Muhammad Nur Rochmi, Jakarta – Two demonstrations involving significant numbers of protesters will colour Central Jakarta on Wednesday April 2. Based on data released by the Metro Jaya regional police on its Traffic Management Centre (TMC) website, the actions will take place on Jl. Kebon Sirih and Jl.

Jakarta – The commemoration of International Women’s Day (IWD) was marked by the accumulation of bitter gifts in the form of the soaring price of basic commodities and soybean, the bacteria infection of powdered milk products and the high cost of education and healthcare.

Beginning last Monday, the National Student League for Democracy (LMND) held two-day demonstrations in Jakarta to rally the campaign for the nationalisation of oil, gas, and mining industries.

Yogyakarta – Street actions demanding a reduction in the price of basic commodities are commonplace. But the action held by the Poor Politic-Indonesian Student League for Democracy (LMND-PRM) at the post office intersection in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta on the afternoon of Thursday February 14 was more interesting then usual.

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.

Bandung – Ten years since process of reformasi started, Indonesia has not undergone any significant political or economic reform. This has been demonstrated by lack of government policies that side with the ordinary people.

Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta – Hundreds of protesters from the Yogyakarta People’s and Worker Alliance (ARPY) held an action in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta on Thursday January 31.

Jakarta – Non-government organisations are pessimistic and concerned about the prospects for upholding human rights and solving past human rights violation. They say they hold little hope that there will be any improvements or progress in 2008.

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.

Surabaya – Hundreds of protesters from the Peoples Democratic Party (PRD) and the National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) almost clashed with members of the Union for Dealing with the New Style Communists (SP-KGB) during an action on JL. Governor Suryo in the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya on Monday.

Fakhri, Banda Aceh – The Aceh Referendum Information Center (SIRA) plans to form a local political party in Aceh soon. They will be sounding this out during an event titled Two Great Discussions (Duek Pakat Raya, DPR), which is being organised by the SIRA Preparatory Committee for the Establishment of a Local Political Party.

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.

Jakarta – The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) hopes that the police will soon provide an explanation for the arrest of an activist from the Foundation for Legal Education and Democracy (LPHD), Iwangin Sabar Olif.

Palembang, Kompas – The Munir murder case could become a political commodity in the 2009 elections if the government does not quickly solve the issue. In the end the case will only be politicised to improve the image of the political parties, presidential candidates or to hit out at their political opponents.

Agus Rakasiwi – The 1998 reform movement finished the task of removing Suharto from the Indonesian presidency. But have Indonesia’s problems now ended?

Ramdhan Muhaimin, Jakarta – Around 50 people from Humanist Solidarity for Myanmar (SKUM) held a demonstration in Bali on Sunday October 30 against the violence by the military junta in Myanmar.

Anwar Khumaini, Jakarta – Three years have passed without any progress being made on who murdered human rights activist Munir. In a speech, Munir’s widow Suciwati demanded that the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) be “cleansed” of Munir’s killers.

Anwar Khumaini, Jakarta – Exactly three years since Munir’s death, one thousand people from the Solidarity Alliance for Munir and Democracy (Asumsi) gathered at the Proclamation Monument on Jl. Proklamasi in Central Jakarta on Friday September 7.

Anwar Khumaini, Jakarta – A bunch of roses and a wreath of flowers symbolising the death of Munir was handed to officials on guard in front of the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) offices. Not one of them however wanted to accept them.

Welcome back to New Perspectives (Perspektif Baru), I’m Jaleswari Pramodhawardani and I’m here with Zely Ariane, an activist from the Perempuan Mahardhika National Network. Today we will be speaking about an issue that is of concern to us all, the urban poor.