Rilis, Banda Aceh – A meeting of the Commission for Security Arrangements (COSA) on Saturday February 25 has discussed a number of crucial issues that have taken place in Aceh such as violence against members of the Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM) and the vandalism of the Aceh Referendum Information Center (SIRA) offices in Blang Pidie, West Aceh.

Ken Yunita, Jakarta – The debate over the question of giving voting rights to the TNI (Indonesian military) and the police continues to provoke discussion. The People’s Democratic Party (PRD) agrees with members of the TNI and police participating in the 2009 general elections.

Iqbal Fadil, Jakarta – The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) has put forward four preconditions that have to be met before the right to vote is given to members of the TNI (Indonesian military).

Maruli Ferdinand, Jakarta – The Indonesian Human Rights Monitor (Imparsial) opposes the Indonesian military (TNI) being given the right to vote in the 2009 general elections. The problem is that the TNI has yet to complete its agenda of reform.

ST Pramono, Jakarta – An Acehnese member from the Joint Forum of the National and Regional House of Representatives, Ferry Mursyidan Baldan, says that the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) report on the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) must be accompanied by evidence.

Jakarta, Antara – Former Army chief of staff, retired General Tyasno Sudarto, says that the Draft Law on a Government for Aceh or RUU-PA will endanger the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) because it has a number of clauses that lead in the direction of federalism.

M Isma & Saiful Bahri, Banda Aceh – Demonstrations “opposing” the Home Affairs Department’s revisions to the Draft Law on a Government for Aceh (RUU-PA) are continuing and spreading.

Luhur Hertanto, Jakarta – The government has finally completed compiling the Draft Law on a Government for Aceh and is ready to submit it to the House of Representatives (DPR). President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will today – Wednesday January 25 – study the final draft to prepare a Presidential Instruction (Ampres).

Tedi Hikmah, Jakarta – The non-government organisation Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial) has again raised questions about the investigation of gross human rights violations that have taken place in Aceh.

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.

Banda Aceh – The commander of the Iskandar Muda Territorial Command, Major General Supiadin AS, says that there are no grounds to extend the presence of the Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM) in Aceh that is planned to end in March 2006.

Gatot Prihanto, Jakarta – The plan by the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) to infiltrate radical Islamic groups in order to cripple terrorism is a step backwards. If BIN’s actions are followed by other government institutions it could turn Indonesia into an intelligence state.

Alisa P, Banda Aceh – The composition of the draft law on the organisation of a government for Aceh as mandated by the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) should not be a revision of the special autonomy law (Otsus) or Law Number 18/2001.

Emmy Kuswandari, Jakarta – The minister of defense, Juwono Sudarsono, says that the civilian authorities are not yet strong enough to ensure political stability and national security. The presence of the TNI (Indonesian military) therefore is still needed, particularly in handling terrorism.

Nala Edwin, Jakarta – The public is being encouraged to study and be on guard against the TNI’s (Indonesian military) efforts to revive the territorial commands (Koter) as a means to preserve the power of the current administration. The TNI has even been asked not to become involved in politics again.

Henri Salomo Siagian, Jakarta – Although political parties are expected to exploit demonstrations against fuel price hikes, as a whole the atmosphere in the lead up to the price increases is conducive.

AK-38, Jakarta – TNI (armed forces) chief Endriartono Sutarto says that the TNI does not want to be blamed if the peace process in Aceh fails. “Even if it fails, I don’t want the failure to be caused by the TNI’s side.

Miswar, Banda Aceh – Indonesian negotiator Sofyan Djalil who is also the minister of information and communication, has started to manipulate the text of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – If former Free Aceh Movement (GAM) members are granted amnesty, then what about the fate of convicted activists and political prisoners jailed as a result of the Aceh conflict?

Jakarta – Megawati Sukarnoputri, the former president of Indonesia, says she does not agree with the existence of local parties in Aceh.