News

July 2003

West Papua
Kompas – July 21, 2003

Jakarta -– The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) has formed a Human Rights Investigation Team in [West] Papua.

Aceh
Kompas – July 19, 2003

Jakarta –- The military operation in Aceh to incapacitate Free Aceh Movement (GAM) forces will result in prolonged trauma in children. After they have become adults, their minds will be filled with sadness, revenge and they will tend towards violence.

Indonesia
Jawa Pos – July 15, 2003

Rony Panengah, Jakarta -- If there are no obstacles, another political party will soon be born. What’s interesting is that this political party represents opposition forces which to date have chosen to take there struggle into the streets.

Indonesia
Detik.com – July 14, 2003

Suwarjono, Jakarta -– As many as 16 opposition groups plan to form a new party to participate in the 2004 general elections. Among them are the People’s Democratic Party (PRD) and the Indonesian Front for Labour Struggle (FNPBI).

West Papua
Sinar Harapan – July 3, 2003

Jayapura – Seventy-five percent (75) of native Papuans appear to want Papua to be free and become an independent country. This was revealed in the results of a survey conducted by the International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES) in cooperation with Tyler Nelson Survey (TNS), an international research institute.

June 2003

Indonesia
LMND – June 30, 2003

[The following is a translation of a statement by the national executive of the National Student League for Democracy (LMND) in response to the resignation of a number of regional leadership members on June 20, 2003.]

Viva liberation!

Aceh
Media Indonesia – June 30, 2003

Lhok Sukon, Banda Aceh -- The management of PT ExxonMobil Indonesia began dismissing around 1000 workers on Monday, this is the third time the company has dismissed contract workers this year.

Indonesia
Detik.com – June 19, 2003

Arif Shodiq Pujiharto, Jakarta -- They were intending to hold an action opposing violence against civilians in Aceh. But because they carried pictures of President Megawati Sukarnoputri and Vice-president Hamzah Haz which had been crossed out, two demonstrators were arrested by police.

Indonesia
Sinar Harapan – June 19, 2003

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.

Aceh
Detik.com – June 16, 2003

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

Indonesia
Kompas – June 13, 2003

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.

Indonesia
Rakyat Merdeka – June 12, 2003

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

Aceh
Detik.com – June 11, 2003

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.

Aceh
Detik.com – June 11, 2003

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).

Aceh
Kompas – June 7, 2003

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.

Indonesia
Kompas – June 4, 2003

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.

Aceh
Kompas – June 3, 2003

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.

Aceh
Sriwijaya Post – June 2, 2003

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.

March 2003

Indonesia
Kompas – March 31, 2003

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.

Indonesia
Detik.com – March 20, 2003

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.