Suwarjono, Jakarta – TNI (armed forces) chief Endriartono Sutarto is asking that the death of human rights activist Munir not be turned into a political issue. Munir’s case is a criminal one and must be resolved legally.

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – Threats in the form of a package containing a rotting chicken carcass which were sent to the wife of Munir were also been sent to the offices of Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial) on Jalan Diponegoro at around 1.15pm on Tuesday November 23.

Indra Darmawan, Jakarta – Leading non-government organisation (NGO) figures are urging the government to form an independent team to investigate Munir’s murder.

Arin Widiyanti, Jakarta – Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial) and the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) are urging the government and police to investigate threats which have been made against the family of the late Munir.

Arin Widiyanti, Jakarta – Munir’s widow, Suciwati, says that the threats against her indicate that the death of her husband was politically motivated. She has asked that the investigation not be directed at Munir’s closest friends as suspects in the murder.

Arin Widiyanti, Jakarta – The executive director of Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial), Rachlan Nashidik, says that the person or persons threatening Munir’s family want to send a message that it was the TNI (armed forces) who killed the human rights activist.

Fedhly Averouss Bey, Jakarta – The extension of the civil emergency in Aceh will not resolve the problems in the province. On the contrary it is an a-historical policy.

Astrid Felicia Lim, Jakarta – The extension of the state of civil emergency in Aceh by the government though Presidential Decree Number 2/2004 has been condemned by three non-government organisations (NGOs) who believe that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) has broken his promise to resolve the conflict in Aceh peacefully.

Tangerang – The government has officially decided to maintain the state of civil emergency in Aceh which should have ended today. The civil emergency which has limited much of the Acehnese people’s daily lives will be extended for a maximum of six months.

Jakarta – It is hoped that the government can resolve the conflict in Aceh peacefully in the lead up to the end of the period of civil emergency on November 18. Furthermore the government is being asked to reduce the state of civil emergency in Aceh to one of a civil authority.