Budi Hartadi, Surabaya – Around 300 activists from a number of groups in the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya held an action in front of the Grahadi Building and at the grounds of the provincial parliament on Friday December 10 to commemorate International Human Rights Day.

Arry Anggadha, Jakarta – The Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) says that law enforcement agencies are incapable of upholding human rights in Indonesia. LBH is urging the government, law enforcement agencies and the people’s representatives to be become more serious about upholding human rights.

Dwo, Jakarta – It is hoped that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will immediately form a special team which can handle the murder of human rights activist Munir.

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – Following the death of renowned human rights activist Munir on September 7, non-government organisations have been urging the government to sign the United Nations 1998 Declaration on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders.

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – So that there is no repeat of the Munir case, the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH) is distributing a circular containing a warning to all human rights activists to be careful in carrying out their work.

Jakarta – Non-government organisations (NGOs) are concerned about Indonesia’s nomination to chair the United Nations Human Rights Commission because it will actually silence the human rights movement in Indonesia itself.

Suwarjono, Jakarta – TNI (armed forces) chief Endriartono Sutarto is asking that the death of human rights activist Munir not be turned into a political issue. Munir’s case is a criminal one and must be resolved legally.

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – Threats in the form of a package containing a rotting chicken carcass which were sent to the wife of Munir were also been sent to the offices of Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial) on Jalan Diponegoro at around 1.15pm on Tuesday November 23.

Indra Darmawan, Jakarta – Leading non-government organisation (NGO) figures are urging the government to form an independent team to investigate Munir’s murder.

Arin Widiyanti, Jakarta – Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial) and the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) are urging the government and police to investigate threats which have been made against the family of the late Munir.

Arin Widiyanti, Jakarta – Munir’s widow, Suciwati, says that the threats against her indicate that the death of her husband was politically motivated. She has asked that the investigation not be directed at Munir’s closest friends as suspects in the murder.

Arin Widiyanti, Jakarta – The executive director of Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial), Rachlan Nashidik, says that the person or persons threatening Munir’s family want to send a message that it was the TNI (armed forces) who killed the human rights activist.

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – A national meeting of civil society involving around 200 non-government and social organisations has taken a decision not to vote in the second-round of the presidential elections on September 20 because they have no faith in the two presidential candidates who are contesting the election.

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.

Alisa P, Jakarta – Speaking at the offices of the Dakwah Muhammaddyah, Munir SH, the executive director of Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial) said that National Mandate Party (PAN) chairperson Amin Rais must be responsible for the reformasi stalling.

Astrid Felicia Lim, Jakarta – If SBY [recently resigned coordinating minister for politics and security Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and presidential candidate for the military backed Democratic Party) becomes president, then responsibility for the military operation in Aceh, the investigation of human rights violations and reform of the military wi

Jakarta, Kompas – Accusations of human rights violations have not affected retired Lieutenant General Prabowo Subianto’s plan to advance towards the presidency. The former head of Kopassus who is believed to be linked to the abductions of a number of students1 continues to move forward in Golkar’s presidential candidate selection process.

Jakarta – Following mass rioting at the Manggarai district police station in Ruteng, East Nusa Tenggara, which resulted in the death of four farmers last Wednesday, the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) has been asked to immediately go to the location to gather facts.

Jakarta – Holding the elections in conflict areas such as Aceh will not result in quality elections. Basically this is because violence by state security personnel against the public is still occurring, particularly violence which increases a sense of fear in society.

Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – Indonesian Human Rights Watch director, Munir, has said that the statement by army chief General Ryamizard Ryacudu that 60,000 foreign agents have entered Indonesia in order to weaken the military represents an endeavour to create new tensions. This could also damage foreign diplomatic relations.