Protests against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) groups have taken place in a number of parts of the country. Why is it difficult for society to accept the presence of the LGBT community in a more intelligent way?

Rio Tuasikal – Raids conducted without legal grounds have again occurred against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people. Three transgender women in Lampung province, North Sumatra, were hosed down with water from a fire truck in an action which has been slammed as “inhuman” and “arbitrary”.

Bastian Tebai, Jayapura – This morning, on Monday September 3, 14 participants of a peaceful action organized by the Papuan People’s Democratic Movement (Garda Papua) were arrested by police.

Ternate – The group 20 Years of Reformasi, Win Freedom, Equality and Prosperity Committee (Komitmen) held a campaign action commemorating 20 years of reformasi in front of the Gamalama Market in the North Maluku city of Ternate on Monday May 21.

20 years of reformasi: A reminder of the need to win what has yet to be achieved by reformasi – freedom, equality and prosperity.

Long live the workers! Long live the people!

May 1 is symbolic of our struggle against the tyranny of capital and employers who oppress the working class.

[The following is a translation of a leaflet distributed by the Populist Democratic Trade Union (SEDAR) on May Day 2018.]

Today, we will again take to the streets and join the momentum of International Labour Day or May Day 2018.

On April 19-20, representatives from some 42 organisations gathered in Jakarta to take part in the People’s Movement Conference (KGR).

Almost one thousand women workers from the IndustriALL Indonesia Council Women’s Committee commemorated International Women’s Day (IWD) on the road in front of the House of Representatives (DPR) in Jakarta on Thursday March 8.

Rizki Halim, Yogya – Dozens of women held a rally at the Zero Kilometre point in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta to commemorate International Women’s Day (IWD) on Thursday March 8.

Taking up the spirit of feminism, the women, who came from a number of different groups, took up issues related to gender equality in Indonesia.

Lia Wanadriani Santosa, Jakarta – Women from the Social Coalition for Disabled People (KMPD) are calling on the public to stop the practice of forced contraception for people with disabilities, particularly women.

Qadri Prartiwi, Jayapura – Commemorating International Women’s Day (IWD), women activists and organisations in West Papua took to the streets in the Abepura area of Jayapura city and surrounds.

Eva Safitri, Jakarta – Women activists from a number of different organisations commemorated International Women’s Day (IWD) with demands for equality and opposing discrimination, violence, intolerance and poverty.

Putri Puspita, Bandung – In welcoming International Women’s Day (IWD) which falls on March 8, a number of different communities in the West Java provincial capital of Bandung have taken part in the Women’s March action.

Hilda Meilisa Rinanda, Surabaya – Women’s rights activists held a Women’s March on Car Free Day at the Bungkul Park in the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya on Sunday March 4.

The action, which was held for the first time in Surabaya, was an expression of concern and opposition to discrimination against women.

The murder of women or ‘femicide’ was one of the issues taken up by the 2018 Women’s March in Jakarta on Saturday March 3.

Viva democracy and equality!

March 8, 2018, is exactly 118 years since the Women’s Conference in Denmark which set March 8 as International Women’s Day (IWD).

Robertus Belarminus, Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) has expressed its appreciation to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein for raising human rights issues during his visit to Indonesia, including the issue of LGBT rights.

Dadang Kurnia, Bambang Noroyono – The sensitive LGBT issue has become a political hot potato following a statement by People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker Zulkifli Hasan.

Bimo Wiwoho, Jakarta, CNN Indonesia – A workshop held by activists and volunteers from the 1965 Indonesia People’s Tribunal (IPT 65) at the Wisma Samadi in Klender, East Jakarta, was yesterday forcibly closed down by police, the TNI (Indonesian military) and local government officials.

Teuku Muhammad Guci Syaifudin, Yogyakarta – Seven men and three women stood in front of the entrance to the governor’s office on Jl. Malioboro in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta on Tuesday May 16.