Ahmad Fikri, Bandung – A number of labour and peasant organisations in the West Java provincial capital of Bandung commemorated May Day by holding a protest action in front of the governor’s office.

Rofiqi Hasan, Denpasar – Scores of workers and non-government organisation (NGO) activists commemorated May Day with a protest action at the Badjra Sandhi Monument in the Balinese provincial capital of Denpasar on Saturday May 1.

Jakarta – After holding a demonstration to commemorate International Labour Day at the Hotel Indonesia roundabout and the State Palace in Central Jakarta, protesters from the Indonesian Metal Trade Workers Federation (FSPMI) and several other trade unions continued the action at the House of Representatives (DPR) building in Senayan.

Hery Winarno, Jakarta – A worker fell and was trampled during a protest action commemorating Labour Day on Friday May 1. The trigger for the incident was when demonstrators from the Workers Challenge Alliance (ABM) attempted to break through a police blockade in order to approach the State Palace in Central Jakarta.

Adi Warsidi, Banda Aceh – Journalists in the Aceh provincial capital of Banda Aceh also took to the streets to commemorate International Labour Day on Friday May 1.

Muchus Budi R., Solo – Labour Day, May 1, was commemorated in a number of cities and in various ways. In the Central Java city of Solo, scores of workers from the Solidarity Trade Union Federation (FSBSK) held a ‘squatting’ action to symbolise the oppression of workers, including domestic workers.

Muh Syaifullah, Yogyakarta – Workers and employees in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta used May Day to demand an eight-hour working day saying that workers in shopping centres are forced to work much longer than this.

Nurochman Arrazie, Bandar Lampung – Hundreds of workers and students from the Volunteers of the People’s Struggle for the Liberation of the Motherland or Spartan commemorated Labour Day in a protest at the Lampung regional General Election Commission (KPU) offices.

Muhammad Nur Abdurrahman, Makassar – International Labour Day was also commemorated by thousands of workers in the South Sulawesi capital of Makassar, who held a long-march to the governor’s office.

Firman Hidayat, Samarinda – Hundreds of workers in the East Kalimantan city of Samarinda commemorated International Labour Day by holding speeches in front of the East Kalimantan governor’s office on Friday May 1.

Ari Saputra, Jakarta – A giant orange-coloured ball was rolled around the Hotel Indonesia roundabout on May 1 adding to the congestion caused by thousands of workers commemorating May Day in Jakarta.

Soetana Monang Hasibuan, Medan – An estimated thousand or more protesters from the Alliance of Workers and Employees (ABP) held a May Day action in the North Sumatra city of Medan on Friday May 1.

Reno Nugraha, Cirebon – Scores of workers and students took to the streets in the West Java city of Cirebon on May 1 to commemorate International Labour Day, blockading the Jakarta-Cirebon northern coast road at Jl. Brigjen Darsono.

Bibin Bintariadi, Malang – Commemorating International Labour Day on May 1, the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) demanded that media employers provide journalists with a decent wage.

Andi Saputra, Jakarta – Hundreds of workers from the Federated Alliance of Independent Trade Unions (FGSBM) held an action in which they marched backwards towards the Department of Labour and Transmigration on Jl. Gatot Soebroto in South Jakarta.

Wisnu Aji Dewabrata, Palembang – A International Labour Day demonstration in Palembang, South Sumatra on Friday May 1 took place without the presence of workers.

Gede Suardana, Denpasar – Denpasar municipal police in Bali have taken two Papua youths into custody who they suspect were planning to join May Day rallies in order to call for a referendum in Papua.

Depok – In the lead up to the commemoration of International Labour Day or May Day, the Workers Challenge Alliance (ABM) and the Greater Jakarta Railway Workers Trade Union (SPKAJ) are planning massive actions in Jakarta on May 1.

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 – 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.