Jakarta – During the period of the government of Megawati Sukarnoputri and Vice-president Hamzah Haz the use of the term political prisoner remains valid. Records since May 2003 indicate that 23 people have been detained as political prisoners, the vast majority being accused of insulting the head of state.

Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta -- Resolving the conflict in Aceh through war will only increase the number of civilian casualties.

Jakarta -- The popularity of the large political in the lead-up to the 2004 general elections is continuing to decline in the eyes of the public. People believe that the political parties don’t care about the future and the interests of ordinary people, they are egotistic and the elite are constantly squabbling.

Jakarta – Who knows why, but four political prisoners sentenced for insulting the head of state, have still to obtain a copy of their convictions.

Khairul Ikhwan, Medan -- There are indications that a number of civil servants in the Aceh provincial government are involved in the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), although none have so far been proven to be so. Aceh governor, Abdullah Puteh has said that the government is in the process of carrying out a more thorough investigation.

Luhur Hertanto, Jakarta -- The government will soon conduct a special investigations (Litsus) of state civil servants in Aceh. This follows information which suggests Acehnese civil servants are involved in the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

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.

Jakarta -- On June 3 a number of press and non-government organisations from the Coalition for Violence Against Journalists (Koalisi Antikekerasan terhadap Wartawan) declared their concern over the repressive situation facing the press and the safety of journalists during the military operation in Aceh.

Jakarta, Kompas -- The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) has found strong indications of human rights violations -- including the murder of civilians since the emergency military operation in Aceh came into force.

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.

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.

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.