Iqbal Fadil, Jakarta – Commemorating May Day on May 1, thousands of workers inundated the Hotel Indonesia roundabout in Central Jakarta resulting in a massive traffic jam on Jalan Sudirman.

Budi Hartadi, Singosari – Although the TNI’s (armed forces) interest in participating in regional elections has drawn criticism, army chief of staff Lieutenant General Djoko Santoso has instead given his blessing to the move under the condition that officers not wear their uniforms or use TNI facilities for political activities.

On Saturday April 25, hundreds of people from the Liberation Front against the Oppression of Papua (Front Pembebasan Penindasan Papua, FP3) went to the Papuan Provisional Parliament in the provincial capital of Jayapura where they held an action calling for a resolution to the human rights violations in Wamena and Wasior.

Jakarta – Coordinating Minister of People’s Welfare Alwi Shihab says that one of the clauses which is currently being prepared for foreign non-government organisations (NGOs) working in Aceh is that they not interfere in Indonesia’s domestic affairs.

Agus Supriyanto, Jakarta – TNI (armed forces) chief General Endriartono Sutarto has again said that he will allow active TNI members to be nominated to run in regional elections. If they were not given permission to do this he said, he would be violating the law.

Ahmad Alheid, Menado – Dozens of students from a number of organisations in the North Sulawesi city of Menado held a demonstration opposing the Asia Africa Conference on Friday April 22. They believe that the conference agenda is taking a soft line on neo-imperialism.

Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta – Dozens of students from the Indonesian Youth Front for Struggle (Front Perjuangan Pemuda Indonesia, FPPI) held an action supporting the Asia Africa Conference on Thursday April 21 but called on the conference not to become just a reunion or stage for nostalgia.

Indra Shalihinl, Jakarta – Don’t try to hold a demonstration during the Asia Africa Conference because Jakarta must look beautiful.

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – After holding two meetings in Helsinki, Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) have yet to sign an agreement. For as long as there is no agreement in black and white the TNI (armed forces) will reject a cease-fire with GAM.

Jakarta – Human rights activists who’s names have been proposed by a number of non-government organisations (NGOs) to sit on the Commission of Truth and Reconciliation are concerned about the selection process at the People’s Representative Assembly (DPR).

Dian Intannia, Jakarta – Around 30 student activists, rural workers and urban-poor activists from the United People’s Alliance (Aliansi Rakyat Bersatu, ARB) are demanding that the government apply the concept of national industrialisation.

Astrid Felicia Lim, Jakarta – The People’s Representative Assembly (DPR) is disappointed over the military’s domination of Echelon I level positions in the Department of Defense. They believe that the large number of government officials from the military is a step backward for the ministry..

Jakarta – Indonesian non-government human rights organizations have asked the government to cooperate with the United Nations’ Commission of Experts.

Astrid Felicia Lim, Jakarta – The Fact Finding Team in the case of Munir which was formed by national police headquarters has said that two perspective suspects in the murder are officers of the National Intelligence Agency (BIN).

Agus Supriyanto, Jakarta – National Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief Syamsir Siregar has objected to remarks that BIN is involved in the murder of human rights activist Munir. There are suspicions that the murder is part of a criminal conspiracy and that BIN in involved.

[The following is an abridged translation of a selection of articles from Detik.com which were posted on its web site between March 15-18.

Badriah, Jakarta – Workers claim that as a group they are suffering most because of the government’s decision to increase the price of fuel on March 1 which has flowed on to increases in the price of basic goods.

Jakarta, Kompas – Victims of the 1965 tragedy – who are still stigmatised as members of the Indonesian Communist Party or its affiliated organisations – are suing Indonesia’s five presidents, former presidents Suharto, B.J. Habibie, Abdurrahman Wahid and Megawati Sukarnoputri, and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Yuliawati, Jakarta – The People’s Representative Assembly’s Natural Disaster Relief Monitoring Team in Aceh and North Sumatra is asking the government to reconsider the presence of foreign volunteers so that they can remain in Indonesia longer.

Atiek Nur Hidayati, Jakarta – A coalition of non-government organisations (NGOs) has agreed to take cases of human rights violations in Aceh and West Papua to the 61st session of the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva which will be held between March 14 and April 22.