of gold by Freeport McMoran and a significant percentage of its copper production.

Kid: Because of poverty our housewives are willing to become slaves and be abused in other countries Dad!

Man: They’re also abused by the Cleptocractic State of the Republic of Indonesia! (a play on the acronym NKRI – Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia)

Bakti Buwono Budiastyo, Bantul – Scores of people from Parangkusumo beach in Bantul district, south of the Central Java city of Yogyakarta, besieged the Bantul regent’s office on the early hours of Thursday May 19. At around 1.30am they gave speeches and conveyed their demands in front of the office of the Number 1 person in Bantul.

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.

Boyolali – Hundreds of workers from a number of different companies in Boyolali, Central Java, held a peaceful action commemorating May Day on Sunday.

Medan – Protesters calling themselves the Women’s Liberation Progressive Committee (KP3), which is an alliance of the North Sumatra Islamic University (UISU) Islamic Students Association Commissariat (HMI-KOM) faculty of agriculture, the UISU HMI-KOM faculty of literature, Free Women (Perempuan Mahardhika), the Political Union of the Poor (PPRM)