[The following is a translation of a statement issued by the Women’s Defense Alliance (Aliansi Perempuan Menggugat, APM) which was issued on February 7.]

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].

Banda Aceh – The involvement of civil society in efforts to fight the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) are becoming increasingly enthusiastic in a number of regencies in Aceh.

Jakarta – Condemnations against the government’s decision to extend the military emergency in Aceh continue to spring up.

The resolution of the political conflict in Aceh and West Papua by military means, whether it be through a legally sanctioned military operation or illegally, has failed to compre

Jakarta – The forced relocation of a population, as has occurred in Aceh, can be viewed as a crime against humanity. Therefore the regional emergency military command (PDMD) must avoid relocating populations forcibly.

Jakarta – After having previously taken a soft position [on refugees] and stating that it will give temporary residency permits to hundreds of Acehnese asylum seekers in Malaysia, yesterday, the Malaysian Foreign Minister, Syed Hamid Albar, did an about turn and issued a strong statement [on the issue].

[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 discussion paper presented by Indonesian labour leader and general chairperson of the People’s United Opposition Party (Popor), Dita Indah Sari, at a public meeting titled “An evaluation of three months of the military emergency in Aceh” which was held in Jakarta on August 14.

[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

[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 National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) has formed a Human Rights Investigation Team in [West] Papua.

Jakarta -- The Indonesian Women’s Solidarity Alliance (Aliansi Solidaritas Perempuan Indonesia, ASPI) has called on warring parties in Aceh to immediately end the war and return to the negotiating table. According to ASPI, the war will achieve nothing, rather it will result in civilian deaths and tear apart the rights of the Acehnese people.