Manokwari – Shouts of “Papuan is independent” enlivened a peaceful protest action at the West Papua Provincial House of Representatives (DPRPB) on Thursday November 17.

Nurlina Umasugi, Jayapura – Thousands of Papuans from the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) held a 15 kilometer march on Monday afternoon to demand a referendum for the Papuan people.

Jakarta – The People’s Liberation Party (PPR) reports that a person was shot dead by security forces during a clash with thousands of PT Freeport Indonesia employees at the Gorong-Gorong bus terminal in Timika, West Papua, on the morning of Monday October 10.

Jakarta – For two years now, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) has ignored the House of Representatives’ (DPR) recommendations on the forced abduction and disappearance of 13 activists in 1997-1998. There were four recommendations issued by the DPR on September 30, 2009 in relation to the case.

Jakarta – The government is being urged to prioritize dialogue over a militaristic approach in resolving the Papua problem. It is precisely this militaristic approach that is provoking continued violence. Because of this therefore, violations of civilian human rights must stop.

[The following essay by Surya Anta was written in response to a series of questions, I emailed him yesterday, August 4, 2011 - Max Lane]

‘I am here to give solidarity, not as a provocateur’

Jakarta – Conflicts between the Indonesian military (TNI) and the people shows that internal reform within military as an institution is not fully complete. The security approach, like the era of Suharto’s New Order regime, is still being used by the TNI, particularly when confronted by problems.

Parwito, Kebumen – Only 16 percent of the ownership of all the land controlled by the Indonesian military in Indonesia is clear. The ownership of the remainder, 84 percent, is unclear and to this day is still the subject of disputes with local people.

Jakarta – It would be better if the deliberations on the Draft Law on Land Acquisition for Development be delayed while legal uncertainty over the control of land by communities remains unclear.

Yogyakarta – The special autonomy that has been in effect in Papua since 2001 is not working in accordance the hopes of the indigenous people there. There are still many infringements and even human rights violations.

Jakarta – Law enforcement throughout 2010 has been corrupt and discriminatory.

Jakarta – It is as though state has no presence any more. Thus was an assessment by Constitutional Court Chief Justice Mahfud MD in depicting the endless cases of violence in this country. Law enforcers, which it would be hoped are the means to resolve social conflicts, instead generate injustice.

Yogyakarta – Scores of Papuans from the group Solidarity for Papua (SUP) held a protest action at the Yogyakarta monument in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta on Monday June 21.

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

Let us unite to overthrow the pro-imperialist government of SBY-Boediono and the rotten political elite. Replace them with a United Government of the Poor!

Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta – May Day was also commemorated by hundreds of workers in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta with demands for the abolition of contract labour, wage increases and for May 1 to be designated as a national holiday.

It’s Thursday afternoon, March 18, and dozens of family members of victims of human rights violations are holding another “Kamisan” (Thursday Action), a silent protest in which they hold black umbrellas with the names of human rights cases written on them.

Women are not just housewives. They are not second class citizens.

A new alliance or united front organization was formed in January in Indonesia to fight the current neo-liberal policies of the Indonesian government. Its leaflet calling for a January 28 protest action lists 17 organisations.

Wisdom cannot be measured by how long one has lived...