Jumadi, Makassar – The elections for mayor and deputy mayor in the South Sulawesi provincial capital of Makassar is heating up. An activist from the South Sulawesi Indonesian Poor People’s Union (SRMI), Wahidah Baharuddin Upa, has declared that she will nominate himself to enliven the Makassar municipal electoral contest.

Workers from the Greater Jakarta Workers Federation of Struggle (FPBJ) and the Workers Challenge Alliance (ABM) will be holding a demonstration at the representative offices of the United Nations on Jl. Jalan MH Thamrin in Central Jakarta at around 10am today.

Sofian, Jakarta – Seven different protest actions will be held by a variety of social organisations in Jakarta today. Based on information from the Metro Jaya regional police Traffic Management Centre (TMC), two of the demonstration will be held at the city hall and three at the Supreme Court.

Suwardiman – “The facts indicated that up until now many political parties have not really taken up the aspirations of the people. The parties have only become a means for a small group of people to take power.

[The following is a compellation of abridged translations from Detik.com on reactions to the establishment of the GAM Party by former members of the Free Aceh Movement in Banda Aceh on July 7.]

Banda Aceh police protest use GAM logo and flag as party symbol

Activists from the Indonesian Student League for Democracy (LMND) and the National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) in the East Kalimantan city of Balikpapan have been the targets of harassment by the local government officials, police and the military (TNI).

Nograhany Widhi K., Jakarta – Around 300 people from the Urban Poor Union (SRMK) demonstrated in front of the Constitutional Court on June 6 demanding that the court review Law Number 32/2004 in relation to independent candidates in the election of regional heads.

[The following is a compilation of abridged translations taken from Detik.com on demonstrations commemorating nine years since the fall of former President Suharto on May 21, 1998.]

'Get ready for an increase in traffic jams'

Jakarta – The high political cost that has to be borne by candidates to take part in the election of regional heads (pilkada) is generating calls for the accommodation of independent candidates. Regulations allowing candidates from outside of the political parties must be implemented across the board, not just in Aceh.

Kendal -- In the aftermath of the forced adjournment of a regional conference of the National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas), Papernas’ Kendal regional leadership board (DPD) intends to report the incident to the Central Java regional police.

Susie Berindra and Sidik Ramono – The government wants to strengthen the presidential system by simplifying the multi-party system. The big political parties want to have businesses to increase party funds. The new political parties want to take part in the 2009 general elections. What should be done to bridge all of these wishes?

Banda Aceh – The chairperson of the Preparatory Committee for the Acehnese People’s Party (KP-PRA) is urging the government to immediately ratify the Draft Government Regulation on Local Political Parties in Aceh.

[The following is a compilation of abridged translations of protests between November 15-16 against US President George W. Bush's planned visit to the West Java city of Bogor on November 20. Translated by James Balowski.]

No end in sight for Anti-Bush demonstrations in Bogor

Radzie, Banda Aceh – The Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM) is asking the Indonesian government to clarify a number of points in the Aceh Governance Law (UU-PA) that are not in compliance with the Helsinki Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The AMM’s mission in Aceh is also to be extended until November 2006.

Ken Yunita, Jakarta – The appearance of Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) paraphernalia and symbols is natural and can be understood because the Constitutional Court has already declared that former PKI members have the right to participate in the 2009 elections.

Radzie, Banda Aceh – Civilian activist have launched the Acehnese Peoples Party Preparatory Committee (Komite Persiapan Partai Rakyat Aceh, KP PRA), which represents the precursor for the formation of the first local political party in Aceh.

Maruli Ferdinand, Jakarta – The Indonesian Human Rights Monitor (Imparsial) opposes the Indonesian military (TNI) being given the right to vote in the 2009 general elections. The problem is that the TNI has yet to complete its agenda of reform.

ST Pramono, Jakarta – An Acehnese member from the Joint Forum of the National and Regional House of Representatives, Ferry Mursyidan Baldan, says that the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) report on the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) must be accompanied by evidence.

M Isma & Saiful Bahri, Banda Aceh – Demonstrations “opposing” the Home Affairs Department’s revisions to the Draft Law on a Government for Aceh (RUU-PA) are continuing and spreading.

AK-34, Jakarta – Responding to a plan by the Aceh regional house of representatives (DPRD) to issue a new by-law soon, an activist from the Acehnese Popular Democratic Resistance Front (FPDRA), Thamrin Ananda, says that they cannot just issue new regulations because there are a number of important issues that must be considered first.