Yogyakarta – The murder of four prisoners at the Cebongan prison in Sleman, Yogyakarta, could potentially be used for political image building. This can be seen from widespread efforts to garner public support and divert the issue away from one of human rights violations to the eradication of thuggery.

Jakarta – Three members of the 753 Battalion are being tried by the Jayapura III-9 Military Court in the case of the torture of Papuans that was uploaded on the YouTube website.

Adi Nugroho, Jakarta – The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) has concluded that serious human rights violations were committed by the Indonesian military (TNI) against people in Puncak Jaya, Papua.

Jakarta – On Monday April 5 the victims and families of victims of the abduction and forced disappearance of activists in 1997-1998, Semanggi I and II and Trisakti filed a suit with the Jakarta State Administrative Court (PTUN) against the President of the Republic of Indonesia over the president’s decision to promote Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin as depu

It’s Thursday afternoon, March 18, and dozens of family members of victims of human rights violations are holding another “Kamisan” (Thursday Action), a silent protest in which they hold black umbrellas with the names of human rights cases written on them.

Jakarta – Although admitting that they may contains some truth, statements by a number of public officials on human rights violations during the National Human Rights and State Defense Seminar at the Department of Defence on Thursday December 18 are believed to be incomplete have the potential to mislead the public.

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – The state, through President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY), should issue an immediate apology and rehabilitate the names of the pro-democracy activists and the families of the victims of the forced abduction in 1997-1998. This is necessary in order to solve the impasse in the legal proceedings into the case.

Kompas – The families of missing activists hope that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will not take conventional measures in completing the investigation of the forced disappearance of activists that occurred in 1997-98. Particularly given that 13 of those who disappeared have to this day still not returned.

Novia Chandra Dewi, Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) believes that plan to summon former generals by the House of Representatives’ (DPR) Special Committing for Missing Persons is ridden with political motivations.

Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono met with Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) coordinator Usman Hamid and family members of victims of violence and human rights violations at the presidential offices in Jakarta on Wednesday March 26.

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.

Ahmad Dani, Jakarta – Common crimes committed by members of the TNI (Indonesian military) in Aceh must be tried in civilian courts. Unfortunately, the Draft Law on Aceh Government (RUU-PA) in fact seeking the opposite. Common crimes by members of the TNI will still be processed in military courts.

Ken Yunita, Jakarta – It has not just been once or twice that the families of pro-democracy activists that were abducted in 1997-98 have expressed their disappointment with the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) Ad Hoc team.

Eworaswa, Jakarta – Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW), the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) and Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial) are questioning plans by the defense minister to increase the defense budget by 5.59 per cent (26 trillion rupiah).

Adhi Pratomo, Jakarta – Activists from the Student and People’s Alliances Against RUU TNI (Aliansi Mahasiswa dan Rakyat Tolak RUU TNI) believe that the RUU TNI (Rancangan Undang-Undang Tentara Nasional Indonesia, draft law on the armed forces) represents an endeavor by President Megawati Sukarnoputri to jack-up her votes in the second-round pres

Jakarta, Kompas – Former East Timor governor Abilio Jose Osorio Soares has questioned the verdict handed down against him by the courts.

Jakarta – Human rights violations perpetrated in 2003 cannot be separated from military control, particularly the army. The government of President Megawati Sukarnoputri has not worked as hard as its predecessors, like [former presidents] B.J. Habibie and Abdurrahman Wahid to control the TNI [Indonesian armed forces].

Jakarta – In a press statement issued by the Indonesian Human Rights Monitor (Imparsial), which was presented by Imparsial program director Rachland Nashidik on Friday September 13, [the organisation warned that] legalising the permanent role and powers of the Indonesian armed forces (TNI) in Law Number 15/2003 on the Elimination of Criminal Act

Lhokseumawe –- The chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM), Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara, has said that that the Komnas HAM Ad Hoc Team for Aceh will investigate [a recent] report about 100 Acehnese women who have been raped, [saying that] if this has actually occurred, then gross human rights violations have occurred.

Jakarta, Kompas -- The accusation that particular members of TNI [Indonesian armed forces] have committed rapes has surfaced again.