Irwan Nugroho, Jakarta – The Indonesian Film Society (MFI) believes that the banning of a film about the deaths of five Australian journalists in East Timor or the Balibo Five makes no sense, saying it was surprised over why the government is so afraid of the film being seen by the Indonesian public.

Nala Edwin, Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) is urging the government to investigate the beating of Buchtar Tabuni, a prisoner at the Abepura jail near the Papuan provincial capital of Jayapura. The beating triggered a riot at the jail on November 26.

1st Man: Incidents keep recurring, wisdom is still being sought.

2nd Man: But wisdom isn’t really part of the election campaign is it?

Jakarta – Although admitting that they may contains some truth, statements by a number of public officials on human rights violations during the National Human Rights and State Defense Seminar at the Department of Defence on Thursday December 18 are believed to be incomplete have the potential to mislead the public.

Oppose the 2009 elections of the political elite – an election of the human rights violators, capitalists, corruptors and opportunist!

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – The state, through President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY), should issue an immediate apology and rehabilitate the names of the pro-democracy activists and the families of the victims of the forced abduction in 1997-1998. This is necessary in order to solve the impasse in the legal proceedings into the case.

Kompas – The families of missing activists hope that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will not take conventional measures in completing the investigation of the forced disappearance of activists that occurred in 1997-98. Particularly given that 13 of those who disappeared have to this day still not returned.

Muhammad Nur Abdurrahman, Makassar – Scores of students from Papua demonstrated in front of the Mandala monument on Jl. Jenderal Sudirman in the South Sulawesi provincial capital of Makassar on November 3.

Novia Chandra Dewi, Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) believes that plan to summon former generals by the House of Representatives’ (DPR) Special Committing for Missing Persons is ridden with political motivations.

Jakarta – In the lead up to the 2009 general elections, the House of Representatives (DPR) Special Committee on the 1997/1998 Abduction of Activists has been revived again.

Ramadhian Fadillah, Jakarta – ExxonMobil is to be taken to court for allegedly supporting human rights violations by the Indonesian military (TNI) in Aceh.

Malang – Munir’s family, who live in the East Java city of Malang, have expressed their appreciation to the government for the progress made in the investigation of the murder of the human rights activists.

Sutarto, Jakarta – Lawyers and human rights activists went to the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) offices on Tuesday April 29 to declare their support for the commission’s continued investigation into cases of gross human rights violations, particularly the Talangsari case.

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – There are steps being taken by the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) that are damaging the interests of the state and even benefiting the interests of other parties.

Jayapura – Some 300 fully armed personal from the Indonesian military (TNI) and the national police (Polri) intercepted three trucks of protesters in the Arso Tujuh area bordering on the Keerom regency and the Jayapura city who were planning to demonstrate in Jayapura today.

Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono met with Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) coordinator Usman Hamid and family members of victims of violence and human rights violations at the presidential offices in Jakarta on Wednesday March 26.

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – Tubagus Noviarwan, an Indoglobal Mandiri University student in the South Sumatra city of Palembang, who died as a result of mistreatment by police adds one more name to the list violence committed by security personnel.

Jakarta – Over the last three years of the administration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the upholding of human rights has been limited to building a good image. This can be seen from the administration’s concentration on issues to maintain its power.

Usman Hamid – We appreciate efforts to develop the TNI’s professionalism and civil supremacy that has been undertaken through various means at legislative and institutional levels.

Jakarta – Although efforts to develop the Indonesian military or TNI and civil supremacy are continuing, the process of reform is seen as being too slow. The obstacle being encountered is that civil institutions such as the Department of Defense and the political parties are not yet prepared to implement reform within the TNI.