Banda Aceh – The average height of children first entering school in Aceh over the last six years has decreased by eight centimeters. In 1997 the average height of children first entering school was 119cm however by the end of 2003 the average was only 110cm (sic).

Risna – On July 27, 1996, a bloody tragedy occurred which began with an attack on the headquarters of the Indonesian Democratic Party headquarters in Central Jakarta by a group organised by the military.

Jakarta, Kompas – A number of non-government organisations (NGOs) and students from the pro-democracy movement have rejected the planned deliberation of the draft law on the Indonesian National Armed Forces (RUU TNI) by the People’s Representative Assembly (DPR).

Jakarta – An intelligence coordinating meeting which was held yesterday has yet to officially recommend that the director of the International Crisis Group (IGC) Sydney Jones be expelled from Indonesia.

Gede Suardana, Denpasar – Although anti-military demonstrations in Jakarta have proceeded safely, it wasn’t so in Denpasar Bali.

Dian Intannia, Jakarta – Army chief (KSAD) General Ryamizard Ryacudu says that reducing the status of Aceh from martial law to a state of civil emergency will not change the way security operations are conducted. The TNI (armed forces) will also not be withdrawing its troops from Aceh.

Banda Aceh – On Monday May 17, demonstrations calling for the governor of Aceh, Abdullah Puteh, to resign from his post took place in three separate locations in Aceh.

Nur Raihan, Banda Aceh – As may as 1000 students from the Ar-Raniry Darussalam State Institute of Islamic Studies and the Muhammadyah University along with hundreds of residents of Banda Aceh held demonstrations in three locations in the provincial capital on Monday May 17.

Anton Aliabbas, Jakarta – The Free Aceh Movement (GAM) says that the government’s decision to reduce the status of martial law in Aceh to a state of civil emergency is not enough. If the TNI (armed forces) remains the people will still be repressed and continue to suffer.

M.Ilaham, Jakarta – Thousands of Acehnese who are residing in Jakarta held a series of demonstrations at the offices of the coordinating minister of politics and security, the presidential palace and the national parliament on Tuesday May 11.

M. Ilaham, Jakarta – The chairperson of the Association of Acehnese Families (Ikatan Keluarga Rakyat Aceh, IKARA), Faisal Syarifuddi, says that during the one year that martial law has been in place in Aceh it has brought great suffering to the Acehnese people, particularly innocent civilians.

Muchus Budi R., Solo – Democratic Party presidential candidate, [former coordinating minister for politics and security] Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) has admitted that he doesn’t know who entered the data on the Democratic Party’s web site which gives the impression that one of the party’s programs is to abolish the army’s territorial command

Muchus Budi R., Solo – Democratic Party presidential candidate and retired general Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono alias SBY says he is saddened by the wave of demonstrations opposing presidential candidates with a military background.

Khairul, Banda Aceh – The head of the Pidie regional military command (Kodim), Infantry Lieutenant Rochim Siregar, has been forcing all village heads to come to the Kodim headquarters with the aim of making them sign a document supporting an extension of martial law in Aceh.

Alisa P Banda Aceh – According Acehnese People’s Democratic Resistance Front (FPDRA) chairperson, Thamrin Ananda, the plan by the interim coordinating minister for politics and security, Hari Subarno, to reduce the status of martial law in Aceh to a state of civil emergency following a meeting with the armed forces chief in Cilangkap, is a mealy

Ilham M, Jakarta – The coordinator of the United Opposition Front (Barisan Oposisi Bersatu, BOB), Dita Indah Sari, says that the dismissal of the Makassar provincial police chief does not mean that the bloody Indonesian Muslim University (UMI) incident in South Sulawesi has been resolved.

[The following is a translation of a joint statement issued by the Joint Alliance of Indonesian University Students (Aliansi Bersama Mahasiswa Universitas Indonesia) following the recent clash between police and students at the Indonesian Muslim University (UMI) campus in Sulawesi’s provincial capital Makassar.

Luhur Hertanto, Jakarta – The Center for Electoral Reform (Cetro) is to lodge a complaint with the Constitutional Court over intervention by the Aceh Emergency Military Command (PDMD) into political parties and the National Election Commission (KPU) in the Aceh general elections.

Alisa P., Jakarta – Scores of activists from the Papuan National Student’s Front (Front Nasional Mahasiswa Papua, FNMP) held a demonstration at the United Nations offices in Jakarta on Tuesday 27.

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – United Solidarity for the Victims of Human Rights Violations (Solidaritas Kesatuan Korban Pelanggaran HAM, SKKP HAM) has called on the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) to take the initiative and have an active position on the process of nominating presidential and vice-presidential candidates.