[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,
Ramadhian Fadillah, Jakarta – Fifteen protest actions will rock Jakarta today, Thursday May 15, all of which have the potential to create traffic congestion.
The battle drum of the Indonesian people’s resistance to the planned fuel price increases has been sounded – students, the urban poor, workers, farmers and women in every corner of the country are daily holding actions that are growing and uniting day by day.
Jakarta – The National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) has decided to be realistic. They have chosen to postpone their desire to take part in the 2009 legislative and presidential elections. They have taken this position because of pressures that have emerged since the political party was launched in Jakarta on July 22, 2006.
Surabaya – The commemoration of International Labour Day on Thursday May 1 was marked with protest actions in several East Java cities. Workers and students also held demonstrations in Bandung, Denpasar, Palembang and Bandar Lampung.
Rofiqi Hasan, Denpasar – Hundreds of workers, students and journalists in Bali commemorated International Labour Day at the Bajra Sandhi Monument in the provincial capital of Denpasar, where they called for wage increases, the abolition of contract labour and guarantees of the freedom to associate.
B. Josie Susilo Hardianto – The lunch boxes had only just been handed out when they began to discuss the story of Mardi – a worker in Tangerang, Banten province. He had just sent his two children back to his village. “They’ve being entrusted with Mardi’s parents so they can go to school”, said Bagus, who provides support to workers.
Basic changes in the struggle by the working class before and after reformasi represent a shift from a struggle for wages and conditions to a struggle for job security.
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.
Sutarto, Jakarta – Lawyers and human rights activists went to the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) offices on Tuesday April 29 to declare their support for the commission’s continued investigation into cases of gross human rights violations, particularly the Talangsari case.
M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – Scores of people from the East Java Alliance to Combat New Style Communism (SPKGB) protested at the offices of the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) on Tuesday April 29.
M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – There are steps being taken by the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) that are damaging the interests of the state and even benefiting the interests of other parties.
Rofiqi Hasan, Denpasar – Scores of West Papuan students from the United West Papua Popular Struggle Front (Pepera) demonstrated today on the Udayana University campus in the Balinese provincial capital of Denpasar. They were protesting against special autonomy for West Papua and calling for a referendum to be held.
Agung Sedayu, Jakarta – Protest actions and parades across Central and South Jakarta will colour the capital today, Monday April 21. Based on information from the Metro Jaya regional police Traffic Management Centre (TMC), the actions take place between 9am and 4pm.
Jakarta – Based on data from the Metro Jaya regional police Traffic Management Centre (TMC) website, Jakarta and surrounding areas will be inundated by some 13 different protest actions today, Thursday April 17.
Rafiqa Qurrata A, Jakarta – Jakarta and nearby Bekasi will be coloured by protest actions today, Wednesday April 16, with six different groups of protesters voicing their aspirations between 7am and 5pm.
Jakarta – The government must provide protection to Indra Setiawan after his release from jail on Monday April 14. The reason, because during his court hearing, the former executive director of Garuda Indonesia airlines provided a great deal of key evidence in the case of the murder of human rights activist Munir.
Arfi Bambani Amri, Jakarta – Three separate demonstrations will be held at the Sate Palace, the Finance Department and the offices of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) today, Thursday April 10. Motorists are advised to avoid the three locations while the demonstrations are in progress.
M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – Many defendants in gross human right violation cases being handled by the Attorney Generals’ Office are released from indictments. This situation refects a failure on the part of the Attorney General in prosecuting the perpetrators.
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.
