At around 3pm today (March 4) protesters calling themselves the Indonesian Anti-Communist Front (FAKI) attacked the East Java Regional Conference of the National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) in Batu City, East Java.

Jakarta – Around 200 residents who said they were flood victims protested at the House of Representatives (DPR) building in South Jakarta demanding that Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso resign from his post.

J. Osdar – Indonesian journalists roared with laughter when they witnessed the general elections or great election in the Malaysian state of Sabah in 1985. The total number of voters was only 300,000 out of a population of 1.2 million. But more than 30 political parties had registered to contest the elections.

Yogyakarta – Scores of protesters demonstrated in front of the Agung State Place Building in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta yesterday criticising the state of the nation, particularly in relation to the foreign debt.

Nala Edwin, Jakarta – The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) is calling on the government to find the 13 missing activists who were abducted between 1996-1998 and whose fates are still unknown.

Bandar Lampung – The Bandar Lampung City Preparatory Committee for the National Liberation Party of Unity (KP-Papernas) plans to start socialising the new party this afternoon at the Lampung Cultural Gardens.

Jakarta – New political parties continue to surface. After 27 new political parties registered recently with the department of justice and human rights, there is now one more party, the National Liberation Party of Unity (PPPN or Papernas), that is ready to follow suit.

Gagah Wijoseno, Jakarta – A variety of political party flags adorn the site of the fire in the Penjaringan area of North Jakarta.

Jakarta – A number of Islamic social organisations from the Islamic Community Forum (FUI) have visited the offices of the Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs to ask that the government be on guard against foreign intervention that could divide the nation.

Banda Aceh – Students from the Aceh Democratic Network (Jaringan Demokrasi Aceh, JDA) opened a coordination post at the Banda Aceh City Park on Tuesday May 9 to guard the Draft Law on Aceh Government (RUU-PA)

Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta – Hundreds of students in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta held an action commemorating International Women’s Day on March 8 where they expressed their opposition to the Draft Anti-Pornography Bill (RUU APP).

Muchus Budi R., Jakarta – Pollycarpus, the defendant in the murder case of human rights defender Munir will soon be sentenced. The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) however, is pessimistic that the courts will be able to take further action to find and try the brains behind the murder.

Fitraya Ramadhanny, Jakarta – The presence of militia in Aceh post the peace negotiations in Helsinki still lays the grounds for the potential eruption of new forms of violence. It is because of this that the government is being urged to disband the militia, which still exist.

Adi Warsidi, Jakarta – As many as 116 Free Aceh Movement (GAM) members being detained in Sumatra and Java have yet to be granted amnesty. This is despite the fact that on August 31 the government stated it would grant amnesty to all GAM members as part of the implementation of the peace agreement.

Luhur Hertanto, Jakarta – Support for the government on the draft agreement with the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) is growing. The National Deliberative Council VII of the Indonesian Ulamas Council (MUI) [Ulama – Islamic religious leader] has declared it support the results of the Helsinki negotiations.

Anton Aliabbas, Jakarta – The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) has denied that it supports the dialogue between the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in Helsinki.

Jakarta – The categorisation of areas of Aceh into three levels of security is totally counterproductive in terms of the peace negotiations in Helsinki which are being conducted between the government and representatives of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and which will entering their fifth round in July.

Jakarta – The former director of the National Intelligence Agency (BIN), AM Hendropriyono, says there is no requirement for him to fulfill the summons from the Fact Finding Team (TPF) investigating the murder of human rights activist Munir.

Jakarta – Room to maneuver by the former director of the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) Hendropriyono is shrinking after BIN formally wrote to him telling him to fulfil the summons by the Fact Finding Team (TPF) investigating the death of human rights activist Munir.

Dusk had only just fallen when a black Land Cruiser entered the grounds of the national police headquarters on Jalan Trunojoyo in South Jakarta on Sunday May 29. Just a few metres from the gate the vehicle stopped. “Should we turn right Sir? To the chief of police’s office”, asked the driver. “Ah, you. No!