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.

Banda Aceh – A plan by the Aceh government to liquidate the Asean Aceh Fertilizer (AAF) factory and have it managed by a foreign company has been opposed by the Aceh People’s Party (PRA). The PRA is instead calling for the government to restart operations at the factory.

Haryanto Kurniawan, Jakarta – Stipulations on the establishment of political parties contained in the draft law on political parties will make things more difficult and conflicts with the principles of freedom of association and assembly.

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).

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – The House of Representatives (DPR) Commission I on foreign affairs has commended the measures being taken by the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) in conducting a counter campaign against foreign parties linked to the issue of West Papua.

[Understanding the Venezuela Revolution, a Discussion Between Hugo Chavez and Martha Harnecker. Published by Progressive Youth Alliance (AMP) and the Institute for Global Justice (IGJ), February 2007. Reviewed by Zely Ariane.]

[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'

Dara, Banda Aceh – A number of women’s activists that are concerned about the fate of women have declared a new local political party that has been given the name the Acehnese People’s Alliance Party for Women’s Concern (Partai Aliansi Rakyat Aceh Peduli Perempuan, PARAPP).

Rafiqa Qurrata A, Jakarta – The central leadership board of the National Liberation Party of Unity suspects there is a political plot to destroy them. This is taking a number forms such as terror and intimidation.

The following is an open letter issued by the National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) following the March 13 attack on Papernas’s regional office in the Central Sulawesi provincial capital of Palu.

Pekanbaru – Around 1,000 people from the Central People’s Movement (SEGERA) have cancelled a May 1 overnight occupation of the offices of the Riau governor because their demands for an investigation into the appropriation of local people’s land by the company PT. Arara Abadi have been met.

[The following is a compilation of abridged translations taken from Detik.com on the May Day rallies held in Indonesia on May 1.]

State Palace 'attacked en masse' by thousand of workers