Rudy Polycarpus, Jakarta – Commemorating the second year of the administration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) and Vice President Boediono, around 500 students from the National Student League for Democracy (LMND), the Indonesian National Student Movement (GMNI) and the Indonesian Islamic Students Movement (PMII) protested in front o
Documents containing the term 'Islamic law'


Jakarta – The political elite in this country should use the holy fasting month of Ramadan as a moment for introspection and evaluation, to ask whether their policies side with the ordinary people or not.

Samarinda – Scores of students from the Student Struggle Center for National Liberation (PEMBEBASAN, formerly LMND-PRD) held a protest at the East Kalimantan Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) yesterday calling on the assembly to reject the Draft Law on Intelligence and State Security (RU

M Hernowo – Case of human rights violations that took place around the time of the fall of the New Order regime have still not been fully resolved. Moreover President Suharto’s decision on May 21, 1998 to release his grip on the reigns power, which he held for 32 years, has been taken advantage of by some groups.

Medan – Protesters calling themselves the Women’s Liberation Progressive Committee (KP3), which is an alliance of the North Sumatra Islamic University (UISU) Islamic Students Association Commissariat (HMI-KOM) faculty of agriculture, the UISU HMI-KOM faculty of literature, Free Women (Perempuan Mahardhika), the Political Union of the Poor (PPRM)

President: What, you want to overthrow me?!
Kid: Mr... the legs on your chair need fixing!

Jakarta – It is as though state has no presence any more. Thus was an assessment by Constitutional Court Chief Justice Mahfud MD in depicting the endless cases of violence in this country. Law enforcers, which it would be hoped are the means to resolve social conflicts, instead generate injustice.

Israel’s attack on a convey of six ships transporting humanitarian assistance for Gaza, the Freedom Flotilla, in international waters, resulted in the death and injury of civilians


Women are not just housewives. They are not second class citizens.

Moksa Hutasoit, Jakarta – The Supreme Court appeal decision to release former State Intelligence Agency (BIN) deputy Muchdi Purwoprandjono from all charges of involvement in the Munir murder was because the judges were incompetent. The Three Supreme Court judges handling the case were not experts in criminal law.

The following is a compilation of abridged translations of the January 28 protest actions held around the country to commemorate the first 100 days of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's second administration. The reports are ordered alphabetically by city.

I respectfully bow my head
To all of you the victims
Because to you alone I shall bow my head
[But] to the oppressors
Never will I bow in submission
I shall always stand erect

Parwito, Temanggung – Thousands of tobacco farmers throughout Central Java gathered at the Temanggung regency town square on Monday February 16 to hold a massive protest against the Indonesia Ulama Council (MUI) edict (fatwa) against smoking.

Jakarta – According to Transparency International Indonesia (TII), the Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI) has become one of the institutions that most frequently accept bribes. Most of this alleged bribery is related to management of halal (kosher, permitted under Islam) certificates.

Ari Saputra, Jakarta – Feeling boxed into a corner by many circles, former National Intelligence Agency (BIN) deputy chief retired Major General Muchdi Purwopranjono ‘has poured out his heart out’ to the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM).

Jakarta – Although admitting that they may contains some truth, statements by a number of public officials on human rights violations during the National Human Rights and State Defense Seminar at the Department of Defence on Thursday December 18 are believed to be incomplete have the potential to mislead the public.

Hery Winarno, Jakarta – The image of the Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) appears to be starting to fade. At least this what can be read from the results of a survey conducted by the National Survey Institute (LSN), which found that the PKS occupies fourth place among the political parties considered to be most Islamic.

Jakarta – The Talangsari incident in Lampung regency in February 1989 is threatened with the same fate as other cases of gross human rights violations.

The following are statements of objection by three organisations that are part of the Ternate (North Maluku) National Liberation Front (FPN) against statements and releases issue by the Indonesian Student League for Democracy (LMND) and the People's Challenge Alliance (FRM).