Muhammad Nur Abdurrahman, Makassar – A candlelight vigil for Jakarta governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama in front of the Stella Maris Hospital in Losari Beach, Makassar, was forcibly broken up by members of the South Sulawesi Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) and Makassar Islamic Students Association (HMI) on the evening of Saturday May 13.

The government’s plan to ban the social organisation Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) has raised questions about the existence of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) which has been criticised by groups that are not sympathetic to the FPI. What is the government’s response to this?

Sukma Indah Permana, Bantul – An exhibition displaying the art works of Andreas Iswinarto in the Bantul regency of Yogyakarta province has been closed down by the social organisation Pancasila Youth (PP).

SAFEnet Voice has recorded that since 2015, 73 percent of violations against freedom of expression have been committed on the grounds of spreading communism.

Timika – Thousands of workers in Mimika, West Papua, commemorated International Labour Day or May Day by demanding that the Indonesian government immediately resolve the problems at the PT Freeport Indonesia (PFI) gold and copper mine.

Agus Setyadi, Banda Aceh – Workers in Indonesia’s northern-most province of Aceh commemorated May Day with a convoy around the main streets of the capital Banda Aceh on Monday May 1. They also gave speeches in front of the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque and the Aceh Regional House of Representatives (DPRA).

Edzan Raharjo, Yogyakarta – International Labour Day or May Day was commemorated by a number of different groups with rallies in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta. The main location for the protests was the Jl. Malioboro shopping district and the zero kilometre point in front of the central post office.

Jakarta – Workers from the Association of Indonesian Trade Unions (GSBI) rallying at the Jakarta town hall on May 1 have demanded wage increases and an end to outsourcing end exploitative apprenticeships.

Worker representatives also demanded that the Jakarta provincial government (Pemprov DKI) end forced evictions in the capital.

Jakarta – Scores of “sewer rats” enlivened a rally in Central Jakarta commemorating International Labour Day 2017 which fell today on Monday May 1.

The rodents were not real animals but ordainments brought by protesters from the Indonesian Trade Union Congress Alliance (KASBI) to commemorate this year’s May Day.

Prins David Saut, Denpasar – Workers in Bali enlivened May Day by demanding increases to the provincial minimum wage (UMP) and dancing as they read out their demands.