Oppose the 2009 elections of the political elite – an election of the human rights violators, capitalists, corruptors and opportunist!

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – Government opposition figures gathered at the Century Park Hotel in the Senayan area of Central Jakarta on Saturday July 5 to discuss the problems of the nation, which may possibly become an arena of lobbying by the political elite in the lead up to the 2009 general elections.

Anwar Khumaini, Jakarta – Student demonstrations against the recent fuel price increases are moving towards anarchic acts involving frequent clashes with police. There are indications that foreign intelligence agencies are using the protests for their own ends.

Umi Kulsum – Indonesia’s 100th National Awakening day, which fell on May 20, was noisily celebrated at the Bung Karno Sports Stadium during a ceremony led by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. In the president’s speech he said that Indonesia is a capable nation that can change its fortunes and confront the energy and food crisis.

[The following is a compilation of abridged translations from Detik.com and Tempo Interactive covering protest actions around the country on May 21 against the Indonesian government's planned fuel price increases.]

Anti-fuel price hike protest in Bogor ends in clash

The battle drum of the Indonesian people’s resistance to the planned fuel price increases has been sounded – students, the urban poor, workers, farmers and women in every corner of the country are daily holding actions that are growing and uniting day by day.

Neli Triana – Its 10am on Thursday May 1, and nine-year-old Nur Alfi is standing in the middle of a sea of workers at the Hotel Indonesia roundabout in Central Jakarta.

Jakarta – The minimum wage is still not enough to fulfil the daily needs of workers in the major cities of Medan, Bandung, Jakarta and Surabaya. Many workers are making up the difference by falling into debt while job security levels remain low.

Surabaya – The commemoration of International Labour Day on Thursday May 1 was marked with protest actions in several East Java cities. Workers and students also held demonstrations in Bandung, Denpasar, Palembang and Bandar Lampung.

Jakarta “belonged” to workers yesterday when tens of thousands of protesters flooded on to the main streets of the capital city to commemorate Labour Day, which is popularly known as May Day.

Several different locations in Central Jakarta were rocked by demonstrations on May 1 as tens of thousands of workers commemorated May Day or International Labour Day. Protest actions took place at the Hotel Indonesia roundabout, in front of the State Palace, the House of Representatives building and Proclamation Monument.

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.

Rofiqi Hasan, Denpasar – Hundreds of workers, students and journalists in Bali commemorated International Labour Day at the Bajra Sandhi Monument in the provincial capital of Denpasar, where they called for wage increases, the abolition of contract labour and guarantees of the freedom to associate.

Erick Priberkah Hardi, Bandung – Thousands of people from worker, farmer and student organisations inundated the Gedung Sate building complex in the West Java provincial capital of Bandung today.

Thousands of workers from various companies held protest actions at different locations in Jakarta on Wednesday April 30 in the lead up to the commemoration of International Labour Day or May Day. Even larger waves of protest actions are planned for tomorrow.

Khairina – The narrow lane in Rawa Terate, Pulo Gadung, East Jakarta, was dirty and suffocating that afternoon. Less than half-a-meter wide, the lane was filled with housewives sitting around and gossiping, young children crying and a small herd of goats.

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.

Agung Sedayu, Jakarta – The Workers Challenge Alliance (ABM) plans to commemorate International Labour Day (May Day) on May 1 by holding an action at the State Palace in Central Jakarta.

Aguslia Hidayah, Jakarta – Workers chose a unique way to socialise Labour Day which falls on May 1. Rather than holding a loud and noisy demonstration, this time round they took their protest to the stage.

Greetings to all working people,