Ratih Syara Maretta, Jakarta – Wednesday March 8 is International Women’s Day. A number of beautiful and stylish women wearing sun-glasses and hats commemorated IWD by holding an action opposing the Draft Anti-Pornography Bill (RUU APP).

Jakarta – Around 100 women activists from the Women’s Anti-Poverty Movement (GPAK) held a peaceful action at the State Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday March 8 to commemorate International Women’s Day.

Jakarta – Commemorating International Women’s Day which falls on March 8, today, thousands of women in Jakarta held an action at the State Palace and the House of Representatives (DPR).

Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta – Hundreds of students in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta held an action commemorating International Women’s Day on March 8 where they expressed their opposition to the Draft Anti-Pornography Bill (RUU APP).

Radzie, Banda Aceh – Acehnese women are asking to be involved in the process of public policy making in Aceh. In addition to this they are also calling for the enforcement of Islamic law not just be for women but for crimes such as corruption.

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – Jakarta military commander Major General Agustadi Sasongko Purnomo is asking the public to be on guard against the reemergence of the communist movement. This can be seen from their activities that have become increasingly noticeable of late.

Anton Aliabbas, Jakarta – There are indications that the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) leadership is actively carrying out anti-government propaganda. Nevertheless, in general the situation in Aceh is favorable.

Triono Wahyu Sudibyo, Semarang – Among the convicts interned at the Nusakambangan Correctional Institution, it’s likely that Hutomo Mandala Putra alias ‘Tommy’ Suharto is the most fortunate. Sentenced to 15 years jail, every year he consistently gets extraordinarily large remissions.

Iqbal Fadil, Jakarta – After arresting six activists during a demonstration at Plaza 89 in South Jakarta yesterday, police have renewed the hunt for activist they believe infiltrated the group of indigenous Papuans protesting against PT Freeport Indonesia.

Indra Subagja, Jakarta – The Jakarta metropolitan police have finally released the six activists that took part in a demonstration at the offices of PT Freeport Indonesia at the Plaza 89 Building in Kuningan.

Iqbal Fadil, Jakarta – Apes. Perhaps this is what six demonstrators at Plaza 89 in Kuningan, South Jakarta, were thinking earlier this afternoon. Because it was precisely when the demonstration was ending that police arrested them.

Banda Aceh – The Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM) has asked the Indonesian government to immediately conduct an investigation into the illegal groups that were behind the recent attack on the Aceh Referendum Information Center (SIRA) in Blang Pidie, West Aceh.

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.

Imron Rosyid, Surakarta – Employers in the Central Java city of Surakarta (Solo) have threatened to send thousands of their workers onto the streets if the government goes ahead and increases electricity rates. Workers have agreed to hold joint actions with employers and students including launching a boycott on paying electricity bills.

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.

Fitraya Ramadhanny, Jakarta – Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial) has protested the unearthing of 23 sites suspected to be graves of victims of human rights violations in the North Aceh town of Bireun. Imparsial also expressed its disappointment with police for allowing it to happen.

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.

Imran MA, Banda Aceh – The Blang Pidie representative offices of the Aceh Referendum Information Center (SIRA) in West Aceh was attacked by a group of around 100 militia on Friday February 17. All of the office equipment including a typewriter, radio and other materials were destroyed. The office is now under a tight police guard.

Joniansyah, Jakarta – The Department for Culture and Tourism this afternoon launched the National Movement for Clean Public Toilets. The event took place at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta, the Juanda Airport in Surabaya and the Ngurah Rai Airport in Denpasar Bali.

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).