Suwarjono, Jakarta – Opposition to presidential and vice-presidential candidates from the military are surfacing again. A coalition of West Papuan non-government organisations (NGOs) say that presidential candidates with a military background will make it difficult to uphold values of human rights in Indonesia.

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. Munab Islah Ahyani, Bandung – Army chief General Ryamizard Ryacudu says that there is a modern war conspiracy which has and is being carried out by aggressor nations in order to destroy and take control of Indonesia. Stages I and II of this modern war are already underway within the country.

Luhur Hertanto, Jakarta – Anti-military demonstrations dogged [former armed forces chief] Wiranto and Gus Solah [National Human Rights Commission member Solahuddin Wahid] as they left the National Election Commission (KPU) after registering as Golkar Party presidential and vice-presidential candidates on Tuesday May 11.

Budi Hartadi, Surabaya – Scores of activists from the Indonesian National Student Movement (Gerakan Mahasiswa Nasional Indonesia, GMNI) in Surabaya, East Java, held a demonstration [on May 5] rejecting presidential candidates with a military background.

Makassar, Kompas – On Tuesday May 5, massive demonstrations and rallies by thousands of students from almost all schools of higher education in the South Sulawesi provincial capital of Makassar brought activities in the city to a stand still for the entire day.

Martha Warta Silaban, Jakarta – Hundreds of students and elements from the social movements held a demonstration in front of the national police headquarters at 1pm on Tuesday May 4.

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.

Muhammad Fasabeni, Heru C.N., Jakarta – Hundreds of people from a number of organisations such as the Greater Jakarta Student Executive Council (BEM-Sejabotabek), the United Opposition Front (BOB), the National Student League for Democracy (LMND) and the People’s Democratic Party (PRD) held a demonstration in front of the faculty of medicine at

Jakarta – In Jakarta, opposition to presidential candidates from military circles continues to be organised.

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.

Astrid Felicia Lim, Jakarta – Actions rejecting militarism and the New Order [regime of former President Suharto] continue to be organised.

Khairul, Banda Aceh – When contact by Fpdra.com by phone, the general chairperson of the Acehnese Democratic Women’s Organisation (Oraganisasi Perempauan Aceh Demokratik, ORPAD), Raihana Diani, said that they reject a presidential candidate originating from the military.

Jakarta – Opposition to presidential candidates originating from the military is continuing. On Monday April 26, scores of activists from the Student Action Committee of Democratic Concern (Komite Aksi Mahasiswa Peduli Demokrasi, KAMPD) set fire to photographs of Wiranto, as a symbol of this opposition.

Khairul, Banda Aceh – When contact by Fpdra.com by phone, the general chairperson of the Acehnese Democratic Women’s Organisation (Oraganisasi Perempauan Aceh Demokratik, ORPAD), Raihana Diani, said that they reject a presidential candidate originating from the military.

Jakarta – Opposition to presidential candidates originating from the military is continuing. On Monday April 26, scores of activists from the Student Action Committee of Democratic Concern (Komite Aksi Mahasiswa Peduli Demokrasi, KAMPD) set fire to photographs of Wiranto, as a symbol of this opposition.

Jakarta – The executive director of Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial), Munir, says that the drawing in or courting active military officers to enter politics will only destroy the nation’s system of defense.