[The following statement was issued by the National Executive of the National Student League for Democracy (Liga Mahasiswa Nasional untuk Demokrasi, LMND) and the Central Leadership Committee of Student Solidarity for the People (Solidaritas Mahasiswa Untuk Rakyat, SMUR) on August 23. Translated by James Balowski.]

[The following is a translation of a statement issued by the Solidarity Movement for the People of Aceh (Solidaritas Gerakan untuk Rakyat Aceh, SEGERA) which was read out a demonstration in front of the national parliament on August 7, to coincide with the last day of the annual session of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) which start

MPRS Decree Number XXV/1966 on the Dissolution of the Indonesian Communist Party and Prohibitions on Marxist, Leninist and Communist Teachings is still being maintained as law. However for the families who have been affected by this “collective sin” as a result of this decree, the issue is not one of the decree being revoked or not(1).

[The following petition was initiated by SEGERA, the Solidarity Movement with the People of Aceh and is being circulated among progressive and democratic organisations in Indonesia. This translation has been abridged and edited for readability. Copies of the original petition in Bahasa Indonesia are available on request.]

Jakarta -- The Indonesian National Front for Labour Struggle (FNPBI), the National Student League for Democracy (LMND), the National Farmers Union (STN) and 53 other mass organisation have established a new party, the People’s United Opposition Party (Partai Persatuan Oposisi Rakyat, Popor), which was launched in Jakarta on Sunday (27/7).

[The following is a statement issued by the Central Leadership Board of the newly formed People’s United Opposition Party (Popor) which was launched on in Jakarta on July 27.]

Jayapura – Seventy-five percent (75) of native Papuans appear to want Papua to be free and become an independent country. This was revealed in the results of a survey conducted by the International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES) in cooperation with Tyler Nelson Survey (TNS), an international research institute.

Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta -- Resolving the conflict in Aceh through war will only increase the number of civilian casualties.

Jakarta, Kompas -- The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) has found strong indications of human rights violations -- including the murder of civilians since the emergency military operation in Aceh came into force.