News

April 2008

Indonesia
Kompas – April 30, 2008

Khairina – The narrow lane in Rawa Terate, Pulo Gadung, East Jakarta, was dirty and suffocating that afternoon. Less than half-a-meter wide, the lane was filled with housewives sitting around and gossiping, young children crying and a small herd of goats.

Indonesia
Kompas – April 30, 2008

Through massive protest actions last year, workers throughout Indonesia united and successfully defeated efforts to enact the proposed draft revisions to Law Number 13/2003 on Labour that they believed failed to side with workers. For the majority of workers however, their struggle is far from over.

Indonesia
Tempo Interactive – April 29, 2008

Agung Sedayu, Jakarta – The Workers Challenge Alliance (ABM) plans to commemorate International Labour Day (May Day) on May 1 by holding an action at the State Palace in Central Jakarta.

Indonesia
Tempo Interactive – April 29, 2008

Sutarto, Jakarta – Lawyers and human rights activists went to the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) offices on Tuesday April 29 to declare their support for the commission’s continued investigation into cases of gross human rights violations, particularly the Talangsari case.

Indonesia
Detik.com – April 29, 2008

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – Scores of people from the East Java Alliance to Combat New Style Communism (SPKGB) protested at the offices of the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) on Tuesday April 29.

Indonesia
Tempo Interactive – April 25, 2008

Aguslia Hidayah, Jakarta – Workers chose a unique way to socialise Labour Day which falls on May 1. Rather than holding a loud and noisy demonstration, this time round they took their protest to the stage.

Indonesia
Tempo Interactive – April 25, 2008

Bayu Galih, Jakarta – A number of protest actions will be held in Jakarta today, Friday April 25. Based on data from the Metro Jaya regional police Traffic Management Centre, the actions will take place between 9.30am and 5pm.

Indonesia
Detik.com – April 24, 2008

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – There are steps being taken by the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) that are damaging the interests of the state and even benefiting the interests of other parties.

Indonesia
Working People's Association – April 23, 2008

[The following is a translation of a leaflet and poster being circulated by the Working People's Association (Perhimpunan Rakyat Pekerja, PRP) as part of a campaign by radical Indonesian trade unions to socialise May Day.]

West Papua
Tempo Interactive – April 22, 2008

Jayapura – Some 300 fully armed personal from the Indonesian military (TNI) and the national police (Polri) intercepted three trucks of protesters in the Arso Tujuh area bordering on the Keerom regency and the Jayapura city who were planning to demonstrate in Jayapura today.

West Papua
Tempo Interactive – April 22, 2008

Rofiqi Hasan, Denpasar – Scores of West Papuan students from the United West Papua Popular Struggle Front (Pepera) demonstrated today on the Udayana University campus in the Balinese provincial capital of Denpasar. They were protesting against special autonomy for West Papua and calling for a referendum to be held.

Indonesia
Tempo Interactive – April 21, 2008

Agung Sedayu, Jakarta – Protest actions and parades across Central and South Jakarta will colour the capital today, Monday April 21. Based on information from the Metro Jaya regional police Traffic Management Centre (TMC), the actions take place between 9am and 4pm.

Indonesia
Tempo Interactive – April 17, 2008

Ahmad Fikri, Bandung – Labour organisations have already started socialising May Day, which is due to fall on May 1, by protesting at the Gedung Sate building complex in the West Java provincial capital of Bandung.

Indonesia
Tempo Interactive – April 17, 2008

Jakarta – Based on data from the Metro Jaya regional police Traffic Management Centre (TMC) website, Jakarta and surrounding areas will be inundated by some 13 different protest actions today, Thursday April 17.

Indonesia
Kompas – April 16, 2008

Iwan Setiyawan, Jakarta – Workers and employees in Indonesia are still not free to associate. This can be seen from the small number of trade unions in the workplace, that is around 5.8 percent out of a total of 189,000 companies in Indonesia.

Indonesia
Detik.com – April 16, 2008

Rafiqa Qurrata A, Jakarta – Jakarta and nearby Bekasi will be coloured by protest actions today, Wednesday April 16, with six different groups of protesters voicing their aspirations between 7am and 5pm.

Indonesia
Kompas – April 15, 2008

Jakarta – The government must provide protection to Indra Setiawan after his release from jail on Monday April 14. The reason, because during his court hearing, the former executive director of Garuda Indonesia airlines provided a great deal of key evidence in the case of the murder of human rights activist Munir.

Indonesia
Kompas – April 15, 2008

Indah Surya Wardhani – The West Java election of regional heads, which looks set to be won by Ahmad Heryawan and Dede Yusuf, indicates that the voting patterns of traditional voters had changed significantly.

Indonesia
Kompas – April 15, 2008

Suwardiman – In the recent West Java election of regional heads, many respondents determined their choice just a week before voting. One out of five voters or around 20.4 percent only determined their choice on voting day itself and 22.2 percent only determined their choice 1-7 days beforehand.

Indonesia
Detik.com – April 14, 2008

Khairul Ikhwan, Medan – The political temperature in North Sumatra is steadily rising in the lead up to the election of regional heads that will be held on April 16. On Monday April 14, students burnt paraphernalia and photographs of the five gubernatorial candidates.