President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono: I still trust them, maybe...

President Yudhoyono has resisted calls to dismiss cabinet ministers MS Kaban (left) and Paskah Suzetta (right) who have been implicated in a 2003 corruption scandal.

Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta – Around 20 students in the Central Jakarta city of Yogyakarta were arrested by municipal police on Saturday July 26 when they tried to block President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s entourage as it approached the Gedung Agung Presidential Palace in Yogyakarta.

Khairul Ikhwan, Medan – The G8 Forum Ministerial Level Meeting that is taking place in Hokkaido, Japan, has been condemned by student groups in the North Sumatra provincial capital of Medan.

Jakarta – Activists throughout Indonesia will change their strategy in the war against the government, which they say is issuing policies that bring suffering to the people. They will no longer wage war in a spontaneous manner, but unit to fight against government policies that fail to side with the poor.

West Bandung – The investigation into the murder of human rights fighter Munir continues to roll along. A new suspect linked with the case has emerged although the national police are keeping the individual’s identity confidential.

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.

[The following is a compilation of abridged translations of demonstrations across Indonesia against the government's fuel price increase on May 22.]

Two students in Ambon arrested for burning pictures of Yudhoyono

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 slightly abridged translation of a statement by the People's Struggle Front (FPR) condemning recent acts of violence by police against peaceful protests opposing the Indonesian government's planned fuel price hikes.]

Greeting of struggle,

Nurvita Indarini, Jakarta – A number of organisations are endeavouring to thwart the government’s plan to increase the price of fuel and are planning to besiege the State Palace in Central Jakarta on May 21 (the 10th anniversary of the overthrow of former President Suharto) and June 1.

Nograhany Widhi K, Jakarta – Devide et impera. It appears that the strategy of pitting one side against the other during the Dutch colonial period is still not out of date – including in the lead up to the government’s planned fuel price increases.

Nograhany Widhi K, Jakarta – A former director of the State Intelligence Coordinating Body (Bakin), Dr. A.C. Manullang, says he is not surprised by the statement by National Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief Syamsir Siregar that the demonstrations against the government’s planned fuel price hikes are being taken advantage of.

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 “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.

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.

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.

Jakarta – With the release of all defendants charged over gross human rights violations in East Timor and Tanjung Priok, rights activists are calling on President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono review how gross human rights cases are being handled. They also reminded the president of the promise he made to the families of victims on March 26.

Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono met with Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) coordinator Usman Hamid and family members of victims of violence and human rights violations at the presidential offices in Jakarta on Wednesday March 26.

Vivi W. – Five hundred protesters from the Indonesian Student Union (SMI) held an action today on Thursday February 14 in Central Jakarta. The protest took up a number of key demands including freedom of expression, opinion and association on campus, the revocation of Directorate General for Higher Education Decree No.