National strike to demand abolition of outsourcing, contract labour

Public meeting of Jakarta Worker's in Motion 23rd Sept 2012

Kompas - September 24, 2012

3 Oktober, Buruh Akan Mogok Kerja - Kompas.com. Senin, 24 September 2012

Jakarta -- Workers from the Joint Labour Secretariat (Sekber Buruh) have agreed to hold a national strike on October 3. They are demanding the abolition of outsourcing and contract labour systems, which they insist harms the working class.

"It's definite, we will hold a national strike on October 3. It won't just be a strike, we will also hold street actions", said Sekber Buruh Presidium Secretary Edi Santoso during a break in a mass meeting attended by hundreds of workers from various labour organisations at the divisional office of the Labour and Transmigration Department in North Jakarta on Sunday September 23.

Report: National strike called in Indonesia for October 3

Read: Public Meeting of Bekasi Workers; Unite National Strike;
Abolish Outsourcing, Living Wages.

by Max Lane

On 24 September, trade unions belonging to the recently formed Majelis Pekerja Buruh Indonesia (Indonesian Worker Employees Assembly – MPBI) have called for a national strike for October 3. They are expecting 2 million workers to join the strike in at least 21 towns with large manufacturing sectors. These towns are spread over all Indonesia’s major islands: Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi and West Papua. The strike’s demands are for increases in the official minimum wage, an end to all outsourcing arrangements, and the extension of the implementation of new health insurance legislation to the whole working population, with insurance premiums to be paid by employers.

Teenage suicide puts spotlight on Indonesia’​s sexist laws

"Do not let anti women regulation victimize even more women!" 
Protest action against anti women regulation, Perempuan Mahardhika 21/9/12

Direct Action - September 26, 2012

James Balowski, 

Jakarta -- A suicide in Indonesia’s northernmost province of Aceh by a teenager who was publicly humiliated by the province’s abusive sharia police has again put the spotlight on laws that discriminate against women.

The 16-year-old, identified only as Putri or PE, was arrested along with friends during a raid by Wilayatul Hisbah (sharia) police while attending a concert in the eastern Acehnese town of Langsa on September 3. While the circumstances of the arrest are unclear, sharia police harangued her in public for allegedly engaging in prostitution. No charges were laid, and she was released on bail to her family. The following day the story was picked up by local media outlets, some of which identified her by her full name and repeated the sharia police’s allegations that she was a prostitute.

The Jokowi factor and the future of Indonesia’s democracy

Aboeprijadi Santoso, Jakarta | Opinion | Sat, September 08 2012, 10:36 AM

“It’s Jokowi, stupid, not Prabowo!” one friend replied, paraphrasing Bill Clinton’s famous slogan, to a colleague who had argued that it was the Prabowo factor — the supposedly leading candidate for the 2014 presidential elections — that pushed Joko “Jokowi” Widodo toward a surprising victory in the first round of the Jakarta gubernatorial election 
last July.

So, did Jokowi win because of Prabowo, or has Prabowo’s star risen thanks to Jokowi? The issue is important for 2014. The Jokowi-Basuki ‘Ahok’ Tjahaja Purnama ticket not only demonstrated its strength (43 percent) — much to the surprise of pollsters — it may have significant impact at a national level.

A new wave of workers struggles in Indonesia

Zely Ariane*

Hightide for the Indonesian workers movement.

Throughout 2011 and until now, we are seeing new wave of workers radicalization. The momentum  started when thousands of workers mobilised under the banner of the Social Security Action Comittee (KAJS), demanding that the law on Social Security Provider (BPJS) would be passed mid 2011 [1]. Beside debate on the pro and cons of the law between workers organisations, mobilisations proved to be an effective way of pushing the demand and the draft law was passed after an occupation  of the parliament [2]. 

Fundamentalism, a challenge for the Left

An interview with Farooq Tariq, Labor Party Pakistan, on the importance of the fight against religious fundamentalism.

Zely Ariane

The idea of interviewing Farooq Tariq came from a lecture he gave during the Asian Global Justice School in Manila at the end of July 2012. I remember him stating firmly that Marxism is totally opposite of religion, particularly because the main basis of religion is private property, which is in line with class based society and capitalism. He also highlited the position of LPP towards religion, that they dont discuss religion nor make jokes about it, just as they oppose using religious arguments for socialism. At the same time, Farooq also gave inspiring examples of the role of  socialists to defend religious freedom in Pakistan. 

For my context in Indonesia, a majority Mouslem country which sees an increase of religious intolerancy and violence, this conversation was very important, especially concerning the attitude of the left.  I also took the chance to ask him on the recent left collaboration project in Pakistan.

Papua National Solidarity against militarism

NAPAS calls for Paniai police chief, military commander to be sacked

Kompas.com - August 23, 2012

NAPAS: Kapolres dan Dandim Paniai Sebaiknya Dicopot - Kompas.com. Kamis, 23 Agustus 2012

Aditya Revianur, Jakarta -- Speaking at a press conference in Jakarta, Papua National Solidarity (NAPAS) coordinator Martheen Goo called for the Panai district police chief and district military commander to be removed from their posts.

The call came following sweep operations by security forces in Paniai regency, West Papua, that have left the region in the grip of fear.

Pancasila Front & 127 anti-communist groups opposes any follow up on 1965 case

Pancasila Front opposes any follow up on 1965 rights commission report

Berita Satu - August 22, 2012

Wasekjen Golkar Minta Rekomendasi Kasus HAM 1965 Ditolak - Beritasatu. Rabu, 22 Agustus 2012

Ezra Sihite/Wisnu Cipto -- Mass organisations (Ormas) that are part of the Pancasila Front are ready to oppose any follow up on the recommendations by the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) on the 1965 killings.

Golkar takes jab at 1965 massacre survivors

Jakarta Globe - August 23, 2012

Ezra Sihite -- One month after Golkar Party deputy chairman Priyo Budi Santoso stirred controversy by asking the nation to forget the 1965 massacre, senior party official Leo Nababan called upon victims of the violence to stop seeking justice.

In July, after a four-year investigation, the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) labeled as a serious human rights violation and a crime against humanity the orgy of violence that shook the country in 1965 following a failed coup attempt blamed on the communists.

It is thought that up to 500,000 people died in the purge targeting the left, sparked by an attempt to overthrow the country's founding President Sukarno.

The PRD Diaspora, 16 Years On

Merdeka.com – July 24, 2012

Although this article is a little dated, I thought it might still be of interest to readers – JB.

Laurencius Simanjuntak -- The revolutionary ideals of the People's Democratic Party (PRD) founded 16 years ago were thwarted. The New Order regime of former President Suharto in a rage of fury obliterated the party only a few months after it was declared on July 22, 1996. PRD leaders and cadre in the regions were hunted down, abducted, tortured and jailed.

Several among them have never "returned home" to this day. They include Wiji Thukul, Petrus Bima Anugerah, Suyat and Herman Hendrawan, who were among the 13 people that were abducted by the army's elite Special Forces Kopassus in 1997-1998. However not all the stories of former PRD activists are as grim as Wiji Thukul and his comrades.

Government does not need to acknowledge 1965 crimes: NU youth wing

Kompas.com - August 15, 2012

GP Anshor: Pemerintah Tidak Perlu Akui Kejahatan 1965-1966 - Kompas.com. Rabu, 15 Agustus 2012

Aditya Revianur, Jakarta -- The chairperson of the Anshor Youth Movement (the youth wing of the Islamic mass organisation Nahdlatul Ulama), Nusron Wahid, says that the government does not need to acknowledge past gross human rights violations, particularly the humanitarian tragedy in 1965-1966.

NU, retired army officers reject apology to victims of 1965 killings

Kompas.com - August 15, 2012

PBNU Tolak Permintaan Maaf kepada Korban Tragedi 65 - Kompas.com - Rabu, 15 Agustus 2012

Aditya Revianur, Jakarta -- The Nahdlatul Ulama's Central Board (PBNU) with the support of retired army officers and mass organisations is strongly opposed any form of apology by the government or the Indonesian president for the 1965-1966 tragedy.

Independence Day commemoration celebrates sexual and cultural diversity

Our Voice - August 17, 2012

LGBT Yogya rayakan kemerdekan RI dengan upacara bersama - Ourvoice.or.id. 17 Augustus, 2012

Yatna Pelangi -- Marking Indonesia's 67th anniversary of independence, members of the transsexual, gay and lesbian community held an Independence Day commemoration in Ndalem Notoprajan in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta.

Starting with a reflection on the struggle for liberation and a sense of nationalism, the Yogyakarta Network for Human Rights and Diversity (Jamgaman) held a flag rising ceremony. Scores of Jamgaman activists, including members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LBGT) community, along with church leaders could be seen underneath the sun's intense heat singing and honoring the raising of the flag.

Who are benefited from Indonesia growth?

Strong economic growth not accompanied by rising living standards

 

Jakarta– In the midst of a global crisis, Indonesia's economic growth recorded a positive result. Economic growth for the second quarter of this year reached 6.4 percent compared with the same period last year.

Economic growth continued to be centred in Java Island contributing 57.5 percent. In cumulative terms, economic growth for the first semester of 2012 was an improvement on first semester economic growth for 2011, which was 6.3 percent.

Indonesian commission urges trials of military rights abusers

Two men await certain death – October 1965

By James Balowski, in Jakarta

After a three-year investigation and testimonies from 349 witnesses, Indonesia’s National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) has declared that the systematic prosecution of alleged members of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) when former president Suharto and the military seized power in 1965 constituted gross human rights violations. It urged that the military officers involved be brought to trial.

Speaking at a press conference on July 23, Nur Kholis, the head of the investigative team into what is officially described as a coup attempt by the PKI, said that state officials under the Operational Command for the Restoration of Security and Order (Kopkamtib) who served from 1965 to 1967 and between 1977 and 1978 should be tried for crimes including murder, extermination, slavery, eviction or forced eviction, deprivation of freedom, torture and mass rape. Kholis said that his team had handed over the 850-page report to the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) and “hoped that the AGO would follow up the report”.

Militarist party positioning itself in Indonesia

By Jalalludin Ngoko

The political party Greater Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) recently announced its 314-strong leadership structure. Gerindra is headed by Suharto era general and son-in-law Prabowo Subianto. Subianto was forced out of the army in 1999 after he was accused of masterminding the kidnapping and disappearance of student activists in 1997 and 1998. At that time, he was head of the Strategic Army Command and was endeavouring to save the Suharto dictatorship as it came up against increasing resistance from a student-led mass protest movement.

 East Timorese human rights and solidarity activists have also accused Subianto of being responsible for massacres and torture in East Timor during the Indonesian occupation. Information from the East Timor Alter Network (ETAN) connects him with the 1983 Kraras and 1991 Santa Cruz massacres.

Corruptors, generals and activists prominent in new Gerindra leadership

Prabowo Subianto (middle) at the 4th Gerindra party anniversary

Berita Satu - July 12, 2012

Pengurus Baru Gerindra: 314 Pengurus, Puluhan Jenderal dan Aktivis - Beritasatu.com. Kamis, 12 Juli 2012

Ezra Sihite/Rizky Amelia/Ulin Yusron -- It's not just Ahok that has been brought into the central leadership board, but scores of retired generals have also joined the ranks of the Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra Party) elite. In addition to this, there are family members and activists.

Gerindra is very happy at the moment. The candidates they backed along with the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) in the Jakarta gubernatorial election -- Joko Widodo as governor and Basuki Tjahaja Purnama alias Ahok as deputy governor -- have won the first round of the election.

National police anniversary smeared in the blood of the Papuan people

Papuan National Solidarity Statement (NAPAS) - July 2, 2012


It has been 43 years since Papua was annexed into Indonesia through the so-call "Act of Free" choice, which was legally flawed and engineered in contravention of the New York Agreement of "One Man One Vote". Despite this engineered annexation, the Papuan people have suffered a calamity. A calamity that has not only resulted in their natural wealth being exploited, but the people have been raped, abused, slaughtered, stigmatised and murdered, all which has been directed towards the annihilation of the Papuan people.

Solidarity action in Jakarta slams police brutality in West Papua

Suara Papua - July 3, 2012

NAPAS: HUT Polri Berlumuran Darah Rakyat Papua - Suara Papua. 03 July 2012

Oktovianus Pogau, Jakarta -- Scores of youths and students from the group Papuan National Solidarity (NAPAS) held a peaceful action in front of the Indonesian national police headquarters and the State Palace in Jakarta on the afternoon of Monday July 2 in protest against the spate of recent shootings in West Papua.

Finding ecological justice for women

As Indonesia’s rural poor are increasingly threatened by dispossession, is it time to adopt a more radical agenda for women and the environment?

Rebecca Elmhirst, Inside Indonesia

Fisherwomen are hard-hit by environmental degradation in West Sumatra.  Rebecca Elmhirst

During International Women’s Day this year, women representing four of Indonesia’s leading environmental and agrarian NGOs called for women across the archipelago to unite and demand a more just and environmentally sustainable economic order. In a joint statement, representatives from WALHI (the Indonesian Forum for the Environment), the Indonesian Peasants Union (SPI), Indonesian Green Union (SHI) and People's Coalition for Fisheries Justice (KIARA) argued that as women bear the brunt of environmental problems, it is women who should take the lead in preventing or solving them.

While women’s NGOs have tended to focus on issues such as health, economic empowerment and domestic violence, this statement is indicative of a new effort to link women with environmental and social justice agendas. This new alliance is inspired by the radical values of ecofeminism, according to which the exploitation of women and the environment is inextricably linked to the capitalist economic system. But at the same time this is just one of an array of competing agendas currently being promoted in Indonesia which attempt to connect women with the environment in a variety of ways.