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.

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.

Jakarta, Kompas – Accusations of human rights violations have not affected retired Lieutenant General Prabowo Subianto’s plan to advance towards the presidency. The former head of Kopassus who is believed to be linked to the abductions of a number of students1 continues to move forward in Golkar’s presidential candidate selection process.

Jakarta – Following mass rioting at the Manggarai district police station in Ruteng, East Nusa Tenggara, which resulted in the death of four farmers last Wednesday, the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) has been asked to immediately go to the location to gather facts.

Fedhly Averouss Bey, Jakarta – The names of six popular presidential candidates have been included in a list of rotten politicians by the University (UI) of Indonesia Student Executive Council (BEM).

Danang Sangga Buwana, Jakarta – Monday March 8 is International Women’s Day (IWD), and a number of groups from the pro-democracy movement held actions to commemorate the day.

Jakarta – Aceh has almost become the “forgotten” war. Because of this, Acehnese students believe that is necessary to hold demonstrations in Jakarta to remind people of the issue. Yesterday, at the Hotel Indonesia roundabout, scores of Acehnese activists demonstrated over the fate of several recently arrested colleagues.

Semarang – The campaign against rotten politicians which is being promoted by a number of non-government organisation (NGO) activists should be supported. However just campaigning against rotten politicians is not enough to bring about improvements. There also needs to be a movement to put intelligent people into these posts.

[The following is an abridged translation of the testimonies of six Acehnese pro-democracy activists who were either abducted or managed to evade capture during a wave of arrests carried out by the Mobile Brigade (Brimob) in Banda Aceh between February 19-23 which was compiled by the Jakarta based organisation Aceh Papua Solidarity (Solidari

Banda Aceh – Police have admitted to arresting and detaining a number of student activists in Aceh. Of the eleven activists which were arrested, three of them are still being held under charges of being involved with the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

Jakarta – The abduction of Harlina who is a member of the Women’s Organisation for Aceh Democracy (Organisasi Perempuan Demokratik Aceh, Orpad) and the Linge University and High-school Students Association (Ikatan Mahasiswa dan Pelajar Linge, IMPEL) by o

In relation to the release of two Women’s Organisation for Aceh Democracy (Organisasi Perempuan Demokratik Aceh, Orpad) members by the Banda Aceh Mobile Brigade (Brimob), two other Orpad members, Harlina and Iwan Irama Putra, who is also a member of the Linge University and High-school Students Association (Ikatan Mahasiswa dan Pelajar Linge, IM

On February 22, Iwan Irama Putra, a member of Student Solidarity for the People (Solidaritas Mahasiswa Untuk Rakyat, SMUR) and the Linge University and High-school Students Association (Ikatan Mahasiswa dan Pelajar Linge, IMPEL) was arrested.

[The following is a translation of a press release by the Lingke Association of University and High-School Students (Mahasiswa dan Pelajar Lingke, IMPEL) which was issued on February 26 in response to the arrest of a number of IMPEL humanitarian workers in Aceh on February 23.]

Jakarta – Arriving in two Metromini busses at around 11.30am, scores of demonstrators calling themselves the Alliance Against Rotten Non-Government Organisations demonstrated at the offices of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) on Jalan Cisadane in Central Jakarta on Friday February 20.

Malang – The visit by President Megawati Sukarnoputri to the city of Malang in East Java on Saturday February 14, was greeted with a demonstration by students from the University of Brawijaya (Unibraw) Student Executive Council (BEM) and the Indonesian Muslim Student United Action Front (KAMMI) in front of the Unibraw campus..

Astrid Felicia Lim, Jakarta – Non-government organisation (NGO) activists from the Committee for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), the Institute for Public Research and Advocacy (Elsam), the Indonesian Legal Aid Association (PBHI) and the Association of Families of Missing Persons (Ikatan Keluarga Orang Hilang, Ikohi) are again

Muhamad Fasabeni, Jakarta – Arriving in three Metro Mini Number 79 busses at 11am, around 60 people demonstrated at the offices of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), the Indonesian Legal Aid Association (PBHI) and Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial) on Friday February 6 at 11am.

[The following is a translation of a statement issued by the Trade Union Alliance Against Rotten Politicians (Aliansi Serikat Buruh Anti Politisi Busuk) on February 3, 2004. The original statement was untitled and the one used here was the choice of the translator.]