Jakarta – Because the government has failed to fulfill its promise of agrarian reform, the process of rural proletarianisation continues unabated. Rural communities, the majority of whom are farmers that once owned land, have begun to loose their source of income because they no longer have control over land.

Syamsul Hadi and Marcus Suprihadi, Jember – The second year of the administration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Boediono was marked by a protest action by scores of students at the Jember Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) in East Java on Thursday October 20.

Jakarta – Foreign penetration through multi-national companies in the food sector is increasing and spreading.

Israel’s attack on a convey of six ships transporting humanitarian assistance for Gaza, the Freedom Flotilla, in international waters, resulted in the death and injury of civilians

Farmer: It’s with great effort that we plant, why is the response always imports?

Khairul Ikhwan, Medan – Thousands of farmers in North Sumatra (Sumut) have threatened to boycott the July 8 presidential elections if the various problems facing farmers are not resolved. This threat was conveyed during a protest action at the offices of the North Sumatra National Land Agency (BPN) on Jl.

Sign in rice field: Here will be built the Trans Java highway

Kid: Yahoo...! With the compensation we can buy a car right dad!

Writing on semi-trailer: 2028. Rice imports.

Experts are warning that the failure to invest in infrastructure and a steady decline in arable land due to environmental degradation and land conversion for housing and industry will result in Indonesia becoming almost entirely dependent upon food imports to meet its needs.

Jakarta – The results of research and a political study by Charta Politika (Political Charter) has revealed that the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) has three sources of strength to help it win the 2009 legislative elections.

Pekanbaru – Around one thousand farmers attended the opening of All Indonesian Farmers and the National Peasants Union (STN) Extraordinary Congress that was held at the Bukit Square in the Senapelan sub-district of Pekan Baru on Wednesday June 25. The event started at around 2pm.

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 – The minimum wage is still not enough to fulfil the daily needs of workers in the major cities of Medan, Bandung, Jakarta and Surabaya. Many workers are making up the difference by falling into debt while job security levels remain low.

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.

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.

Jambi – Traditional communities and farmers in Indonesia, particularly in Jambi province, Sumatra, are still falling victim to disadvantageous government policies and as a consequence both groups suffer from high levels of poverty.

[The following is a compilation of abridged translations of protests between November 17-18 against US President George W. Bush's planned visit to the West Java city of Bogor on November 20. Translated by James Balowski.]

Palu students continue protests against Bush

Windoro Adi – “We are grateful that the government has finally acknowledged our fallen son a hero of reformasi. They did not die in vain”, said Hiratetty, the mother of Elang Mulia Lesmana at a press conference at the Trisakti University campus on Monday May 8.

Semarang – At least 300 farmers in the plantation area of Rumpun Sari Kaligintung owned by PT Perkebunan Nusantara (PTPN) IX, have complained about the company to the governor.

Semarang – Thousands of farmers from the Central Java National Farmers Union (Serikat Tani Nasional, STN) went to the offices of the Central Java governor in Semarang on Wednesday January 25. The demonstrators gave speeches and put up posters and banners that opposed rice imports that they believe will severely damage farmers.

Machendra Setyo AtmajaIntania Nur Kusuma, Jakarta – Symbols of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) have been burnt by demonstrators from the Indonesian People’s Anti-Imperialist Union (Perisai) who were demanding that the government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Jusuf Kalla have the courage to leave the organisation.