Jakarta, Indonesia – The government sponsored national symposium on 1965 was held in April although reverberations over the forum, which for the first time brought together victims and perpetrators of the bloody 1965 tragedy, are still being felt to this day.

Siswanto, Welly Hidayat – Islamic demonstrators have protested against the 3rd Asean Literary Festival (ALF) 2016 which is to be held today Thursday May 5 at the Ismail Marzuki Cultural Centre in Central Jakarta.

Widodo: We must be competitive

Indonesian Trade Union Confederation (KSPI) chairperson Said Iqbal is again talking up the issue of mass dismissals (PHK), saying most recently that the wave of layoffs has also hit the pharmaceutical industry.

A month after Indonesia ratified the Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution – supposedly a turning point in ending the annual haze problems that create havoc in Indonesia and neighboring Singapore and Malaysia – massive forest fires are again generating thick haze in Riau and other parts of Sumatra and Kalimantan.

Man: Wait until July 22

[The following is a joint statement by the Yogyakarta Working People’s Association-Political Organisation Congress (KPO-PRP), the Politics of the People (PR) and the People’s Liberation Party (PPR).]

Gede Suardana, Denpasar – A protest action against the 19th ASEAN Summit in Balinese provincial capital of Denpasar on Friday November 18 was marred by a scuffle between police and demonstrators.

The action was held by scores of people from various groups under the Alliance for Democracy and Human Rights (ARDAM)

Manokwari – Shouts of “Papuan is independent” enlivened a peaceful protest action at the West Papua Provincial House of Representatives (DPRPB) on Thursday November 17.

Democracy in South-East Asia is currently under attack. After the Thai Embassy in Jakarta was the target of a demonstration on June 27 because the Thai government arrested Red Shirt activist leaders, today it was the turn of the Malaysian Embassy on Jl. HR Rasuna Said in Kuningan, South Jakarta, to be the target of demonstrators.

E Mei Amelia R, Jakarta – Indonesian police arrested three Malaysian citizens in relation to the 18th ASEAN Summit in Jakarta on May 7-8. The three were questioned for allegedly taking part in a demonstration at the ASEAN Secretariat on Jl. Sisingamangaraja in South Jakarta on May 5.

Jakarta – The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) is pushing for corporations, both national and multi-national, to be deemed as parties that can also be held liable for human rights violations.

Jakarta – The protection of human rights in Indonesia has further deteriorated over 2010.

The newly-formed union SPK-PPBI (Security Workers Union, aligned with the United Movement of Labour Indonesia) is calling for solidarity from unions and individuals.

Surabaya – As many as 180 students, workers and urban poor activists from 12 organisations in the East Java cities of Surabaya, Mojokerto and Madiun held a protest action in Surabaya on Saturday August 7 opposing the recent increase in basic electricity rates (TDL).

Jakarta – Thousands of workers from various different labour organisations and alliances arrived in waves at the State Palace on Jl. Merdeka Utara to commemorate May Day on Saturday May 1.

Sepudin Zuhri, Jakarta – The Indonesian People’s Opposition Front (FOR Indonesia) is calling on the government to immediately stop trade liberalisation and pull out of all existing free trade cooperation agreements.

Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta – Around 20 students in the Central Jakarta city of Yogyakarta were arrested by municipal police on Saturday July 26 when they tried to block President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s entourage as it approached the Gedung Agung Presidential Palace in Yogyakarta.

Ramadhian Fadillah, Jakarta – The Myanmar Embassy has again been rocked by demonstrations. Following an action by monks, this time it was the turn of the Confederation of Prosperity Labor Unions (KSBSI). Wearing various types of red clothing, they held the action in front of the Myanmar Embassy on Jl.

Banda Aceh – A plan by the Aceh government to liquidate the Asean Aceh Fertilizer (AAF) factory and have it managed by a foreign company has been opposed by the Aceh People’s Party (PRA). The PRA is instead calling for the government to restart operations at the factory.