INDONESIA: The President has dismissed the head of the national police

Why has President Yudhoyono not dismissed the head of the Indonesian national police as a response to the scandal the confrontation, or turf war, between the National Police and the Corruption Eradication Commission? Why has no leader of any parliamentary party a clear and strong call for such a dismissal? Perhaps they all remember what happened […]

INDONESIA: Documentary review: “Tjidurian 19”.

Tjidurian 19, directed by Lasja Susatyo and M. Anduh Aziz, screned Jakarta, November 17, 2009 This film is about some of the people who were leading writers and artists in the Peoples Cultural Institute (LEKRA) in the 1960s. LEKRA was aligned with the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI), and like the PKI was banned after 1965. […]

INDONESIA: Parliament represents less than half the people

“The number of voters represented by the nine political parties that obtained seats in the national House of Representatives (DPR) following the 2009 legislative elections is less that who are not represented.” Kompas, November 13, 2009 James Balowski from the APSN website has translated and circulated the following KOMPAS newspaper article. For more background to […]

Ominous news for Indonesian labour

“Other major concerns with investors — the country’s onerous labour laws and the “spectre of exorbitant costs” in cases where companies have to retrench — are also going to be addressed, Pangestu [Indonesian Minister for Trade] said, while still protecting workers’ rights.” “while still protecting workers’ rights” …. hmmmm The current minimum wage in Indonesia is set […]

Joesoef Isak passed away, August 15, 2007

The Thinker: Joesoef Was Right Monday was Independence Day, the anniversary of the proclamation of independence by Sukarno and Hatta and the beginning of a four-year struggle by millions of Indonesians to prevent a colonial army from seizing back the land they had plundered for 350 years. “ Merdeka atau mati! ” (freedom or death!) […]

On Joesoef Isak

by Max Lane 14 September, 2006 On April 20 2004 in a gala ceremony in New York the American PEN Center honoured Indonesian publisher, Joesoef Isak, with the 2004 Jeri Laber Freedom to Publish Award. The award was given to Joesoef Isak in recognition of his long record of courageous publishing during the years of […]

About Aini Chalid

In Memoriam: Aini Chalid 8 February, 2007 In late January 2007, Aini Chalid passed away in Manila, the Philippines during a heart operation. Aini was a close friend since 1973. Aini Chalid was one of three people put on trial by the Suharto regime in 1974-75 following the so-called MALARI incident. Aini was a student […]