Alisa P, Jakarta – Speaking at the offices of the Dakwah Muhammaddyah, Munir SH, the executive director of Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial) said that National Mandate Party (PAN) chairperson Amin Rais must be responsible for the reformasi stalling.

Alisa, Jakarta – Dita Indah Sari from the United Opposition Front (Barisan Oposisi Bersatu, BOB) has strongly criticised the current crop of presidential candidates who are creating illusions, such as [former Coordinating Minister for Politics and Security] Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY), [National Mandate Party chairperson] Amin Rais and [Justi

M Ilham, Jakarta – The United Opposition Front (Barisan Oposisi Bersatu, BOB) and the Indonesian Trade Union Action Committee (Komite Aksi Serikat Buruh Indonesia, KASBI) are calling for a national strike on May 1 to coincide with May Day. According to Anwar M.

M. Ilham, Jakarta – According to the government the elections in West Papua were a success, however for the people of Papua this cannot be said to be true, moreover as many as 70,000 Papuan people were not registered to vote. Identification cards are not longer used at polling stations [voters must have a separate voter registration card].

Alisa P, Bireun – An Aceh Ulama (Islamic religious leader), Teuku Haji Aldelani, the son-in-law of the most outspoken Ulama in Aceh, T.H. Abu Tuming, has been arrested by the emergency military command (PDMD) for leading a delegation of Aceh Ulamas to meet with the coordinating minister of politics and security in Jakarta a short time ago.

Miswar, Banda Aceh – The tabloid Beudoh, which was closed by the Aceh emergency military command (PDMD) because it ran an lead article titled “Acehnese People Don’t Need Elections Under Martial Law”, the result of which being that Beudoh’s editor was ordered to report to the PDMD [

Astrid Felicia Lim, Jakarta – If SBY [recently resigned coordinating minister for politics and security Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and presidential candidate for the military backed Democratic Party) becomes president, then responsibility for the military operation in Aceh, the investigation of human rights violations and reform of the military wi

M. Arbi, Tapaktuan – After the people of Abdya voiced their demands for an extension to martial law in Aceh, on Tuesday April 13 the same demands were echoed by the people of South Aceh.

Alisa P., Jakarta – On April 12, Aceh Papua Solidarity (Solidaritas Aceh Papua, SAP) held a press conference at the offices of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) which was attended by most of the democratic groups who are involved in SAP.

Alisa P., Jakarta – Martial law in Aceh has entered its 10th month, and has consumed huge numbers of civilian casualties.

Jakarta, Kompas – Support from the political “roots” of presidential candidates continues to be a big factor in getting votes in elections.

Jakarta – Witness Syarifin Maloko has admitted to obtaining data on the disposal of bodies from the Tanjung Priok1 incident which were dumped over the Thousand Islands and Snake Island [off the coast of Jakarta].

Surabaya – The Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) cannot be placed under the authority of the civilian government. The TNI must be involved in politics because the TNI is not a tool of the government.

Astrid Felicia Lim, Jakarta – The elections in Aceh will not be delayed, but its implementation will be dependent on the security situation. There are fears however that the elections in Aceh will not be conducted in a democratic manner.

Jakarta, Kompas – The Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI) is of the view that law enforcement in Aceh since a state of martial law was declared is not working.

Nurul Hidayati, Jakarta – Arbi Sanit, a political observer from the University of Indonesia, is of the view that the a report by Transparency International (TI) which says that former President Suharto is the richest corrupter in the world, will indeed benefit the Cendana [Suharto’s Central Jakarta neighborhood, the relatives of of the Suharto c

Suwarjono, Jakarta – The results of a survey by the Institute of Research, Education and Information of Social and Economic Affairs (LP3ES), show that the Golkar Party has the largest amount of public support.

Suwarjono, Jakarta – On Thursday March 25, scores of activists from the People’s Lawyers Union (Serikat Pengacara Rakyat, SPR) and the Popular Youth Movement (Gerakan Pemuda Kerakyatan, GPK) went to the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) offices in Central Jakarta.

Suwarjono, Jakarta – According to the results of a survey by the Institute of Social and Economic Research, Education and Information (LP3ES), President Megawati Sukarnoputri and [recently retired Coordinating Minister for Politics and Security] Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono have the most support for becoming the next president.

Ahmad Fikri, Bandung – A former senior economics lecturer from the University of Indonesia, Professor Sarbini, has warned that the forces of the New Order regime [of former President Suharto] are trying as hard as possible to buy votes in the 2004 general elections. The available funds to buy these votes are estimated at 5 trillion rupiah.