Tony Hotland, Jakarta – Hopes of peace in Aceh have received a boost after leaders of 10 major political parties expressed their cautious support for the government's plan to allow former Free Aceh Movement (GAM) members to contest elections in the province later this year.

Wilhendra Akmam, Jakarta – Ten political parties have agreed to support the nomination of former Free Aceh Movement (GAM) members in regional elections in Aceh in 2005-06. This is to be done taking note that GAM is prepared to conclude the negotiations with the Indonesian government in a peaceful manner.

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – The government may have to withdraw non-organic troops from Aceh as part of an agreement coming out of the negotiations between the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in Helsinki. If this happens, the government must reinforce organic troops in Aceh.

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – The TNI (armed forces) fully supports the government's policy of seeking a resolution to the Aceh question which is peaceful, dignified and comprehensive. With regard to the withdrawal of troops, the TNI will leave it in the government's hands.

Jakarta – The last of a series of informal negotiations between the Indonesian government and members of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) will be held on July 11-18 with a focus on drafting an agreement toward resolving the Aceh conflict peacefully and permanently.

Stockholm – Sweden will pay 10,000 kronor (1,050 euros, 1,250 dollars) in compensation to one of the exiled leaders of Indonesia's separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) for remanding him in custody last year, his lawyer said Monday.

AK-38, Jakarta – Hundreds of Acehnese residing in Jakarta, Bogor, Tangerang and Bekasi, who support of the Helsinki peace negotiations between the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement, demonstrated at the United Nations in Central Jakarta demanding that the UN support a peaceful resolution to the Aceh conflict.

AK-38, Jakarta – On Monday July 4, hundreds of Acehnese from Greater Jakarta held a demonstration at the United Nations offices, the US Embassy, the offices of the Minister for Politics, Security and Legal Affairs and the State Palace.

Tony Hotland and Rendi Witular, Jakarta – Despite criticizing the government for irregularities in its new budget proposal for military operations in Aceh, the House of Representatives approved new funds to support some 35,000 soldiers on duty in the province.

Large scale corruption has marred tsunami reconstruction in Aceh province, with more than US$100 million earmaarked for disaster relief unaccounted for, a legislator and an aid worker were quoted as saying Friday.

Alisa P, Jakarta – The operation to restore security in Aceh is continuing. In order to support the operation the Defense Department has submitted a budget request for 530.27 billion rupiah. In the letter, the Minister of Defense hopes that it will be release by the end of June at the latest.

Bill Guerin, Jakarta – More than a dozen men accused of placing Rp1,000 ($0.10) bets in an illegal lottery were flogged in public last week in tsunami-struck Aceh for violating Islamic (Sharia) law, marking the first public canning since the staunchly Muslim province adopted such laws in 2003.

Jakarta – Indonesian lawmakers on Thursday slammed a trip to Aceh province by a team of E.U. and Asean monitors ahead of a possible peace deal there, indicating that any agreement could face resistance from nationalists within the political and military elite.

Rilis, Jakarta – Twenty five activist organisations have issued a statement supporting peace negotiations between the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). The statement which was contained in letter addressed to the president of the Republic of Indonesia and the GAM leadership in exile was dated June 24.

Sutta Dharmasaputra/Wisnu Dewabrata, Jakarta – The operation to restore security in Aceh continues. In order to support the operation, the Ministry of Defense has submitted a request for a budget of 530.27 billion rupiah.

Jakarta – The categorisation of areas of Aceh into three levels of security is totally counterproductive in terms of the peace negotiations in Helsinki which are being conducted between the government and representatives of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and which will entering their fifth round in July.

An EU-led team has arrived in Indonesia's tsunami-hit Aceh to prepare for the monitoring of a likely peace deal between Jakarta and separatist rebels, officials said.

The 12-man European Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations team arrived in the provincial capital Banda Aceh, Minister of Communication and Information, Sofyan Jalil said.

Jakarta – Despite growing calls from legislators not to internationalize the conflict in Aceh, the government has said it will go ahead with talks with Aceh rebels in Finland.

The recent arrival of international observers in Aceh only adds insult to injury.

Jakarta – The commander of Aceh's separatist rebels on Monday ordered his fighters to avoid clashes with Indonesian troops during an upcoming European Union fact-finding mission, warning that the military might use the occasion to try to sabotage the peace process.

The military denied that it was trying to undermine efforts to bring peace to the tsunami-hit region.

Nani Afrida, Banda Aceh – Six months after the tsunami swept the region, many frustrated survivors of the disaster are still living in tents and struggling to survive, with the reconstruction efforts to date proceeding at a snail's pace.

Nani Afrida, Bireun – Various elements of society in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam view the implementation of Sharia in the province as discriminatory and as not touching on core issues.

"If the government is serious, it should implement local laws in regard to serious violations such as theft and corruption," said legal practitioner Rufriadi on Saturday.

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – Although Aceh has only just begun to implement public floggings the chairperson of the Nahdhatul Ulama's (NU) Executive Board (PBNU), Hasyim Muzadi, believes that the punishment will actually strengthen the Free Aceh Movement's (GAM) position.

Jakarta – Iskandar Muda Regional Military Commander, Major-General Sapiudin Yusuf, believes the shooting of Hong Kong foreign volunteer Eva Yee Wayeung was an attempt by the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) to demonstrate that their forces still have a presence.

Kathy Marks, Gle Bruk, Aceh – The Acehnese fishermen had just returned with their catch and were on their way back to the refugee camp. As they passed a security post, soldiers barred their way and ordered them to lie face down on the ground. The men were then told to crawl through the dust. Their ordeal ended with a lecture on the virtues of the Indonesian unitary state.

Jakarta – The police urged foreign aid workers in Aceh to secure a police escort when traveling in areas where separatist rebels are known to operate.

"It is important that foreigners ask for a security escort," National Police Chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar explained.

AK-20, Jakarta – The Acehnese Popular Democratic Resistance Front (FPDRA) and Student's Solidarity for the People (SMUR) have condemned the shooting of a Hong Kong Red Cross volunteer in Lamno, Greater Aceh, on Wednesday June 22.

Irwan Firdaus – Fifteen convicted gamblers were flogged Friday for illegal gaming in Indonesia – the first time caning was used as punishment in the world's most populous Muslim country.

Reporter: Tom Iggulden

An Indonesian anti-graft activist working for the United Nations was sentenced to one year in jail Thursday for stealing relief aid intended for the victims of December tsunami in Aceh province.

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – Legislators lashed out at Vice President Jusuf Kalla on Wednesday for reprimanding a state defense institute for criticizing the ongoing Aceh peace talks. The legislators even claimed that the reprimand could endanger democracy.

An opposite opinion, however, came from a legislator of Kalla's Golkar Party, who said the rebuke was just common.

Slobodan Lekic, Jakarta – Aceh's separatist rebels called Friday for an international probe into the shooting of a Red Cross worker in the tsunami-hit province, saying the Indonesian military has a long history of using violence against foreigners.

The armed forces of GAM – TNA – demands a full and immediate impartial investigation of the shooting near Lamno Wednesday night of a Red Cross worker from Hong Kong.

Indonesia has already blamed us for the incident. But according to reports from my commanders in the area, none of our fighters were within 15 km of the incident.

We condemn in strongest terms the shooting in West Acheh last night of a foreign Red Cross worker by Indonesian security forces.

Of course, the Indonesian military points the finger at GAM. But that's exactly the goal of the shooting. A few moments of clear thinking make clear why that is.

Jayapura – If there are armed separatist groups in society which want to separate West Papua from the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI), the TNI (armed forces) must not hesitate to crush them.

Annastashya Emmanuelle, Contributor, Aceh Besar – Six months after the tsunami wrought havoc in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, destroying lives and dimming the hopes of thousands who were already living in uncertainty, Acehnese are still waiting for the promised rebuilding to start, while others have become apathetic and are simply grateful to be alive.

Shoeb Kagda, Jakarta – With the wet season fast approaching, patience is running thin in Aceh. More than six months after the province was devastated by an undersea earthquake and the ensuing tsunami, life has yet to return to any sense of normality for the half million Acehnese who lost family and homes.

Jakarta – The National Resilience Institute (Lemhanas) has criticized the informal talks between the government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), urging the exclusion of foreign parties and saying the steps taken so far are unconstitutional.

Timber felled illegally is being used to rebuild houses in tsunami-devastated Aceh province, a conservation group said, warning the practice could create another disaster.

The fake mass 'release of GAM prisoners,' the ongoing human rights violations and the covert movement of thousands of Indonesian troops from their posts to camps hidden from foreign eyes raise the same old questions about Indonesia's commitment to peace and justice in Acheh.

AK-34, Jakarta – On Monday June 20, hundreds of Achenese citizens living in Jakarta calling themselves Aceh Care for Aceh (Acheh Peduli Acheh, APA) held a peaceful protest in Jakarta.

Harry Bhaskara, Aceh – The tsunami may have occurred six months ago but reconstruction work on the northeastern side of Aceh has only just commenced.

"It was only three days ago that construction work started here," said former Cabinet minister Kuntoro Mangkusubroto recently in Deah Baru village, Lhok Nga, one of the hardest hit areas on the northern tip of Sumatra.

Purwanto, Jakarta – Around 50 people from the Aceh Care for Aceh (Acheh Peduli Acheh, APA) held a protest in front of parliament in Jakarta on Monday June 20. They were demanding that the TNI (armed forces) and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) implement a cease-fire.

Dean Yates, Aceh West Coast – High school students in the Acehnese town of Teunom drain rain water off the top of their tent before they begin lessons. They want a new school to replace the one taken by giant waves six months ago.

Barry Neild, Banda Aceh – While most Indonesian child tsunami victims are being cared for by family or friends six months after the disaster, new fears are emerging that young survivors living in tightly-packed camps are being exposed to new dangers.

Along with foreign and local volunteers, the Indonesian Military has been instrumental in rebuilding Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam following the total destruction brought about by the Dec. 26 tsunami. The following is an interview with Maj. Gen.

John Roberts – Talks in the Finnish capital Helsinki between the Indonesian government and the exiled leadership of the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) ended on May 31. The outcome of the meeting, the fourth since the devastating Boxing Day tsunami, has been praised by spokesmen from both sides and the Finnish mediators as a major step forward. A final deal by August is mooted.

Reporter: Anne Barker

Eleanor Hall: In Indonesia's Aceh Province, bureaucratic delays and concerns about corruption have stymied efforts to rebuild the communities destroyed in last year's tsunami.

Jakarta – Indonesia's foreign minister Monday defended peace talks between Jakarta and Aceh separatists amid growing criticism from lawmakers and the army, saying that other efforts to deal with the rebels had failed to bring peace to the province.

Jakarta – More than 200 ex-separatist fighters have been freed in the tsunami-wracked province of Aceh after taking an oath of loyalty to a unified Indonesia, a local media report said Monday.

Matthew Moore, Jakarta – The price of rebuilding houses demolished by the tsunami in Aceh province jumped 40 per cent in three months as labourers insisted they get paid for work traditionally done for free.