Bagus BT. Saragih, Jakarta – Members of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) and the Betawi Brotherhood Forum (FBR) clashed with demonstrators from the National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) in the Dukuh Atas area on Jl. Sudirman in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta on Thursday March 29.

Wisnu, Jakarta – Around 2,000 people from various mass organisations from East Java, West Java and the Greater Jakarta area gathered at the Proclamation Monument in Central Jakarta on Thursday March 29 to prevent the National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) from holding a declaration there later in the day.

[The following is a compilation of reports from Detik.com on the March 29 mass rally planned by the National Liberation Party of Unity against the ratification of the Draft Law on Capital Investment that was attacked and broken up by the Islamic Defenders Front. Translated by James Balowski.]

Ramdhan Muhaimin, Jakarta – The popularity of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Jusuf Kalla (SBY-JK) has declined sharply over the last three years with the public’s level of dissatisfaction with their performance dropping below the psychological barrier of 50 percent.

Muhammad Nur Hayid, Jakarta – The ratification of the Draft Law on Capital Investment by the House of Representatives (DPR) is drawing opposition. The Poor People’s Network (JRM) opposes what they call a new form of colonialism and are urging the DPR not to ratify the draft into law.

The central government has issued Government Regulation Number 20/2007 on Local Political Parties in Aceh. The decision was announced at the State Palace yesterday. The following is a summary by Aceh Kita’s editors of the government regulation that so many have been waiting for.

Rini Kustiani, Jakarta – A volunteer who has been working in Aceh since the tsunami disaster submitted a judicial review of the hate sowing articles in the Criminal Code to the Constitutional Court on Wednesday March 21.

Luhur Hertanto, Jakarta – Like any other ordinary household, the Presidential Palace also faces common problems that affect other homes. One of these is when the septic tank overflows.

Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta – Dozens of students in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta held a demonstration on Tuesday March 20 condemning the US invasion of Iraq and demanding that US troops leave Iraq immediately.

Zainal Effendi, Surabaya – Scores of protesters from the National Student Front (FMN) demonstrated at the East Java Regional Police Headquarters on Jl. Achmad Yani in the provincial capital of Surabaya on Tuesday March 20 demanding the release of recently detained farmers and condemning US agression in Iraq.

Imron Rosyid, Solo – The Indonesian History Community (KSI) has condemned the decision by the Attorney General to prohibit 13 historical book titles by 10 publishers from being used as texts in primary and secondary high schools.

Muchus Budi R., Solo – Scores of people demonstrated at the Gladag roundabout in the Central Java city of Solo on March 13 opposing the ratification of the Draft Law on Capital Investment because it fails to side with the interests of the people.

Banda Aceh – Acehnese women from the Gender Working Group (GWG) held a peaceful action to commemorate International Women’s Day (IWD) on Thursday March 8.

Nur Raihan, Banda Aceh – Hundreds of Acehnese women’s activists held a march from the Baiturrahman Great Mosque in the provincial capital of Banda Aceh to the offices of the Aceh Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) on March 8. The action was organised to commemorate International Women’s day.

Armia AM, Lhokseumawe – The Free Aceh Movement (GAM) has declared its commitment to fight for cases of past human rights cases. In addition to this, GAM has also admitted that it will continue to seek amendments to Law Number 11/2006 on Aceh Governance.

Indra Subagja, Jakarta – Around 30 members of the Central Leadership Committee of the National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) arrived at the national police headquarters earlier today.

Surabaya – Hundreds of members of an Islamic social organisation [Indonesian Anti-Communist Front, FAKI – JB] in East Java “boycotted” a regional conference of the National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) in Batu City yesterday.

Banda Aceh – While waiting to officially declare the party, the Acehnese People’s Party (PRA) – the first local political party in Aceh – is currently in process of establishing a party leadership board. This was conveyed by PRA General Chairperson Thamren Ananda in Banda Aceh on Monday March 5.

Katarina Pudjiastuti -- At around 3pm today (March 4) protesters calling themselves the Indonesian Anti-Communist Front (FAKI) attacked the East Java Regional Conference of the National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) in Batu City, East Java. The protesters also set fire to Papernas flags and threatened to forcibly break up the conference.

Banda Aceh – Aguswandi BR and Thamrin Ananda have been elected by acclaim as the general chairperson and secretary general of the Acehnese People’s Party for the next five year period.