Robert Go, Jakarta – The government, citing an improved security situation, has downgraded Aceh's martial law status to a civil emergency and will return the conflict-torn province to civilian rule by next Monday, senior officials said yesterday.

Indonesia said it will end martial law which has been in force in Aceh province for the past year while troops battled separatist guerrillas.

The province will in future be under a state of civil emergency, acting security minister Hari Sabarno said after a cabinet meeting on Thursday.

M. Ilaham, Jakarta – The chairperson of the Association of Acehnese Families (Ikatan Keluarga Rakyat Aceh, IKARA), Faisal Syarifuddi, says that during the one year that martial law has been in place in Aceh it has brought great suffering to the Acehnese people, particularly innocent civilians.

M.Ilaham, Jakarta – Thousands of Acehnese who are residing in Jakarta held a series of demonstrations at the offices of the coordinating minister of politics and security, the presidential palace and the national parliament on Tuesday May 11.

Jakarta – Fierce rebel fighting has left four suspected rebels and a soldier dead in separate clashes in Indonesia's Aceh province, an army spokesman said Tuesday.

Although the sound of grenades that exploded in Aceh did not reach Jakarta, it does not mean that the capital does not suffer from the consequences of the conflict there. Indeed, it was reported that the conflict in Aceh undermined the position of Sudi Silalahi as Secretary to the Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs.

Khairul, Banda Aceh – The head of the Pidie regional military command (Kodim), Infantry Lieutenant Rochim Siregar, has been forcing all village heads to come to the Kodim headquarters with the aim of making them sign a document supporting an extension of martial law in Aceh. It they fail to attend without a clear reason, action is taken against them.

P.C. Naommy, Jakarta – A team assigned to assess the feasibility of the controversial Ladia Galaska highway urged the government on Friday to halt the project entirely or make major changes in the planning.

Tiarma Siboro and Nani Farida, Jakarta/Banda Aceh – The Indonesian Military (TNI) acknowledged on Wednesday that troops in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam were guilty of hundreds of violations, including rape and selling ammunition to rebels in the province.

Alisa P, Banda Aceh – According Acehnese People's Democratic Resistance Front (FPDRA) chairperson, Thamrin Ananda, the plan by the interim coordinating minister for politics and security, Hari Subarno, to reduce the status of martial law in Aceh to a state of civil emergency following a meeting with the armed forces chief in Cilangkap, is a mealy a form of political bribery in the l

Kurniawan Hari and Nani Farida, Jakarta/Banda Aceh – House of Representatives members have thrown their weight behind the Aceh Prosecutor's Office tackling several corruption cases allegedly involving administration officials, including Governor Abdullah Puteh.

"In principle, prosecution should be conducted by the prosecutor's office.

Jakarta – At least 50 teachers assigned to the province of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD) have been killed in the armed conflict there between 1999 and 2003. Among them, 22 alone were killed by members of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), an official said.

Jakarta – While some officials claim that militants who raided armories in southern Thailand are selling weapons to rebels in Indonesia's neighboring Aceh province, an expert said Monday there is no clear evidence of such a trade.

Banda Aceh – Military troops rescued two boatmen held by Aceh separatist rebels on Friday, a military spokesman revealed on Saturday.

"The two hostages are from neighboring North Sumatra province and have been identified as Subur Mardi, 42, and Zainal Abidin, 53," military operation command spokesman Lt. Col. Asep Sapari said in Lhokseumawe.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) submitted to the government on Friday reports of human rights abuses since martial law was declared last May.

Komnas HAM Chairman Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara said that both the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) were committing rights abuses in the ongoing war.

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – The House of Representatives (DPR) is likely to recommend the government lower martial law in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam to a state of civil emergency, given improving security and public order in the province.

The lifting of martial law, however, would not necessarily mean the withdrawal of troops from the resource-rich province.

Luhur Hertanto, Jakarta – The Center for Electoral Reform (Cetro) is to lodge a complaint with the Constitutional Court over intervention by the Aceh Emergency Military Command (PDMD) into political parties and the National Election Commission (KPU) in the Aceh general elections.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – Coordinating minister for political and security affairs ad interim Hari Sabarno chaired a closed-door coordination meeting at the Indonesian Military (TNI) on Tuesday to discuss a variety of security issues.

Jakarta – Researcher George Aditjondro blamed on Monday Acehnese activists for fleeing their homeland and failing to provide the press with information on what was really happening in the province.

Teuku Agam Muzakir, Lhokseumawe – Around 2,000 people here staged a rally on Thursday, demanding that martial law, which was strongly opposed by a number of human rights groups, be further extended in May.

Nani Farida, Banda Aceh – Aceh is not just about the bloody prolonged fighting between separatist rebels and the Indonesian Military, with all of the unrecorded brutalities and countless devastations of people and their lives.

A rich cultural trove, Aceh is also blessed with natural resources and rain forest stretching across its lands and hills.

Nani Farida, Banda Aceh – The newly formed national anticorruption body is seeking to question Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam Governor Abdullah Puteh for his alleged role in graft cases as local authorities have been wholly unable to summon him.

Jakarta – The International Federation of Journalists has reiterated its demand for the release of RCTI television cameraman, Fery Santoro, who has spent almost 10 months as a hostage of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

Teuku Agam Muzakir, Lhokseumawe – Entering Buket Nibong village in Jrat Manyang subdistrict, Tanah Jambo Aye district, North Aceh regency, is like being in a no-man's-land. More than 450 inhabitants have fled the area to escape the battles between the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the rebel Free Aceh Movement (GAM) that have been raging since 1999.

A. Junaidi and Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – Activists and researchers have urged an end to the involvement of militia groups in Nanggroe Aceh Darrusalam in the operation against rebels, saying the military is virtually pitting civilians against each other.

Banda Aceh – Separatist rebels have ambushed and killed three Indonesian soldiers in Aceh province, a report said Tuesday.

The deaths on Saturday came amid an upsurge in reported violence that also left 22 suspected Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels dead and two others wounded on Saturday and Sunday, according to the military.

Nur Raihan, Banda Aceh – The Aceh Emergency Military Commander, Major General Endang Suwarya says that Free Aceh Movement (GAM) forces have been rescued to 40 per cent. Nevertheless, with one month left before the end of the first extension of martial law in Aceh, the military has a presence in every part of the province.

Banda Aceh – Indonesia's military has reduced separatist rebel strength in Aceh by 60 percent, the province's martial law commander said Monday as the army claimed the deaths of 22 suspected rebels.

"What's clear, it's estimated that their strength has been greatly reduced... to around 40 percent," Major General Endang Suwarya said told a Jakarta radio station.

Jakarta – The Indonesian military has rescued 124 people taken hostage by separatist rebels in Aceh province since the start of a military offensive last year but 260 civilians are still detained, a report said Monday.

Jakarta – The Indonesian government will soon re-evaluate whether it is necessary to maintain martial law in the war-torn province of Aceh, a senior cabinet minister said Monday.

Banda Aceh – The military shot dead two separatist rebels and a government soldier died in a hostage crisis in restive Aceh province, the military and witnesses said on Saturday.

Miswar, Banda Aceh – The tabloid Beudoh, which was closed by the Aceh emergency military command (PDMD) because it ran an lead article titled "Acehnese People Don't Need Elections Under Martial Law", the result of which being that Beudoh's editor was ordered to report to the PDMD [and threatened if the tabloid did not change is editorial line].

Banda Aceh – At least six people, including four separatist rebels, were killed in the latest violence in the restive province of Aceh, the military said Friday.

Alisa P, Bireun – An Aceh Ulama (Islamic religious leader), Teuku Haji Aldelani, the son-in-law of the most outspoken Ulama in Aceh, T.H. Abu Tuming, has been arrested by the emergency military command (PDMD) for leading a delegation of Aceh Ulamas to meet with the coordinating minister of politics and security in Jakarta a short time ago.

M. Arbi, Tapaktuan – After the people of Abdya voiced their demands for an extension to martial law in Aceh, on Tuesday April 13 the same demands were echoed by the people of South Aceh. Thousands of people spilled into the grounds of the regional parliament building in the town of Tapaktuan to listen to speeches by public figures demanding that martial law in Aceh be extended.

Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – Police on Tuesday arrested six suspects they said were part of a network of Aceh separatists involved in an abortive attempt to bomb a mall here last month.

Officers were hunting down two more suspects believed to be the masterminds of the bombing attempt, police said.

Alisa P., Jakarta – Martial law in Aceh has entered its 10th month, and has consumed huge numbers of civilian casualties.

Nani Farida, Banda Aceh – The martial law administration in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam opened a "reeducation" course on Sunday for 190 men and 10 women who have been accused of membership of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

Lhokseumawe – The military killed on Sunday Suhardi Sulaiman, 33, alias Adi P., who has been listed as the most wanted rebel figure in Bireuen.

Banda Aceh – Indonesian soldiers have shot dead five separatist rebels in Aceh while six others have surrendered to the authorities, the military said on Sunday.

The five Free Aceh Movement (GAM) members were killed on Friday in separate clashes in South Aceh, Bireuen and North Aceh districts, provincial military spokesman Lt. Col. Asep Sapari said.

Banda Aceh – Indonesian soldiers have shot dead eight separatist rebels in Aceh and seized weapons, the military said on Thursday.

Four Free Aceh Movement (GAM) members were killed Tuesday and four more Wednesday in separate clashes, said provincial military spokesman Lt. Col. Asep Sapari. Soldiers seized two rifles and ammunition on Wednesday.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – Several local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) reported vote buying on Tuesday allegedly committed by political parties ahead of the April 5 poll.

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – The Ministry of Forestry is demanding an objective investigation into the recent arrest of environmentalist Bestari Raden, 50, after the Aceh martial law administration accused him of involvement with the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

Banda Aceh/Jayapura/Ambon – Violence marred polling day on Monday in several parts of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam in an apparent attempt to disrupt the election, while people cast their votes peacefully in three other troubled areas of Poso, Papua and Maluku.

His name is Ayus Rizal, 13. He is the youngest Acehnese resident currently undergoing training at the military camp for former separatist rebels in Reuleut village, North Aceh.

He once became a chantoi (civilian recruited by GAM as an undercover agent to spy on the rebels' enemies) and was tasked with finding supplies, such as rice or cigarettes, for his commanders.

Tiarma Siboro and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – A number of arrests of Acehnese activists across the country for their alleged link with the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) has raised questions among observers over the performance of the Aceh martial law administration.

Banda Aceh – Indonesia's parliamentary elections on Monday have been enthusiastically awaited by the majority of the country's voters. Far in the north, in the troubled province of Aceh, however, the democratic festivities are seen as a dilemma by most people.

Banda Aceh – Separatist rebels in Aceh province have threatened to shoot or fine residents who vote in Monday's Indonesian general elections, an election monitor said Saturday.

Tiarma Siboro and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Banda Aceh/Jakarta – The Aceh military has set up security arrangements to enable local residents in areas known as rebel strongholds to exercise their right to vote on April 5.

Jakarta – The Malaysian government is forcibly returning Indonesian refugees from Aceh province to Indonesia where their safety is at risk amid a continuing conflict there, Human Rights Watch said in a report released on Thursday.