News

June 2003

Aceh
Detik.com – June 16, 2003

Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta -- Resolving the conflict in Aceh through war will only increase the number of civilian casualties. For this reason, around 200 students from the Peace Committee for Humanity (Komite Perdamian untuk Kemanusiaan, KPK) held a demonstration calling for the war between the Indonesian armed forces (TNI) and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) to be stopped.

Indonesia
Kompas – June 13, 2003

Jakarta -- The popularity of the large political in the lead-up to the 2004 general elections is continuing to decline in the eyes of the public. People believe that the political parties don’t care about the future and the interests of ordinary people, they are egotistic and the elite are constantly squabbling.

Indonesia
Rakyat Merdeka – June 12, 2003

Jakarta – Who knows why, but four political prisoners sentenced for insulting the head of state, have still to obtain a copy of their convictions.

Aceh
Detik.com – June 11, 2003

Khairul Ikhwan, Medan -- There are indications that a number of civil servants in the Aceh provincial government are involved in the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), although none have so far been proven to be so. Aceh governor, Abdullah Puteh has said that the government is in the process of carrying out a more thorough investigation.

Aceh
Detik.com – June 11, 2003

Luhur Hertanto, Jakarta -- The government will soon conduct a special investigations (Litsus) of state civil servants in Aceh. This follows information which suggests Acehnese civil servants are involved in the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

Aceh
Kompas – June 7, 2003

Jakarta -- The Indonesian Women’s Solidarity Alliance (Aliansi Solidaritas Perempuan Indonesia, ASPI) has called on warring parties in Aceh to immediately end the war and return to the negotiating table. According to ASPI, the war will achieve nothing, rather it will result in civilian deaths and tear apart the rights of the Acehnese people.

Indonesia
Kompas – June 4, 2003

Jakarta -- On June 3 a number of press and non-government organisations from the Coalition for Violence Against Journalists (Koalisi Antikekerasan terhadap Wartawan) declared their concern over the repressive situation facing the press and the safety of journalists during the military operation in Aceh.

Aceh
Kompas – June 3, 2003

Jakarta, Kompas -- The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) has found strong indications of human rights violations -- including the murder of civilians since the emergency military operation in Aceh came into force.

Aceh
Sriwijaya Post – June 2, 2003

Jakarta, Sripo -- The Indonesian Centre for Reform and Social Emancipation (INCREASE) has put forward a referendum as the solution to resolving the conflict in Aceh. According to the pro-democracy non-government organisation, a referendum is the most democratic mechanism and form of participation to involve all elements of Acehnese society to determine their future.

March 2003

Indonesia
Kompas – March 31, 2003

Jakarta – Around 1 million people -- originating form at least 25 political parties and social organisations -- held a demonstration in Jakarta on Sunday, in the framework of opposing the US invasion of Iraq.

Indonesia
Detik.com – March 20, 2003

Yulianti, Jakarta – Around 200 people from the Anti-Militarism People’s Front (Front Rakyat Anti-Militerisme, FRAM) demonstrated in front the presidential palace and the department of defense. They were rejecting all forms of militarism in Indonesia and the world.

Indonesia
Kompas – March 18, 2003

Jakarta -- As many as 31 non-government organisations (NGO) and one political party have agreed to conduct open resistance against the plans for the entry of the military (TNI) into the political and civil chessboard in Indonesia.

Indonesia
Detik.com – March 8, 2003

Yulianti, Jakarta -- As planned, on Saturday hundreds of protesters from the Women’s Defence Alliance (Aliansi Perempuan Menggugat, APM) held a demonstration in commemoration of International Women’s Day.

Indonesia
Detik.com – March 8, 2003

Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta – International Women’s Day (IWD) which falls on this day, Saturday, was also commemorated in the city of Yogyakarta.

Indonesia
Detik.com – March 6, 2003

M. Munab Islah Ahyani, Bandung -- As many as 1000 activists from the Students Executive Council (BEM) from all institutions of higher education, except for the Bandung Institute of Technology, demonstrated in front of the West Java parliament today.

Indonesia
Detik.com – March 3, 2003

Gita Fajar P. Mega, Jakarta -- The People’s Lawyers Union (Serikat Pengacara Rakyat, SPR) which is handling a class action case over price increases to fuel against President Megawati Sukarnoputri, will send a pre-litigation letter to Megawati and Indonesian police chief General Da’I Bachtiar following three attacks on their offices by unidentified assailants.

Indonesia
Liputan 6 – March 2, 2003

Semarang -- Based on intelligence data, there are presently 10,000 ex-political prisoners from the categories A, B and C across Central Java/Yogyakarta, who have established political parties. They have also joined together in non- government institutes and foundations with aims and motives which it is suspected could create problems for the country.

Indonesia
Kompas – March 1, 2003

For more than a month, Iqbal Siregar (36), an activist from the Islamic Youth Movement (Gerakan Pemuda Islam, GPI), has been incarcerated in the holding cells of the Metro Jaya local police. He spends his days in a cell measuring 5 x 6 metres with criminal suspects. Iqbal has absolutely no relationship with the world of crime.