Try, Jakarta – Who knows if it’s just for fun or has a political purpose, but T-shirts with a picture of the hammer and sickle (the symbol of the Indonesian Communist Party or PKI) are circulating in several parts of East Java. The T-shirts are even being sold in public.

Kompas – The head of the army’s information office, Brigadier General Hotmangaradja Pandjaitan, has confirmed that they have already established an extra-structural organisation at every level of the TNI’s (Indonesian military) territorial command, which will be tasked with and function in the same manner as the anti-terror desk at the coordinat

Banda Aceh – The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) opposes the current discourse on the reactivation of the territorial commands (Koter) by the TNI (Indonesian military) as a response to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s instruction to the TNI to assist in combating terrorism.

Ahmad Yunus, Bandung – It is indeed appropriate for Bandung to be called a sea of factory outlets. But, did you know that some of the buildings that have magically become factory outlets are actually official military residences? That is what has happened in the city of blossoms.

Anton Aliabbas, Jakarta – The plan to reactivate the TNI’s (Indonesian military) territorial commands has been greeted by condemnation.

Dusk had only just fallen when a black Land Cruiser entered the grounds of the national police headquarters on Jalan Trunojoyo in South Jakarta on Sunday May 29. Just a few metres from the gate the vehicle stopped. “Should we turn right Sir? To the chief of police’s office”, asked the driver. “Ah, you. No!

Jakarta – On the grounds that the investigation is yet to be completed, the detention of Government Watch coordinator Farid Faqih by police on charges of being involved in the theft of aid for victims of the Acehnese disaster was extended by 40 days on Tuesday February 15.

Ramidi, Jakarta – Around 100 demonstrators from the People’s Democratic Party (PRD) held a demonstration in front of the State Palace on Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat on Monday December 20. The action which began at 11am was protesting proposed fuel price increases which they consider will burden ordinary people.

Eworaswa, Jakarta – Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW), the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) and Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial) are questioning plans by the defense minister to increase the defense budget by 5.59 per cent (26 trillion rupiah).

Rofiqi Hasan, Jakarta – Scores of students in Denpasar, the provincial capital of Bali, held a demonstration on Wednesday October 20 to coincide with the inauguration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) and Vice-president Jusuf Kalla.

Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta – Coinciding with commemorations of the 59th anniversary of the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI), hundreds of Yogyakarta students from a number of different groups held actions on Tuesday October 5 calling for soldiers’ wages to be increases and rejecting militarism.

Gede Suardana, Denpasar – Around 15 people who were just about to end an anti-military action were attacked without warning by scores of heavily-built men. One of the demonstrators was beaten black-and-blue.

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 – On Friday August 27, the Women’s Alliance Against RUU TNI (Aliansi Perempuan Tolak RUU TNI) held a demonstration at the Hotel Indonesia roundabout in Jakarta.

Risna – On July 27, 1996, a bloody tragedy occurred which began with an attack on the headquarters of the Indonesian Democratic Party headquarters in Central Jakarta by a group organised by the military.

Jafar G. Bua, Palu – If July 27 commemorations are usually identified with President Megawati Sukarnoputri, this was not the case in city of Palu, Central Sulawesi, where commemoration were instead marked by actions rejecting Megawati and presidential candidate Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY).

Muchus Budi R., Solo – Democratic Party presidential candidate, [former coordinating minister for politics and security] Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) has admitted that he doesn’t know who entered the data on the Democratic Party’s web site which gives the impression that one of the party’s programs is to abolish the army’s territorial command

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – United Solidarity for the Victims of Human Rights Violations (Solidaritas Kesatuan Korban Pelanggaran HAM, SKKP HAM) has called on the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) to take the initiative and have an active position on the process of nominating presidential and vice-presidential candidates.

Nur Raihan, Banda Aceh – The Aceh Emergency Military Commander, Major General Endang Suwarya says that Free Aceh Movement (GAM) forces have been rescued to 40 per cent. Nevertheless, with one month left before the end of the first extension of martial law in Aceh, the military has a presence in every part of the province.

Yuswardi A. Suud, Banda Aceh – The Aceh emergency military command (PDMD) will prohibit foreign observers from monitoring the elections in locations which are categorised as hot spots (black zones) – areas classified as being a significant security risk.