Banda Aceh – On Monday May 17, demonstrations calling for the governor of Aceh, Abdullah Puteh, to resign from his post took place in three separate locations in Aceh.

Nur Raihan, Banda Aceh – As may as 1000 students from the Ar-Raniry Darussalam State Institute of Islamic Studies and the Muhammadyah University along with hundreds of residents of Banda Aceh held demonstrations in three locations in the provincial capital on Monday May 17.

Anton Aliabbas, Jakarta – The Free Aceh Movement (GAM) says that the government’s decision to reduce the status of martial law in Aceh to a state of civil emergency is not enough. If the TNI (armed forces) remains the people will still be repressed and continue to suffer.

M.Ilaham, Jakarta – Thousands of Acehnese who are residing in Jakarta held a series of demonstrations at the offices of the coordinating minister of politics and security, the presidential palace and the national parliament on Tuesday May 11.

Luhur Hertanto, Jakarta – Lively demonstrations against ex-military presidential and vice-presidential candidates are continuing. On the afternoon of Wednesday May 12, around 100 people “run amuck” over the National Election Commission’s (KPU) decision to accept presidential candidates from the military. The KPU was even pelted with eggs.

Luhur Hertanto, Jakarta – Anti-military demonstrations dogged [former armed forces chief] Wiranto and Gus Solah [National Human Rights Commission member Solahuddin Wahid] as they left the National Election Commission (KPU) after registering as Golkar Party presidential and vice-presidential candidates on Tuesday May 11.

Khairul Ikhwan, Medan – Calls for President Megawati Sukarnoputri to sack Indonesian chief of police General Da’i Bachtiar have been raised again. [This time] the demands were made by two groups of demonstrators in an action held at the North Sumatra parliament on Jalan Imam Bonjol in the provincial capital of Medan on Wednesday May 5.

Ilham M, Jakarta – The coordinator of the United Opposition Front (Barisan Oposisi Bersatu, BOB), Dita Indah Sari, says that the dismissal of the Makassar provincial police chief does not mean that the bloody Indonesian Muslim University (UMI) incident in South Sulawesi has been resolved.

[The following is a translation of a joint statement issued by the Joint Alliance of Indonesian University Students (Aliansi Bersama Mahasiswa Universitas Indonesia) following the recent clash between police and students at the Indonesian Muslim University (UMI) campus in Sulawesi’s provincial capital Makassar.

Ilham M., Jakarta – On May 3, 50 activists from the United Opposition Front (Barisan Oposisi Bersatu, BOB) held a free speech forum on the University of Indonesia (UI) campus in Salemba, Central Jakarta.

Muhammad Fasabeni, Heru C.N., Jakarta – Hundreds of people from a number of organisations such as the Greater Jakarta Student Executive Council (BEM-Sejabotabek), the United Opposition Front (BOB), the National Student League for Democracy (LMND) and the People’s Democratic Party (PRD) held a demonstration in front of the faculty of medicine at

Istiqomatul Hayati, Jakarta – Thousands of workers came out into the streets to commemorate May Day on Saturday May 1.

Jakarta – In Jakarta, opposition to presidential candidates from military circles continues to be organised.

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.

Alisa P., Jakarta – Hundreds of demonstrators from Aceh Papua Solidarity (Solidaritas Aceh Papua, SAP) held a demonstration at the offices of the National Elections Commission (KPU) on Jalan Imam Bonjol in Central Jakarta.

Alisa P., Jakarta – Hundreds of demonstrators from Aceh Papua Solidarity (Solidaritas Aceh Papua, SAP) held a demonstration at the offices of the National Elections Commission (KPU) on Jalan Imam Bonjol in Central Jakarta.

Woro Swasti, Jakarta – On Monday April 19, the United Opposition Front (Barisan Oposisi Bersatu, BOB), which was established by 14 student organisations, held a demonstration rejecting the results of vote counting in the recent legislative elections.

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.

[The following is a statement issued by Aceh Papua Solidarity (Solidaritas Aceh Papua, SAP) on April 12 following reports of intimidation and violence by the military during the April 5 general elections in Aceh and West Papua.]

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