Jakarta – Activists from the Solidarity Network for the Families of Victims (JSKK) held their 576th Kamisan (Thursday) action in front of the State Palace in Central Jakarta on Thursday February 28.

Jakarta – Military observer Khairul Fahmi from the Institute for Security and Strategic Studies (ISESS) says that the plan to place active TNI (Indonesian military) officers in strategic positions in ministries and government institutions goes against the mandate of reformasi.

Bayu Adi Wicaksono – Democrat Party politician Dede Yusuf has exposed the lie behind claims that a wave of Chinese workers is being employed by PT Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park (PT IMIP) in Morowali, South Sulawesi.

Lalu Rahadian – A number of trade unions have chosen not to support President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo or Prabowo Subianto in the 2019 presidential elections.

Lalu Rahadian – Only days are left before simultaneous regional elections begin. The candidates taking part in the competition are using a variety of means to attract public attention in the hope of being chosen at the ballot box.

Alpen Martinus, Tondano – Scores of Manado State University (Unima) students from the Student Struggle Centre for National Liberation (Pembebasan), the Minahasa Progressive Women and individual pro-democracy activist held a solidarity action at the Unima main gate on Monday November 27.

Jakarta – Using the momentum of Youth Pledge Day on Friday October 28, the Student Struggle Center for National Liberation (Pembebasan) held commemorations to mark the historic day in Jakarta and other cities around the country.

Jakarta action

Fariansyah Bagenda, Bekasi – A protest action by striking workers from the company PT Metindo Erasakti which are affiliated with the Fraternity of Indonesian Muslim Workers  (PPMI) was blocked by members of the Pancasila Youth (PP) on Thursday January 15.

Oktovianus Pogau, Papuan, Jakarta – On Monday afternoon scores of youth and students from the Papua Student Alliance (AMP) held a peaceful demonstration at the House of Representatives (DPR) building to declare their opposition to the creation of 33 new operational areas (DOB, new administrative areas) in Papua.

Jakarta – The number of permanently employed workers in the formal sector is steadily declining and currently stands at only 35 percent of all formal workers. This has occurred in concert with Law Number 13/2003 on Labour (UU No 13/2003), which allows for the employment of contract labour from other companies, or outsourcing.

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

Jakarta – The increasing use of contract labour is undermining the strength of national trade unions and making it difficult for workers to struggle for decent working conditions.

Factory workers from the East Java Workers Challenge Alliance (ABM) held a demonstration to greet International Labour Day on May 1 in the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya demanding the abolition of contract labour and outsourcing.

Basic changes in the struggle by the working class before and after reformasi represent a shift from a struggle for wages and conditions to a struggle for job security.

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.

Heru Margianto, Jakarta – What are conditions like in Aceh six months after the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and the Indonesian government was signed in Helsinki? The answer – safe but the economic situation is poor say Acehnese.

[The following is a translation of a statement issued by the Women’s Defense Alliance (Aliansi Perempuan Menggugat, APM) which was issued on February 7.]

Jakarta – Condemnations against the government’s decision to extend the military emergency in Aceh continue to spring up.