Wilhendra Akmam, Jakarta – Ten political parties have agreed to support the nomination of former Free Aceh Movement (GAM) members in regional elections in Aceh in 2005-06. This is to be done taking note that GAM is prepared to conclude the negotiations with the Indonesian government in a peaceful manner.

Uba/Ant, Jakarta – Muhammadiyah, Indonesia’s second largest Islamic mass organisations, is moving to establish a new political party. Not because of discontent with the National Mandate Party (PAN) – but the longing and enthusiasm of the new generation of Muhammadiyah members to have their own party.

Jakarta – The Minister of Defense, Juwono Sudarsono, estimates that the integration of the TNI (armed forces) headquarters into the department of defense – in accordance with the mandate of the Law on the TNI – will be implemented in within the next three years.

Suryani Ika Sari, Jakarta – Trade unions and labour groups from the United Workers’ Alliance have demonstrated at the Jakarta Provincial Council building demanding to meet with the Jakarta governor, Sutiyoso, and calling on the governor to repeal Govenoral Decree Number 2515/2004 which sets the provincial minimum wage at 711,843 rupiah per month

Arin Widiyanti, Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is to be sued by 4.1 million Acehnese people on the grounds that his broke his campaign promise by extending the civil emergency in Aceh. The suit is be registered with the Central Jakarta State Court by the People’s Lawyers Union (Serikat Pengacara Rakyat, SPR).

Flamboyan, Jakarta – The head of the European Union’s Troika Delegation, Bernard Bot, said on Thursday October 28 that they were interested in visiting Aceh and West Papua.

Suwarjono, Jakarta – On Tuesday September 14, victims of the 1965 tragedy1 went to the presidential palace wanting to meet face-to-face with President Megawati Sukarnoputri with the aim of presenting a legal action (Somasi) to the president.

Dadan Kuswaraharja, Jakarta – The People’s Democratic Party is calling on the public not to use their right to vote or golput (boycott) in the second round of the presidential elections.

Diyah Kusuwardhani, Jakarta – On July 3, or two days before the election of the next president on July 5, there will be a demonstration against militarism. A massive demonstration is to be held in Jakarta and accompanied by nation-wide actions.

Budi Sugiharto, Surabaya – Very strange and mysterious. When demonstrators from the People’s Democratic Party (PRD) wanted to set fire to five posters of the respective presidential and vice-presidential candidates, police rushed in to save President Megawati Sukarnoputri’s picture.

Dian Intannia, Jakarta – Scores of students from the City Network (Jaringan Kota) have again demonstrated against military presidential and vice-presidential candidates by burning photographs of [former armed forces chief and Golkar presidential candidate] Wiranto, [former coordinating minister for politics and security and Democratic Party pres

Woro Swasti, Jakarta – The coordinator of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), Usman Hamid, says that if Wiranto is elected as president the investigation into [former President] Suharto’s crimes will come to a halt.

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.

Luhur Hertanto, Jakarta – If there is money, the parties are popular. If they only have T-shirts they are ignored.

Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta – In commemorating International Women’s day which fell on Monday March 8, women from a number of different groups in Yogyakarta accused the political parties participating in the elections of not fighting for the rights of women. They also rejected discrimination and violence against women in Aceh and West Papua.

Jakarta – Aceh has almost become the “forgotten” war. Because of this, Acehnese students believe that is necessary to hold demonstrations in Jakarta to remind people of the issue. Yesterday, at the Hotel Indonesia roundabout, scores of Acehnese activists demonstrated over the fate of several recently arrested colleagues.

Jakarta – As the Golkar Party fraction celebrated following the release of Golkar Party general chairperson Akbar Tanjung [from corruption charges], Yudi, a student from the Jakarta State University (UNJ) is still languishing in the Pondok Indah hospital in Jakarta.

[The following is an abridged translation of a statement issued by the People’s United Opposition Party (POPOR) on October 7 following the announcement by the Department of Justice and Human Rights that the party had failed the verification process to be legally registered as a political party.

[The following is a statement issued by the Central Leadership Committee of the People’s Democratic Party (KPP-PRD).]

The imperialist attack by the US and its allies was launched today. Starting at around 4am today, as the people of Iraq slept in fear, bombs and hundreds of heavy weapons rained down on Baghdad.