Machendra Setyo AtmajaIntania Nur Kusuma, Jakarta – Symbols of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) have been burnt by demonstrators from the Indonesian People’s Anti-Imperialist Union (Perisai) who were demanding that the government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Jusuf Kalla have the courage to leave the organisation.

Jakarta – It is expected that the provisions on resolving human rights violations in Aceh will again attract sharp debate in dissuasions on the Draft Law on the Organisation of a Government for Aceh.

Machhendra Setyo Atmaja, Jakarta – A sentence of life imprisonment for Pollycarpus Budihari Prijanto is unsatisfactory as he is only a scapegoat. There is concern that the state is protecting the mastermind behind the Munir murder case.

Nurvita Indarini, Jakarta – Although the sentence being sought by the public prosecutor for Pollycarpus is considered just, the former secretary of the Munir Fact Finding Team (TPF), Usman Hamid, has urged that the investigation in to the Munir murder case not end with Pollycarpus.

Nurvita Indarini, Jakarta – Although the sentence being sought by the public prosecutor for Pollycarpus is considered just, the former secretary of the Munir Fact Finding Team (TPF), Usman Hamid, has urged that the investigation in to the Munir murder case not end with Pollycarpus.

Emmy F, Kupang – Feeling as if the government is treating him as a stepchild, former pro-Jakarta militia have reassembling their forces by forming the Ex-East Timor Forum for Struggle.

Radzie, Banda Aceh – The Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Hamid Awaluddin, says that the government has already released all members of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) who were jailed in various correctional institutions in Java and Sumatra.

M Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) has expressed regret over the attack by three unknown assailants on an action by supporters of Munir at the Central Jakarta State Court. The actions by the three mysterious men will be reported to police.

Adi Warsidi, Banda Aceh – The number of cases of human rights violations in Aceh following the signing of the Helsinki agreement between the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) has declined.

Fitraya Ramadhanny, Jakarta – The presence of militia in Aceh post the peace negotiations in Helsinki still lays the grounds for the potential eruption of new forms of violence. It is because of this that the government is being urged to disband the militia, which still exist.

Jakarta – It is hoped that moves to lift the arms embargo on Indonesia by the United States will be done gradually. In addition to this, the degree of reform within the Indonesian military (TNI) must also be balanced against this.

Anton Aliabbas, Jakarta – Many people have been shocked by the government’s plans to imitate the New Order regime in combating terrorism. They believe it will kill off the democracy which only just been built.

Adi Warsidi, Jakarta – As many as 116 Free Aceh Movement (GAM) members being detained in Sumatra and Java have yet to be granted amnesty. This is despite the fact that on August 31 the government stated it would grant amnesty to all GAM members as part of the implementation of the peace agreement.

Adi Warsidi, Banda Aceh – Around 1,000 people from a number of Acehnese social organisations participated in a seminar to discuss a draft law on the organisation of a government in Aceh. The event was held at the Dayan Dawood Building on the Syah Kuala University (Unsyiah) campus in Banda Aceh on October 11.

Heru Margianto – A number of non-government organisations (NGO) have questioned the performance of the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) and the Indonesian police following the bombing in Bali and are calling for a policy audit of the two institutions.

Henri Salomo Siagian, Jakarta – Although political parties are expected to exploit demonstrations against fuel price hikes, as a whole the atmosphere in the lead up to the price increases is conducive.

Veronika Kusuma Wijayanti, Jakarta – The ineptness of the investigation into the murder of human rights activist Munir is being questioned. The reason being that up until now police have yet to arrest the masterminded behind the murder and or to name any new suspects aside from Pollycapus Budihari Priyanto.

Shanty, Jakarta – On Thursday September 22, the Munir Solidarity Committee (Komite Solidaritas Untuk Munir, Kasum) went to the police headquarters’ criminal investigation bureau to ask about developments in the investigation of the Munir murder case.

[The following is a compilation of abridged translations on demonstrations between September 16-25 against the government’s plan to increase fuel prices by as much as 60 per cent on October 1.]

Malang students oppose fuel price increases

Detik.com – September 16, 2005

AK-38, Jakarta – TNI (armed forces) chief Endriartono Sutarto says that the TNI does not want to be blamed if the peace process in Aceh fails. “Even if it fails, I don’t want the failure to be caused by the TNI’s side.