Luhur Hertanto, Jakarta – The government will soon conduct a special investigations (Litsus) of state civil servants in Aceh. This follows information which suggests Acehnese civil servants are involved in the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

Khairul Ikhwan, Medan – There are indications that a number of civil servants in the Aceh provincial government are involved in the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), although none have so far been proven to be so. Aceh governor, Abdullah Puteh has said that the government is in the process of carrying out a more thorough investigation.

Berni K. Moestafa, Lhokseumawe – Just hours after claiming to have made significant progress in its operation to crush the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), the Indonesian Military (TNI) lost seven soldiers during a clash in Matang Kumbang, Bireun regency, Aceh, on Monday.

Indonesian troops and separatist rebels have fought their fiercest battle since a campaign was launched last month to crush the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), the military said.

Frida Berrigan – Far from the spotlight and far from Baghdad, another shock and awe campaign is underway. On May 19th, Indonesia launched a military campaign to "strike and paralyze" a small band of separatist rebels in the Aceh province.

James Balowski, Jakarta – Although coverage of Indonesia's brutal war in its northern-most province of Aceh has all but disappeared from the international media, it is still front-page news here.

Matthew Moore and Agencies – As Indonesia's renewed war in Aceh province enters its fourth week, the army has unveiled plans to build an island prison to hold 1000 suspected members and supporters of the separatist group, GAM. The move came as President Megawati Sukarnoputri reiterated that she and her government would not tolerate separatism.

Indonesia's military operation to crush the Free Aceh separatists continues to gather momentum as the war enters its fourth week. The military, the TNI claims it has killed some 160 rebels and taken more than 300 prisoners, with many surrendering.

Jakarta – The government has declared war-torn Aceh off limits to tourists following the shooting of two German tourists last week.

Bernie K. Moestafa and Tiarma Siboro, Banda Aceh – The war in Aceh is taking its toll on village chiefs with 76 in Bireuen regency resigning on Sunday after complaining about the pressure they had to face in dealing with both the Indonesian Military (TNI) and Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels.

Matthew Moore, Jakarta – A German tourist shot by Indonesian soldiers in Aceh province said she did not hear any calls from soldiers before they fired warning shots and further shots that hit her and killed her husband.

Andrew Marshall – Of all the hardware currently deployed in Aceh, US-supplied bombers, British-made jets, tanks, armored troop carriers, assault helicopters, warships" it was a slate-gray Japanese sedan that unnerved us journalists the most.

Matthew Moore, Jakarta – The injured wife of a German tourist shot dead by Indonesian soldiers in war-torn Aceh province on Wednesday night wrote a letter the next day forgiving the military for the "misunderstanding".

Jakarta – The Indonesian Women's Solidarity Alliance (Aliansi Solidaritas Perempuan Indonesia, ASPI) has called on warring parties in Aceh to immediately end the war and return to the negotiating table. According to ASPI, the war will achieve nothing, rather it will result in civilian deaths and tear apart the rights of the Acehnese people.

Bernie K. Moestafa and Tiarma Siboro, Lhokseumawe – Frequent power blackouts have added to the suffering of the Acehnese as conflict and martial law, which will enter its fourth week, continued unabated.

Berni K. Moestafa and Tiarma Siboro, Lhokseumawe – Military prosecutors are seeking an eight-month sentence for three soldiers who allegedly assaulted civilians during a raid in Bireuen, Aceh regency, at the end of May.

Maire Leadbeater – A cartoon is circulating among human rights networks shows a finger-wagging Indonesian President Megawati exhorting one of her generals to "make sure you win their hearts and minds". The general, who holds a map of Aceh, reassures her: "Don't worry, we trained in East Timor."

Matthew Moore, Jakarta and agencies – Indonesian politicians and military commanders were last night struggling to contain damaging fallout after soldiers in Aceh attacked two German tourists on a cycling holiday, killing a man and shooting his wife in the leg.

John Roberts – Despite attempts by the Indonesian government to block information on the military's activities, it is becoming clear that the offensive by the Indonesian armed forces (TNI) in the northern-most province of Aceh against the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) involves a deliberate campaign of mass terror against the civilian population.

Pip Hinman, Sydney – Lesley McCulloch, who spent five months in an Acehnese prison last year, said the current level of repression against ordinary Acehnese by the Indonesian military and police is "extreme".

Indonesia's attack on Aceh separatist rebels and the imposition of martial law in the province have brought new dangers for human rights activists, Amnesty International said.

More than 25,000 civilians are now living as refugees in Indonesia's Aceh province, where a major attack on separatist rebels continues, and the military said it may have forced some to quit their homes.

Banda Aceh – Students and other activists who support separatist guerillas in Indonesia's Aceh province will face subversion charges that can carry the death penalty, police warned yesterday. The authorities said they have a list of activists who support or assist the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), as well as evidence against them.

Matthew Moore, Jakarta – Indonesia's military chiefs have accused seven soldiers of beating civilians in Aceh province, but say they have received no complaints and have no evidence of widely-reported killings of more than 20 unarmed villagers in the first week of a renewed offensive against pro-independence fighters.

Jakarta – Governor Sutiyoso told Muslim preachers on Tuesday not to use mosques as a forum to rally people against the military operation now taking place in Aceh province.

Jakarta – The martial law administrator in Aceh has decided to close off Aceh waters to foreign ships, but has failed to communicate the move to the public.

James Balowski, Jakarta – Amid mounting reports of civilian casualties and human rights violations by Indonesia's armed forces (TNI), the government is moving to suppress opposition to the so-called "restoration of security" operation in Aceh, Indonesia's northern-most province.

Jakarta, Kompas – The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) has found strong indications of human rights violations – including the murder of civilians since the emergency military operation in Aceh came into force.

Kevin McQuillan and agencies – Indonesian authorities in Aceh have rejected requests from about 10 overseas journalists to cover the war.

The Marshall law Administrator, Major General Endang Suwarya, says he does not need "foreign observers" in the province.

Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, Jakarta – The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) said on Monday it would investigate over 20 cases of alleged rights violations in Aceh during the first two weeks of military operations in the province.

Police in Indonesia's Aceh province said they were hunting civilian activists suspected of supporting separatist rebels.

"We will use the [criminal code] article on subversion, which carries up to the death sentence, against them," said Sayed Husaini, police spokesman in the province where a major military assault on the rebels is in its third week.

Jakarta, Sripo – The Indonesian Centre for Reform and Social Emancipation (INCREASE) has put forward a referendum as the solution to resolving the conflict in Aceh. According to the pro-democracy non-government organisation, a referendum is the most democratic mechanism and form of participation to involve all elements of Acehnese society to determine their future.

Indonesian armed forces chief General Endriartono Sutarto says the military assault in the province of Aceh is making faster progress than expected.

He says the offensive is on the right track and the progress exceeds Jakarta's expectations in every aspect.

A'an Suryana, Jakarta – Police nationwide are on full alert for fleeing members of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) who may attempt to take refuge in other provinces.

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – Religious leaders demanded on Saturday that the government avoid civilian fatalities in its war against the separatists in Aceh and boost humanitarian activities in the troubled province.

They emphasized that the main purpose of the integrated operations was "winning the hearts and minds of the Acehnese", and not a military takeover.

Separatist rebels in Indonesia's Aceh province said they have abducted 13 local civilian leaders for carrying out the military's orders.

Anger was rising in Indonesia against Sweden over the Scandanavian country's refusal to act on Jakarta's demand that it stop one of its citizens from leading an Aceh separatist group.

Robert Go, Banda Aceh – Ten-year-old Embrianda Hassan stayed up later than usual on Tuesday last week.

[Excerpt from report by Indonesian Detikcom web site on 30 May.]

Robert Go, Banda Aceh – Soldiers and policemen strut about in battle gear, machine guns slung from their shoulders and holstered pistols at their waists. They can be seen manning posts, drinking coffee at street stalls, or browsing through stacks of video compact discs in front of supermarkets.

Banda Aceh – An Acehnese joke: Why does an Acehnese with dental problems leave Aceh to get treatment? Punchline: Because he's not accustomed to opening his mouth on his home ground.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – Pressure is mounting on the Indonesian media to support the military offensive against the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), with the government insisting that national integrity should come before press freedom.

Kafil Yamin, Jakarta – As the Indonesian television journalist faced the cameras from atop a military truck, the sound of gunfire interrupted his report, providing immediacy and reality to his real-time broadcast from Aceh province.

Jane Perlez, Singapore – Paul D. Wolfowitz, the United States deputy secretary of defense, warned the Indonesian Army today that its war against separatist rebels in the northern province of Aceh could not be won militarily.

Jakarta – A group of journalists associations revealed on Thursday a series of violent incidents and restrictions imposed on journalists covering the military operation in Aceh which began on May 19.

The press association, grouped under the Coalition Against Violence Toward Journalists, said restrictions to press freedom and abuses came from both warring parties in Aceh.

James Politi, Washington – The US on Friday raised the political pressure on Indonesia, urging the Pacific nation to allow independent monitors into Aceh, the restive island province where Jakarta recently launched a massive military crackdown on separatists.

New York, May 29 – The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is alarmed by a recent series of sniper attacks in which unknown gunmen have targeted journalists in Aceh, a conflict-riven province on the northwestern tip of the Indonesian archipelago.

David Fogarty, Singapore – Deputy US Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz called on Indonesia on Friday to ensure transparency in its military offensive in Aceh province and said independent monitoring should be allowed.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta – Despite several shortcomings, the government said on Wednesday the ongoing military operation to crush the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in the province had been nothing but a success and was moving faster then expected.

Lhokseumawe – Fatimah stopped a car carrying several journalists and begged them to load her belongings into the car. "Please take my stuff to the Meunasah [mosque]; I will follow you by bicycle," pleaded a trembling Fatimah.