Muhammad Nur Hayid, Jakarta – Support for the Aceh peace negotiations is strengthening. Acehnese non-government organisations have asked the People’s Representative Assembly (DPR) to support the negotiations between the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in Helsinki.

Wilhendra Akmam, Jakarta – Ten political parties have agreed to support the nomination of former Free Aceh Movement (GAM) members in regional elections in Aceh in 2005-06. This is to be done taking note that GAM is prepared to conclude the negotiations with the Indonesian government in a peaceful manner.

Jakarta – The Minister of Defense, Juwono Sudarsono, says that the Helsinki meetings which are an informal forum for discussions between Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) are a personal initiative on the part of Vice-president Jusuf Kalla.

Astrini D Anindita, Jakarta – The People’s Representative Assembly (DPR) is calling on the government to end negotiations with Free Aceh Movement (GAM) leaders in Helsinki because they believe that it does not benefit the Indonesian government.

Jayapura – A number of political parties in Papua have established a tariff for anyone wishing to nominate themselves as a regent, deputy-regent, mayor or deputy-mayor. The provision is an internal party matter so the amount of the tariff will vary, as there are no precise regulations on the illegal collection of money by political parties.

BE Satrio, Litbang Kompas -- Democratisation in Indonesia appears to be taking a step back. After successfully holding peaceful general elections in 2004, these days political upheavals are centred on the political processes with the political parties.

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).

Sunariah, Jakarta – Around 40 members of the People’s Representative Assembly (DPR) for the period 2004-2009 are suspected of being involved in corruption. Most originate from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (15), the Golkar Party (10) and the United Development Party (8).

Saturday afternoon, February 5. A historical day for the village of Perdamaian in the Langkat regency sub-district of Stabat, North Sumatra. Since the country won its independence almost 60 years ago, not one member of the People’s Representative Assembly (DPR) has set foot here.

Suliyanti, Jakarta – People’s Representative Assembly Commission I for Defense and Foreign Affairs is urging the military (TNI) to remain resolute and on guard against the armed separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

Ewo Raswa, Jakarta – The Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI) says that the popularity of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has experienced a decline of as much as 13 per cent over the last month.

Jakarta – Last week, the former chairperson of the People’s Democratic Party (PRD), Budiman Sudjatmiko, decided to join the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) along with 51 other democratic activists.

Jakarta – The weapon systems belonging to the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) is a cause for concern. Compared with the systems belonging to the armed forces in other South-East Asian countries the TNI’s is among the worst, only ahead of Cambodia and Laos.

Suliyanti, Jakarta – The deputy chairperson of the People’s Democratic Party (PRD), Lukman Halim, has proposed that the People’s Representative Assembly (DPR) commissions be temporarily frozen in order to cool down the increasingly sharp dispute developing between the parliament and the government.

Nala Edwin, Jakarta – The Committee to Monitor the New Order (Komite Waspada Orde Baru, Tewas Orba) says that the Indonesian Cabinet of Unity is ridden with people from former President Suharto’s New Order regime.

Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta – A demonstration rejecting militarism and demanding the abolition of the military’s territorial commands1 by activists from the National Student League for Democracy (LMND) ended in a clash after it was broken up by members of the Indonesian Anti-Communist Front (Front Anti Komunis Indonesia, FAKI).

Jakarta – A number of worker, student, urban poor and political movement organisations have come together under the banner of the People’s United Action to urge the government and the people’s representatives to honour their promises to implement reform.

Khairul Ikhwan, Medan – Burning photographs of a presidential candidate has become commonplace. In the South Sumatra provincial capital of Medan however, five photographs of candidates for the national leadership were burnt at the same time.

Budi Hartadi, Surabaya – Twenty activists form the Indonesian National Student League for Democracy (LMND) are holding a hunger strike to reject the 2004 presidential elections because they believe that only candidates from the former state ruling party Golkar, the military and the fake reformists are involved.

Triono Wahyu Sudibyo, Semarang – Imitating the actions by Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Kiais [Islamic boarding school teachers] in East Java, scores of students from the Walisongo State Institute for Islamic Studies in Semarang issued an “religious edict” rejecting presidential candidates from the military and status quo forces.