Jakarta, Sripo -- The Indonesian Centre for Reform and Social Emancipation (INCREASE) has put forward a referendum as the solution to resolving the conflict in Aceh.

[The following is a translation of a statement by an action delegation of the Central Leadership Committee of the People’s Democratic Party (KPP-PRD) which was presented to the National Human Right Commission (Komnas HAM).]

The rhetoric of support for a peaceful resolution in Iraq by the government of President Megawati Sukarnoputri and Vice-president Hamzah Haz has proven to be lies to manipulate the people.

Jakarta – Around 1 million people -- originating form at least 25 political parties and social organisations -- held a demonstration in Jakarta on Sunday, in the framework of opposing the US invasion of Iraq.

Yulianti, Jakarta – Around 200 people from the Anti-Militarism People’s Front (Front Rakyat Anti-Militerisme, FRAM) demonstrated in front the presidential palace and the department of defense. They were rejecting all forms of militarism in Indonesia and the world.

[The following is a statement issued by the Central Leadership Committee of the People’s Democratic Party (KPP-PRD).]

The imperialist attack by the US and its allies was launched today. Starting at around 4am today, as the people of Iraq slept in fear, bombs and hundreds of heavy weapons rained down on Baghdad.

Jakarta -- As many as 31 non-government organisations (NGO) and one political party have agreed to conduct open resistance against the plans for the entry of the military (TNI) into the political and civil chessboard in Indonesia.

Yulianti, Jakarta -- As planned, on Saturday hundreds of protesters from the Women’s Defence Alliance (Aliansi Perempuan Menggugat, APM) held a demonstration in commemoration of International Women’s Day.

Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta – International Women’s Day (IWD) which falls on this day, Saturday, was also commemorated in the city of Yogyakarta.

M. Munab Islah Ahyani, Bandung -- As many as 1000 activists from the Students Executive Council (BEM) from all institutions of higher education, except for the Bandung Institute of Technology, demonstrated in front of the West Java parliament today.

Gita Fajar P.

Semarang -- Based on intelligence data, there are presently 10,000 ex-political prisoners from the categories A, B and C across Central Java/Yogyakarta, who have established political parties.

For more than a month, Iqbal Siregar (36), an activist from the Islamic Youth Movement (Gerakan Pemuda Islam, GPI), has been incarcerated in the holding cells of the Metro Jaya local police. He spends his days in a cell measuring 5 x 6 metres with criminal suspects. Iqbal has absolutely no relationship with the world of crime.

We are of the view that Prime Minister Howard’s statement that [Australia] will carry out pre-emptive strikes against terrorist threats in South-East Asia is clearly an arrogant statement from an imperialist country which wishes to show its fangs to the poor people of South-East Asia.

On October 12, the world was shocked by the explosion at the Sari Club on Legian road in Kuta, Bali. It is appropriate that we feel great sorrow and condemn the bombing which killed almost 200 people. The perpetrators of the bombing must be arrested and tried as quickly as possible.

The bombing in Legian, Bali, which killed 183 people and wounded hundreds of others has already impacted on a number of groups.