Eworaswa, Jakarta – Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW), the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) and Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial) are questioning plans by the defense minister to increase the defense budget by 5.59 per cent (26 trillion rupiah).

Nala Edwin, Jakarta – The Committee to Monitor the New Order (Komite Waspada Orde Baru, Tewas Orba) says that the Indonesian Cabinet of Unity is ridden with people from former President Suharto’s New Order regime.

Agus R/Supriyantho/Dian Y/Mahbub, Surabaya – Commemorations of Youth Pledge Day in various parts of the country yesterday were enlivened by a number of demonstrations.

Jakarta – A number of non-government organisations (NGOs) who are concerned with issues of human rights are supporting the Indonesian government’s nomination as the head of the United Nations Human Rights Commission on the condition that the government must first resolve cases of human rights violations which have occurred in the country.

Meriam Debora, Jakarta – Moves to nominate Indonesia as the head of the United Nations Human Rights Commission and as a permanent member of the Security Council are presumptuous because of the many cases of human rights violations in Indonesia which have yet to be resolved.

Flamboyan, Jakarta – The head of the European Union’s Troika Delegation, Bernard Bot, said on Thursday October 28 that they were interested in visiting Aceh and West Papua.

Luhur Hertanto, Jakarta – Home affairs minister M. Ma’ruf has prohibited all of the staff in his department from living with a women or men as man and wife without being officially married.

Fedhly Averouss Bey, Jakarta – The International Non-Government Forum on Indonesian Development (INFID) believes that the economic team in the Indonesian United Cabinet of newly inaugurated President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) will side with donor and creditor nations.

Jakarta, Kompas – The new coordinating minister for politics, law and security, retired Admiral Widodo Adi Sutjipto, says that all of the ministries which are under his coordination will be prioritising efforts to resolve prolonged conflicts in Indonesia such as Aceh and West Papua.

Suwarjono, Jakarta – Just because they weren’t wearing a tie, a journalist was denied entry to the State Palace to cover a cabinet meeting. The in question journalist was in fact a woman.