FORTY-FIVE-YEAR-OLD Kojims face is bright. The village head of Tompe Gunung, Sukolilo district, Pati, Central Java, is happy because as of May he will receive a salary from the regional government. I am glad my colleagues struggle has been successful, he said.

The struggle was led by a number of village heads united in the Union of Village Heads and Village Officials (Parade Nusantara). After staging a demonstration in early March, last Monday th