[The following is an abridged translation of a statement issued by the People’s United Opposition Party (POPOR) on October 7 following the announcement by the Department of Justice and Human Rights that the party had failed the verification process to be legally registered as a political party.

The resolution of the political conflict in Aceh and West Papua by military means, whether it be through a legally sanctioned military operation or illegally, has failed to comprehens

Jakarta -- The reform movement which has the principle aim of eliminating corruption, collusion and nepotism can no longer be left to the large political parties who obtained significant votes in the 1999 general elections. After almost five years in power, not one objective of reformasi has been carried though by the big parties.

Jakarta -- The People’s Democratic Party (PRD) has rejected holding general elections in Aceh for as long as the military emergency in Tanah Rencong [Aceh] continues.

Jakarta -- The Indonesian National Front for Labour Struggle (FNPBI), the National Student League for Democracy (LMND), the National Farmers Union (STN) and 53 other mass organisation have established a new party, the People’s United Opposition Party (Partai Persatuan Oposisi Rakyat, Popor), which was launched in Jakarta on Sunday (27/7).

Jakarta -- Scores of mass organisations, workers, farmers and pro-reformasi students have formed the People’s United Opposition Party (Partai Persatuan Oposisi Rakyat, Popor).

[The following is a statement issued by the Central Leadership Board of the newly formed People’s United Opposition Party (Popor) which was launched on in Jakarta on July 27.]

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.

[The following is a translation of a statement released by the Committee for the Formation of a United Opposition Party (Komite Pembentukan Partai Persatuan Oposisi, KP3O) following a bomb attack on the national parliament building in Jakarta.]

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.

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).

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.

[The following is a translation of a statement by an action delegation of the Central Leadership Committee of the People’s Democratic Party (KPP-PRD) which was presented to the National Human Right Commission (Komnas HAM).]

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.

[The following is a statement issued by the Central Leadership Committee of the People’s Democratic Party (KPP-PRD).]

The imperialist attack by the US and its allies was launched today. Starting at around 4am today, as the people of Iraq slept in fear, bombs and hundreds of heavy weapons rained down on Baghdad.

Jakarta -- As many as 31 non-government organisations (NGO) and one political party have agreed to conduct open resistance against the plans for the entry of the military (TNI) into the political and civil chessboard in Indonesia.

Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta – International Women’s Day (IWD) which falls on this day, Saturday, was also commemorated in the city of Yogyakarta.

For more than a month, Iqbal Siregar (36), an activist from the Islamic Youth Movement (Gerakan Pemuda Islam, GPI), has been incarcerated in the holding cells of the Metro Jaya local police. He spends his days in a cell measuring 5 x 6 metres with criminal suspects. Iqbal has absolutely no relationship with the world of crime.

We are of the view that Prime Minister Howard’s statement that [Australia] will carry out pre-emptive strikes against terrorist threats in South-East Asia is clearly an arrogant statement from an imperialist country which wishes to show its fangs to the poor people of South-East Asia.

On October 12, the world was shocked by the explosion at the Sari Club on Legian road in Kuta, Bali. It is appropriate that we feel great sorrow and condemn the bombing which killed almost 200 people. The perpetrators of the bombing must be arrested and tried as quickly as possible.