Jakarta – Alumni Brotherhood 212 (PA 212) Chairperson Slamet Maarif has denied accusation that the group intentionally provided a flag with the hammer-and-sickle logo on it to be set alight during a protest action against the Draft Law on Pancasila Ideology Guidelines (RUU HIP) on Wednesday June 24.

Jakarta – Another hammer-and-sickle flag case has again raised its head after a flag with the communist logo was found in Makassar. Over the years such cases have occurred unintentionally, have related to scholarly studies, hoaxes intended to trigger unrests, criminalisation of activists and the revival of identity politics.

Andi Saputra, Jakarta – The Lokataru Foundation conducted a survey of students on their attitudes towards the policies of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation. The majority of respondents stated that they did not agree with the Omnibus Law because it is neo-New Order (Orba), authoritarian and repressive.

Resky Novianto, Adi Ahdiat, Jakarta – Throughout 2019, most of the violence against journalists in Indonesia was committed by police. This was revealed in the Alliance of Independent Journalists’ (AJI) 2019 End of Year Report which was released on Monday December 23.

Jakarta – Civil freedoms under the administration of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo are seen as having declined. Based on the results of a Saiful Mujani Research Center (SMRC) survey between May and June 2019, 43 percent of respondents said they were afraid of expressing an opinion in public.

Racism by the ruling class through the security forces and reactionary civil militia groups against the Papuan people has triggered a fight back. The siege and attack on the Papuan student dormitory in the Central Java city of Surabaya on August 16 triggered a wave of anti-racist protests in Papua and across Indonesia.

The betrayal of the mandate of reformasi – the political reform movement that began in 1998 – has angered Indonesia’s youth, students and the ordinary people.

Jakarta – Students and other civil society organisations come together on Monday October 28 under the banner of the People’s Border (Borak) to demonstrate not far from the Presidential Palace in Central Jakarta to commemorate the momentum of Youth Pledge Day.

Jakarta – Scores of students from the University and High-School Student Action Alliance (Ampera) arrived at the Arjuna Wiwaha Monument or Horse Statue in Central Jakarta on the afternoon of October 28 to hold a protest action.

Alfian, Makassar -- The momentum of Youth Pledge Day on Monday October 28 was used by students and local people in the South Sulawesi provincial capital of Makassar to again take to the streets to voice their demands.

Ihsanuddin, Jakarta – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has cancelled a meeting with student representatives who have been holding protest actions against the Draft Criminal Code (RKUHP) and the revised Corruption Eradication Commission Law (UU KPK).

Zae Baneza, Ulfia Dwi and Adi Ahdiat, Jakarta – On Sunday September 1 the police arrested a number of Papuan students in Jakarta on charges of treason (makar).

Not long after this, the Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) issued a press release stating that the police were conducting sweeps.

Makassar – Students living at the Papuan dormitory in the South Sulawesi provincial capital of Makassar clashed with a group of people from an ormas (social or mass organisations) this evening, Monday August 19.

Jakarta – Raids on leftist books discussing communism and the banned Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) have started again.

Haris Prabowo – A book raid by a group of people calling themselves the Indonesian Muslim Brigade (BMI) in the South Sulawesi provincial capital of Makassar has caused an uproar on social media. The group confiscated books which they claim contain “communist and leftist ideas”.

Muhammad Taufiqqurahman, Makassar – A group calling itself the Indonesian Muslim Brigade (BMI) has seized books they say smack of communism from a Gramedia bookstore in the South Sulawesi capital of Makassar, including books by Franz Magnis-Suseno.

Danu Damarjati, Jakarta – Following the riots that took place in Jakarta on May 22, the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) and 15 LBH branches across Indonesia are calling on the political elite to stop triggering conflicts.

Klojen (Surya Malang) – Journalists in the East Java city of Malang held a peaceful action at the Freedom Square to commemorate International Press Freedom Day on Friday May 3. This year’s action was different from those held in previous years.

Himawan, Makassar – Hundreds of workers in Makassar, South Sulawesi, held a protest action to commemorate International Labour Day on Wednesday May 1.

The workers gathered and parked large trucks under the flyover blocking the road connecting Jl. AP Pettarani and Jl. Urip Sumoharjo in Makassar city.

Friski Riana, Jakarta – The Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI) will not join other workers rallying in Jakarta during the commemoration of May Day or International Labour Day on May 1.