Tangerang – The government has officially decided to maintain the state of civil emergency in Aceh which should have ended today. The civil emergency which has limited much of the Acehnese people’s daily lives will be extended for a maximum of six months.

Jakarta – It is hoped that the government can resolve the conflict in Aceh peacefully in the lead up to the end of the period of civil emergency on November 18. Furthermore the government is being asked to reduce the state of civil emergency in Aceh to one of a civil authority.

Jakarta – TNI (armed forces) chief General Endriartono Sutarto says that placing TNI headquarters under the department of defense requires maturity on the part of the minister of defense in order that the TNI not be used as a tool of power.

Sapto Pradityo, Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has asked the former governor of West Papua, Freddy Numberi, to assist in resolving the Papua question.

Jakarta – Two Acehnese non-government organisations, the Acehnese Popular Democratic Resistance Front (Front Perlawanan Demokratik Rakyat Aceh, FPDRA) and the Acehnese Democratic Women’s Organisation (Organisasi Perempuan Aceh Demokrati, ORPAD) are demanding the fulfillment of President Bambang Susilo Yudhoyono’s promise during the election camp

Jakarta – The coordinator of Indonesia’s NGO Coalition for International Human Rights Advocacy (HRWG), Rafendi Djamin, hopes that president-elect Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) will repeal the state of civil emergency in Aceh as part of the program of the first 100 days of his administration and in such a way establish a process of development a

Gede Suardana, Denpasar – The commander of the Udayana territorial military command, Major General Supiadin AS, has accused the United Opposition Front (BOB) who have been rejected militarism at demonstrations of being communists. He also believes they want to sow discord within the TNI (armed forces).

Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta – Coinciding with commemorations of the 59th anniversary of the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI), hundreds of Yogyakarta students from a number of different groups held actions on Tuesday October 5 calling for soldiers’ wages to be increases and rejecting militarism.

Gede Suardana, Denpasar – The United Opposition Front (BOB) is to take legal action over an attack perpetrated by a gang of heavily-built men and police when they were holding a recent demonstration.

Gede Suardana, Denpasar – Around 15 people who were just about to end an anti-military action were attacked without warning by scores of heavily-built men. One of the demonstrators was beaten black-and-blue.

Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta – A demonstration rejecting militarism and demanding the abolition of the military’s territorial commands1 by activists from the National Student League for Democracy (LMND) ended in a clash after it was broken up by members of the Indonesian Anti-Communist Front (Front Anti Komunis Indonesia, FAKI).

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.

Anton Aliabbas, Jakarta – The draft law on the armed forces (Rancangan Undang-Undang Tentara Nasional Indonesia, RUU TNI) is not considered to be in accordance with the TNI’s new paradigm, has the potential to bring the dual social and political function of the TNI back to life and contravenes People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Decree Number V

Jakarta – Around 100 demonstrators from the United People Against Militarism (Persatuan Rakyat Anti Militerisme, PRAM) have again demonstrated in front of the national parliament.

Anton Aliabbas, Jakarta – What’s the relationship with the commemoration of the Indonesia’s 59th anniversary and the state of civil emergency in Aceh? Who knows.

Gunawan Mashar, Makassar – Students in the South Sulawesi provincial capital of Makassar have again held demonstrations rejecting the draft law on the TNI (armed forces) at the local parliament on Jalan Urip Sumohardjo on Monday August 16.

Dadan Kuswaraharja, Jakarta – People living in and around mining operations find it difficult to obtain their rights. Aside from governments which don’t really care, they are also confronted by militarism.

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

Budi Hartadi, Surabaya – Twenty activists form the Indonesian National Student League for Democracy (LMND) are holding a hunger strike to reject the 2004 presidential elections because they believe that only candidates from the former state ruling party Golkar, the military and the fake reformists are involved.

Triono Wahyu Sudibyo, Semarang – Imitating the actions by Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Kiais [Islamic boarding school teachers] in East Java, scores of students from the Walisongo State Institute for Islamic Studies in Semarang issued an “religious edict” rejecting presidential candidates from the military and status quo forces.