Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy (D-RI) termed the announcement that Indonesia has cancelled a deal to purchase nine F-19 fighter planes from the United States, due to the pressure he has applied on the Indonesian government, as a "major human rights victory".
Indonesia
Displaying 81801-81850 of 82458 Documents
June 6, 1997
ASIET has received information, still to be confirmed, that there are plans to move Budiman Sujatmiko, President of the Peoples Democratic Party (PRD), to Nusakambangan prison.
Budiman was recently sentenced to 13 years prison for leading the PRD in its struggle against the Suharto dictatorship.
A quite surprising reorganisation of the cabinet and changes in the leadership of the army by the president were announced on Wednesday. This was announced by the State Secretary Moerdiono and armed forces chief Faisal Tanjung.
June 5, 1997
The record margin achieved by Indonesia's ruling Golkar Party in parliamentary elections in that country last week moved foreign analysts to weigh in with their assessments of the vote–which most saw as less than fair–and to comment on prospects for the future of yet another five-year term for President Soeharto.
Sampang – Indonesia held an unprecedented re-vote on Madura island yesterday following violence in last week's general election, but many in the area appeared to have stayed away from the polls.
The re-vote of more than 40,000 voters was held in Sampang district on the island off East Java yesterday amid tight security.
June 4, 1997
Jakarta – The French government has decided to award Indonesian Research and Technology Minister BJ Habibie with the "Grand Officier de la Legion d'Honneur" medal in appreciation of his contribution to the promotion of relations between the two countries.
On June 16, 1997, the Indonesian Government will introduce the Manpower Bill to parliament and force its passage into law, thereby consolidating its repression of the labour movement.
On Tuesday June 3, around 50 youths from the Megawati Supporters Group (Gerakan Pendukung Megawati, GPM) held an action at the national headquarters of the United Development Party (PPP).
June 3, 1997
Jakarta – All of the predictions and results of research said that the Golput figure would increase in the 1997 elections, now it has come true. Prior to this, the results of polling of Indonesian University students and KNPI research in Malang [which indicated large percentages of students would Golput - JB] was completely rejected by the authorities.
Jakarta – The alliance between the puppet Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) lead by Soerjadi and those who have so far supported them, the government, has already split. This is indicated by the possibility that the PDI will withdraw all of its legislators from the parliament for the period 1997-2002 because they are deeply disappointed.
June 2, 1997
Jakarta – The votes obtained by Golkar skyrocketed leaving the United Development Party (PPP) trailing behind at the end of vote counting. In Jakarta, a region PPP expected to mark a victory, Golkar achieved almost one million votes.
June 1, 1997
Rob Stokes – "Made in Britain - used in faraway places to kill dissidents". The government is being challenged to ban UK arms and related sales to Indonesia after the programme World in Action uncovered evidence that BAe, Rover and others are supplying the dictatorship there.
Sampang – At least 11 United Development Party (PPP) supporters were wounded when shot by the military during a riot which occurred in the villages of Sampang and Pemekasan, Madura. The masses emotions rose because they were prevented from voting last May 29.
May 31, 1997
Louise Williams, Jakarta – The Government-backed Golkar Party has won a sweeping victory in Indonesia's national elections, but it was overkill.
The cost has been to virtually destroy the carefully managed political balance which has channelled and diffused opposition during President Soeharto's three decades in power.
Jenny Grant, Jakarta – Riots and protests at alleged vote-rigging yesterday greeted the ruling Golkar party's triumph in the legislative election.
The Muslim-backed United Development Party (PPP) demanded a new poll in areas where election counting was done secretly, while a poll watchdog blasted election violations.
Jenny Grant, Jakarta – provisional results show that President Suharto's Golkar Party won another landslide victory during Indonesian elections last week. But as Jenny Grant reports from Jakarta, the Muslim Party has come in a strong second because the government damaged the other minority party.
Election analysts in Indonesia are claiming widespread irregularities in the country's general elections.
The Jakarta-based Independent Election Monitoring Committee said it had evidence of ballots by unregistered voters, and some people voting twice.
May 30, 1997
Jakarta – The Kopassus commander, Major General Prabowo Subianto, was not present a the Gondangdia polling station, Jl Cendana 31 when president Suharto's family voted in the general elections (29/5) yesterday.
Richard Borsuk, Jakarta – Early results of Indonesia's parliamentary election confirmed what was known long before the tumultuous campaign – President Suharto's Golkar party will win handily.
With only about 7% of the vote counted by 10pm last night, this morning's Indonesian newspaper reports are only an indication of the final result. But the detailed regional breakdowns are too tempting to ignore. In short, Golkar is far exceeding its target of 70%, the PPP has nowhere come even near winning a majority, and the PDI is a complete wipeout.
Jim Della-Giacoma, Jakarta – Indonesia's ruling Golkar party was cruising towards its forecast landslide victory in parliamentary elections on Thursday after about half the votes were counted.
Banda Aceh – Troops repulsed suspected Free Aceh Movement separatist rebels approaching a polling station in Pidie regency yesterday, the police said.
Pidie police chief Lt. Col. Teuku Keumala said troops were engaged in a brief shootout with rebels in army-like uniforms at 10:30 a.m. near the polling station.
Jenny Grant, Jakarta – Indonesia's poll watchdog on Friday blasted violations and fraud in the nation's general elections held a day earlier. As Jenny Grant reports from Jakarta the Moslem-backed United Development Party demanded a re-vote in some provinces.
Sintra, Portugal – "Portugal does not recognise any validity in the elections that took place in East Timor on May 29, as a result of the illegal extension to that territory of the legislative elections in Indonesia", the government has said in a statement.
Washington – The United States called for changes in Indonesia's political system on Friday, as the Asian country's ruling party swept to an overwhelming victory in parliamentary elections.
"The United States believes that parliamentary elections are tightly controlled by the government of Indonesia," State Department spokesman John Dinger said.
Jakarta – An independent election monitoring group said on Monday national polls on Thursday would not be fair because they favoured the ruling Golkar party.
Mulyana Kusumah, secretary-general of the Indonesian Election Monitoring Committee (Kipp), said the election process was neither free nor fair.
May 29, 1997
For the sixth time in 27 years, the Suharto regime of Indonesia has stage-managed a mock election aimed at legitimizing itself primarily in international eves. For the people of Indonesia these five yearly rituals have little meaning.
Margot Cohen, Jakarta – The partygoers brought their own weapons-rocks, bricks, knives, machetes, even snakes, were brandished in the final weeks of the general election campaign, dubbed the "festival of democracy." Riots and sporadic attacks spiralled in Jakarta and towns throughout Indonesia in the final days of the campaign before the May 29 elections.
Jenny Grant, Idah enjoys the weekend like any other child - playing noisy games with her friends.
But unlike most 14-year-olds, when Monday morning arrives Idah heads to work at a biscuit factory rather than school.
Leslie Gevirtz, Boston – A Massachusetts state legislative committee Thursday approved a measure that would impose sanctions against companies that do business with Indonesia.
Louise Williams, Jakarta – When Indonesia's democracy leader, Ms Megawati Sukarnoputri, announced her decision to boycott today's election, she joined millions of people so disillusioned with Indonesia's political system that they believe the best way to use their vote is to spoil it.
Louise Williams, Jakarta – A jittery Indonesian public prepared to vote in national elections today with 25,000 extra troops securing the capital and rumours circulating of further unrest in the wake of the nation's most violent election campaign in President Soeharto's three decades in power.
Greg Earl, Jakarta – Mudrick Sangidoe points to his colourful new hat before his third audience in as many hours: "My brother brought this back from Chechnya. I wear it to show we are part of the international Muslim struggle for democracy."
Seth Mydans, Jakarta – Something happened on the way to the thoroughly engineered government landslide that is widely expected on Thursday in a parliamentary election here in the world's fourth most populous country.
Christine T. Tjandraningsih, Jakarta – The ruling Golkar party took a commanding lead Thursday in Indonesia's general election that is guaranteed to keep the party in power for another five years, according to preliminary official returns.
May 28, 1997
Jakarta – Indonesia is considering the purchase of advanced Russian-made Mig jetfighters if the United States continues to block the acquisition of its F-16 aircrafts because of alleged human rights violations. Air force chief Marshall Sutria Tubagus says today it is not certain whether Indonesia will acquire the advanced U.S.-made jetfighters, "because the U.S.
The widespread violence that has marked the campaign leading up to tomorrow's parliamentary elections in Indonesia moved editors there and elsewhere in East and South Asia to speculate on the underlying causes of the unrest.
Jakarta – Forty members of the Pijar non-governmental organization demonstrated their intention not to vote in the general election when they handed over their yellow cards yesterday to the National Commission on Human Rights.
Commission members Marzuki Darusman and Asmara Nababan told the youths that no Indonesians should relinquish their rights to vote.
Edward Alden, Jakarta - On one side of the lagoon, Arie, his wife and two children live in a tiny shack of scrap wood and rusting corrugated iron, perched on stilts above canals choked with plastic bottles and tin cans. On the other side is what Arie calls "Miami," and to the people of Muara Baru it might as well be across the world, rather than just across the pond.
Jakarta – Indonesian authorities blocked attempts by two activists on Wednesday to call jailed East Timorese rebel leader Xanana Gusmao as a witness in their trials on charges of subversion.
May 27, 1997
Sharon LaFraniere, John Pomfret and Lena H. Sun – April 19, 1993, was a tense day at the White House. After a lengthy standoff, the FBI planned to pump tear gas into the Branch Davidian compound near Waco, Tex. At stake were the lives of dozens of federal agents and the nearly 80 men, women and children holed up inside. The White House situation room was on full alert.
Richard Borsuk and Puspa Madani, Sleman – In a campaign that often featured unpleasant surprises, some things still went smoothly for Golkar, Indonesia's dominant party.
Derwin Pereira, Jakarta – The leader of Indonesia's largest Muslim body said his 34 million-strong Nadhlatul Ulama (NU) would back President Suharto's eldest daughter to be Vice-President next year.
May 26, 1997
Ong Hock Chuan, Jakarta – Indonesia ended 27 days of electoral campaigning on Friday with yet another surge of violence in several spots throughout Jakarta and other parts of the country.
Banjarmasin – The number of dead in the Siola Mitra Plaza shopping complex, in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, which burned in the riots which befell that town last Friday (23/5), continues to increase.
The Antara news agency mentions that until 18.00 on Sunday yesterday (25/5), already 131 totally burned corpses have been found on the second floor of the shopping complex.
An Indonesian election monitoring group says the government must share responsibility for widespread violence and unrest during the campaign for this week's general election.
Michael Shari, Jakarta – Two indonesian election officials were paddling down a river in Borneo's Central Kalimantan province during the 1992 general election.
Anthony Spaeth – No one doubts that Suharto will win big in next week's election, but volatile Indonesia already is starting to plan a political future without him
Michael Shari, Kebumen – Abdurrahman Wahid starts the day with "good morning" instead of "salam alaikum." He wears street clothes and doesn't bother with an Islamic prayer cap unless he's actually praying. He has only one wife instead of the permitted four and asks that she cover her head with a scarf only on rare formal occasions.
[The attendance in court of two defence witnesses (a de charge), namely Mr Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao and Mr Sri Bintang Pamungkas did not eventuate on May 26 as scheduled.




