Saiful Munir, Jakarta – Newly appointed Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) retired General Luhut Binsar Panjaitan has called on ministers and heads of government institutions under the coordination of the Political, Legal and Security Affairs Ministry (Kemenko Polhukam) to cooperate to create nationa

Jakarta – The Buru Quartet, four novels by Indonesia’s foremost author Pramoedya Ananta Toer that tell the story of the formation of Indonesia, are still in hot demand as demonstrated by 10 thousand sales of the quartet in just two weeks since it was reprinted in July this year.

Abraham Utama, Jakarta – International Labour Day or May will be commemorated tomorrow on Friday May 1 in a number of different countries. On Thursday however, labour groups in Indonesia were still divided over plans to establish a new labour party.

Andri Yunarko, Jakarta – On Monday April 27 the Indonesian People’s United Resistance (PPRI) held a press conference at the offices of the Jakarta Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) to declare its position on the commemoration of International Labour Day or M

Indonesia’s foreign debt continues to rise, primarily because private sector debt is growing. Of the various issues related to private sector foreign debt, the composition of new debts to pay old debts needs to be given attention. The ‘nomenclature’ of this kind of foreign debt is referred to as ‘refinancing’.

Jakarta – An announcement by the Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI) that the punk rock band Superman Is Dead (SID) will be performing at the May Day Fiesta on May 1 has been denied by the band.

Syahrul Ansyari, Foe Peace Simbolon – In the lead up to the commemoration of International Labour Day 2015 or May Day, the Indonesian Labour Movement (GBI), which is made up of the Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI), the Confederation of the All-Indonesian Workers Union (KSPSI), the Confederation of Prosperity Labour Unions (KSBSI),

Hendra Pasuhuk – A seminar by the International People’s Tribunal (IPT1965) titled Indonesia’s 1965 Massacre: Unveiling The Truth, Demanding Justice that was held in the Den Haag on April 10 on the 1965 massacres in Indonesia, which resulted in the killing of hundreds of thousands of people, has raised several new aspects related to the

Singapore’s first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, who once described Indonesian dictator President Suharto as ‘a man of the world’ and said during a visit to Jakarta in 2006 shortly before Suharto’s death that he was ‘an old friend of mine and remains a friend until now’, has died age 91 after a long illness.

The aggressive implementation of neoliberal policies in Indonesia cannot be halted by a small handful of groups. At the moment moreover neoliberalism has again succeeded in maintaining the status quo by taking advantage of the interests of the political parties that are thirsty for power and positions.

K, Muh.

The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) regrets and condemns recent incidents around the country in which film screenings of the film Senyap (The Look of Silence) have been closed down by certain mass organisations.

From an op-ed piece titled Democracy in tatters at parliament.

Faiq Hidayat – The Defense Department will be reviving the Student University Paramilitary Regiment (Menwa) on all campuses throughout Indonesia. The Defense Department’s (Kemenhan) Director of National Defense, First Admiral M. Faisal said that the regiments will be reactivated next year.

A power struggle inside Suharto’s former ruling party Golkar is seen as a proxy fight between New Order general Prabowo Subianto’s Red and White Coalition (KMP) and the parties backing President Widodo’s government in parliament.

Sherr Rinn – On Monday October 20, the Student Struggle Center for National Liberation (Pembebasan) held protest actions in several Indonesian cities including Jakarta, Medan and Siantar in North Sumatra, Yogyakarta in Central Java, Tarakan in East Kalimantan, Palu and Poso in Central Sulawesi, Makassar in South Sulawesi and Ternate in North Mal

Two thousand protesters from 160 civil society organisations that make up the People’s Sovereignty Movement (GRB) demonstrated at the House of Representatives (DPR) building in Jakarta on Wednesday October 14 in protest against the political elite’s about face and efforts to return to the New Order era of former president Suharto.

Sherr Rinn – Around two hundred workers from the Solidarity Alliance for Labour Struggle (GSPB) held an action opposing the recently enacted law on regional elections (UU Pilkada) at the offices of the Bekasi regent’s office in the Jakarta satellite city of Bekasi on Tuesday October 14.

Jakarta – The Draft Law on Regional Elections (RUU Pilkada), which abolishes the direct election of regional heads and was successfully enacted into law (UU Pilkada) by the parties backing Prabowo Subianto’s Red and White Coalition (KMP) is a threat to democracy.

Kartika Virgianti, Jakarta – One hundred and thirty-two civil society and non-government organisations (NGOs) have expressed their concern over Indonesian democracy which will soon return to the era of the New Order dictatorship.