Gunawan Mashar, Makassar – Scores of West Papuan students in the South Sulawesi provincial capital of Makassar have also held an action demanding the release of the Timika detainees. As well as giving speeches, the demonstration was accompanied by traditional dances.

Nova Maulani, Jakarta – A solidarity action over the Freeport tragedy has ended up at the US Embassy. For one-and-a-half hours around 150 demonstrators gave speeches and held theatrical actions.

Prior to this they held an action at the Hotel Indonesia roundabout and the State Palace.

Nova Maulani, Jakarta – Flavours of West Papua dominated a demonstration in Jakarta by people from Indonesia’s eastern-most province. They were demanding that police release the eight people that have been cited as carrying out the shooting of US citizens in Timika in 2002.

Nurfajri Budi Nugroho, Jakarta – Around 40 students from the Papua Students Action Front (FAMP) have demonstrated demanding that police release the eight suspects being held over the shooting of two US citizens in Timika on 2002.

Tedi Hikmah, Jakarta – A non-government organisation concerned with upholding human rights, Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial), believes the government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has taken a selective approach and has not supported efforts to uphold human rights.

Triono Wahyu Sudibyo, Semarang – Fuel price increases at the end of last year are still resulting in “casualties”. Based on 2006 data from the Surabaya Social Revelation Foundation (Yawas), at least 2,786 workers in Central Java are threaded with dismissal.

Luhur Hertanto, Jakarta – There is cause for concern. The level of work-related incidents in Indonesia appears to still be high. Data from the state insurance company PT Jamsostek notes that between 2004-2005 there were 95,418 work-related accidents. Of this total, 1,336 were fatal.

Tedi Hikmah, Jakarta – The non-government organisation Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial) has again raised questions about the investigation of gross human rights violations that have taken place in Aceh.

Radzie, Banda Aceh – The earthquake and tsunami at the end of 2004 and the signing of the peace agreement between the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in August 2005 has resulted in a drastic decline in the number of human rights violations in Aceh.

Luhur Hertanto, Jakarta – Pollycarpus has been sentenced to 14 months jail by the Central Jakarta State Court. The verdict however, has failed to touch on the brains behind the murder of human rights activist Munir. The prosecution also failed to uncover the brains of the murder.

Nurvita Indarini, Jakarta – Although Pollycarpus Budihari Priyanto has been sentenced to 14 years jail, Munir’s wife, Suciwati, appears not to care. Suciwati is instead asking that the mastermind behind Munir’s murder be brought before the courts. Who is that?

Nurvita Indarini, Jakarta – The sentencing of Pollycarpus Budihari Priyanto was enlivened by a demonstration by hundreds of activists from the Solidarity Action Committee for Munir. But they were not demanding that Pollycarpus receive a heavier sentence – rather that the police investigate the other perpetrators of Munir’s murder.

Fitraya Ramadhanny, Jakarta – Around 200 demonstrators from the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) held an action in front of the State Palace demanding that the government uncover the mastermind behind Munir’s murder. The action – that ended at 3.45pm – was closed by a speech by Munir’s wife, Suciwati.

Fitraya Ramadhanny, Jakarta – Dissatisfied with the court’s decision to sentence Pollycarpus Budihari Priyanto to 14 years jail, around 200 activist from the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) have urged President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) to try the mastermind behind the murder of human rights activist Munir.

Muchus Budi R., Jakarta – Pollycarpus, the defendant in the murder case of human rights defender Munir will soon be sentenced. The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) however, is pessimistic that the courts will be able to take further action to find and try the brains behind the murder.

Machendra Setyo AtmajaIntania Nur Kusuma, Jakarta – Symbols of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) have been burnt by demonstrators from the Indonesian People’s Anti-Imperialist Union (Perisai) who were demanding that the government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Jusuf Kalla have the courage to leave the organisation.

Machhendra Setyo Atmaja, Jakarta – Calls for Indonesia to walkout of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) are growing stronger as it is believed that the Indonesian government gains no benefits from an organisation that is driven by the advanced countries.

Muhammad Nur Hayid, Jakarta – Around 100 people from the Indonesian People’s Anti-Imperialist Union (Perisai) demonstrated in front of the State Palace on Sunday December 18. They were demanding that the Indonesian government leave the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and sever its relationship with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Ahmad Dani, Jakarta – Coinciding with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial Level Conference (KTM) in Hong Kong, 2,000 farmers gathered at Victoria Park on Saturday December 17. They were commemorating Farmers’ Day by holding an action opposing the WTO. Fifty of the demonstrators were from Indonesia.

Ahmad Dani, Jakarta – Actions opposing the World Trade Organisation (WTO) will also been held in Indonesia. The Indonesian People’s Anti-Imperialist Union (Perisai) will hold a demonstration demanding that Indonesia leave the WTO.