Jakarta – Senjata Kartini (Sekar), a women’s non-government organisation, is opposed to presidential candidates from military circles.

Jakarta – The United Opposition Front (Barisan Oposisi Bersatu, BOB) says that the Saviors of the Nation Forum (Forum Penyelamat Bangsa) which has been conceived by [National Mandate Party chairperson] Amien Rais and [Justice and Prosperity chairperson] Hidayat Nurwahid is quasi-unity, a pretence and just pragmatic.

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.

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

[The following is a translation of an open appeal by the United Opposition Front (Barisan Oposisi Bersatu, BOB) which was issued in Jakarta on April 3.]

Jakarta, Kompas – Accusations of human rights violations have not affected retired Lieutenant General Prabowo Subianto’s plan to advance towards the presidency. The former head of Kopassus who is believed to be linked to the abductions of a number of students1 continues to move forward in Golkar’s presidential candidate selection process.

Fedhly Averouss Bey, Jakarta – The names of six popular presidential candidates have been included in a list of rotten politicians by the University (UI) of Indonesia Student Executive Council (BEM).

Gunawan Mashar, Makassar – Actions protesting rotten politicians and political parties are still happening. In Makassar, at least 500 students warned of the dangers posed by rotten politicians and political parties.

Semarang – The campaign against rotten politicians which is being promoted by a number of non-government organisation (NGO) activists should be supported. However just campaigning against rotten politicians is not enough to bring about improvements. There also needs to be a movement to put intelligent people into these posts.

Hundreds of civilians have died, hundreds of thousands have been displaced, hundreds of school buildings have been burnt to the ground, journalist Ersa Siregar has been killed, the tabloid Beudoh was threaten and forced to cease publishing, scores of people have become hostages of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) or victims of arrests and a

Astrid Felicia Lim, Jakarta – Non-government organisation (NGO) activists from the Committee for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), the Institute for Public Research and Advocacy (Elsam), the Indonesian Legal Aid Association (PBHI) and the Association of Families of Missing Persons (Ikatan Keluarga Orang Hilang, Ikohi) are again

Orin Basuki – It is the afternoon of January 30, and as many as 1169 names of prospective legislative candidates for the provincial Regional Legislative Council (DPRD) for Riau province and the Riau island group are officially announced by the regional National Election Commission in Pekanbaru.

[The following is a translation of a statement issued by the Trade Union Alliance Against Rotten Politicians (Aliansi Serikat Buruh Anti Politisi Busuk) on February 3, 2004. The original statement was untitled and the one used here was the choice of the translator.]

Yogyakarta – Actions rejecting the 2004 general elections and calls to golput [white movement, not to mark the ballot paper] are becoming lively in Yogyakarta, Central Java.

Djoko Tjiptono, Jakarta – The 2004 general elections will not be able to provide a solution to the various problems which are being faced by the Indonesian people. This is because in terms of the political parties’ programs, the majority are rotten.

Remember the People’s Democratic Party (PRD), remember how radical these young people were in the struggling for democracy. Although they admit they are still weak in terms of building a mass base, to this day the PRD is still consistent in its mission of struggle. That is, for the sake of democracy, they are not afraid of death.

Jakarta – Old names are still dominating the candidate members for the People’s Representative Assembly (DPR) in the lists submitted on Monday, December 29, to the General Election Commission (KPU) by the political parties who will participate in the 2004 general elections.

Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – Indonesian Human Rights Watch director, Munir, has said that the statement by army chief General Ryamizard Ryacudu that 60,000 foreign agents have entered Indonesia in order to weaken the military represents an endeavour to create new tensions. This could also damage foreign diplomatic relations.

Jakarta – President Megawati Sukarnoputri has questioned the motives behind the assumptions which have been made about the organisation of the 2004 general elections which claim they will be susceptible to turmoil and disturbances.

Jakarta – Human rights violations perpetrated in 2003 cannot be separated from military control, particularly the army. The government of President Megawati Sukarnoputri has not worked as hard as its predecessors, like [former presidents] B.J. Habibie and Abdurrahman Wahid to control the TNI [Indonesian armed forces].