Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono ruled out on Thursday a foreign role in Aceh, while also offering amnesty to rebels who gave up their armed struggle.

Tangerang – The government has officially decided to maintain the state of civil emergency in Aceh which should have ended today. The civil emergency which has limited much of the Acehnese people's daily lives will be extended for a maximum of six months.

Astrid Felicia Lim, Jakarta – The extension of the state of civil emergency in Aceh by the government though Presidential Decree Number 2/2004 has been condemned by three non-government organisations (NGOs) who believe that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) has broken his promise to resolve the conflict in Aceh peacefully.

Indonesia on Thursday offered amnesty to separatist leaders in Aceh and promised to help redevelop the province if rebels drop their bid for independence, but a spokesman for the rebels rejected the offer.

The Free Aceh Movement spokesman said the group would continue its fight for an independent homeland on the northern tip of Indonesia's Sumatra island.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said Thursday the civil state of emergency in Aceh will be extended for up to six months effective Friday, but he vowed to solve the conflict in the troubled province without foreign intervention.

James Balowski, Jakarta – The new government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono faces a staggering array of problems – rampant corruption, continuing human rights abuses by the military, massive unemployment, crumbling infrastructure, and a judicial and law enforcement system that is little more than a legalised mafia.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta – The extension of the civil emergency in the troubled province of Aceh is now a foregone conclusion as the House of Representatives has thrown its support behind the government.

Sian Powell – Indonesian Vice-President Jusuf Kalla, although regarded as one of Indonesia's most effective peacemakers, says he will never allow foreign nations to interfere in peace negotiations for the warring province of Aceh.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta – The government has extended the state of civil emergency in Aceh, but is still undecided for how long the extension will last and what areas of the province will be included in the order.

Jakarta – It is hoped that the government can resolve the conflict in Aceh peacefully in the lead up to the end of the period of civil emergency on November 18. Furthermore the government is being asked to reduce the state of civil emergency in Aceh to one of a civil authority.

Matthew Moore, Jakarta – The Indonesian Government has barred all foreign journalists from the troubled provinces of Aceh and Papua, the first such ban for at least four years.

Tiarma Siboro and Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – As the November 19 deadline for the end of the civil emergency draws near in the troubled province of Aceh, the new government is urged to return to an inclusive dialog with all representatives of the people.

Jakarta – The Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Widodo AS, has admitted that the operation to restore security in Aceh, as one of five programs which make up the integrated operation under the state of civil emergency, has not been able to fully overcome the problems of separatism in the region.

Dear President Yudhoyono,

We write to congratulate you on your electoral victory and recent inauguration as the first president ever to be chosen directly by the Indonesian people. We wish you every success in the complex and important undertaking ahead of you.

Ramidi, Jakarta – Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial) says the policy of implementing a state of civil emergency in Aceh has failed. The policy has only succeeded in creating a regime which is militaristic, corrupt and which has no respect for human rights and a system of democracy.

Nur Raihan, Banda aceh – The commander of the Iskandar Muda Territorial Military Command, Endang Suwarya, says that Aceh needs to remain under a state of civil emergency when the current period ends on November 18. Basically, the security situation which has begun to improve may deteriorate if the status is reduced.

Nani Afrida, Banda Aceh – Two anti-corruption activists in Aceh were grilled on Tuesday by local authorities, two days after they made harsh comments over the allegedly rampant corruption in the war-torn province.

Jakarta – Indonesian soldiers killed seven suspected rebels in two gun battles in restive Aceh province, a military spokesman said Friday.

Nur Raihan, Banda Aceh – The raging armed conflict in Aceh has left behind a huge trauma for the Acehnese people. As a result, some 80 per cent of people suffering mental disorders are because they had witnessed incidents of violence first hand.

Jakarta – The Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Security Affairs, Widodo Adi Sutjipto, says that his office is in the process of putting together a recommendation on Aceh when the state of civil emergency ends on November 18.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta – The government must abandon its security approach and open dialog with civilian figures to settle the Aceh conflict once and for all, a discussion has concluded.

Jakarta – Indonesia's top Security Minister said yesterday that the new government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono would make no deals with separatist guerillas in troubled Aceh and urged the rebels to surrender.

Suwarjono, Jakarta – The state of civil emergency in Aceh will end on November 18. Following this it could be extended for the entire province, part of the province or be reduced [to a state of civil authority].

Jakarta – Indonesia's top security minister called on rebels in Aceh province Tuesday to disarm and "rejoin the nation," but didn't say whether fighters who surrendered would be given an amnesty, nor whether fresh peace talks were planned.

Eworaswa, Jakarta – The Aceh Working Group (AWG), a grouping of non-government organisations concerned about the Aceh question, have put forward a three point plan to evaluate [whether or not to extend] the state of civil emergency in Aceh.

Nani Afrida, Banda Aceh – With the six-month state of civil emergency in Aceh nearing an end, leading ulemas in the province suggested on Monday that the government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono revive a dialog with Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels to settle decades of conflict there.

Nur Raihan, Banda Aceh – The prolonged conflict in Aceh cannot be resolved by arms. It is hoped that the new government will seek a fresh alternative to resolve the Aceh question instead of the integrated operation which has been implemented to date.

Aguswandi, London – Aceh will be the best place to judge whether the new government will be any different from previous regimes in Indonesia. One of the biggest challenges for Bambang Susilo Yudhoyono's government is to resolve the conflict in Aceh peacefully.

Yuswardi A. Suud, Banda Aceh – On November 1 a number of ministers from the Indonesian Cabinet of Unity arrived in Aceh to seek input before deciding on whether or not to extend the state of civil emergency in Aceh which will end on November 19.

Banda Aceh – Indonesian troops killed seven men they claimed were separatist rebels in the country's oil-and-gas rich Aceh province, the military said Sunday.

Nani Afrida, Banda Aceh – A group of armed men shot dead an elementary school teacher and injured his son and a neighbor in Sawang district, South Aceh regency, according to an official military account on Friday.

Jakarta – Two Acehnese non-government organisations, the Acehnese Popular Democratic Resistance Front (Front Perlawanan Demokratik Rakyat Aceh, FPDRA) and the Acehnese Democratic Women's Organisation (Organisasi Perempuan Aceh Demokrati, ORPAD) are demanding the fulfillment of President Bambang Susilo Yudhoyono's promise during the election campaign that there would be changes in Ac

[The following report was filed by the Aceh Working Group on 18 October, following their investigation of three places of detention, in Aceh and Java. The Group investigated 71 cases of persons who were repeatedly beaten and subjected to torture, both during interrogation as well as after having been tried in court, on charges of involvement in GAM, the Free Aceh Movement.]

Ivy Susanti, Jakarta – The Indonesian government will review the visa procedures for foreign diplomats to facilitate their travel to Indonesia, particularly Aceh, foreign affairs minister Hassan Wirayuda said on Thursday.

Hassan was commenting on an appeal by the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the European Union (EU).

Sunariah, Jakarta – The Acehnese Popular Democratic Resistance Front (Front Perlawanan Demokratik Rakyat Aceh, FPDRA) has rejected a decision by the coordinating minister of politics, legal and security affairs to extend the civil emergency in Aceh.

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.

Nani Farida and Tiarma Siboro, Banda Aceh/Jakarta – Peace, safety and justice for local officials implicated in corruption are all that the Acehnese are demanding from the Susilo administration as it prepares new policies for the province.

Jakarta – Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD) governor Abdullah Puteh has said that the existence of the Free Aceh Movement in Aceh is still of concern.

Therefore, he has suggested three alternatives as regards the state of civil emergency in the province, which shall end on November 19.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – Cabinet members dealing with security decided on Sunday their short-term priority programs, including a comprehensive review of the state of civil emergency in Aceh.

Banda Aceh – Thousands of Acehnese refugees from East Aceh regency have not returned to the regency because of the continued conflict here, a senior government official said on Wednesday.

Nani Afrida, Aceh – The Acehnese, who long for change, are largely upbeat over the inauguration of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as president, as they believe he is more popular and more capable than his predecessor.

Banda Aceh – A senior separatist rebel on Tuesday was given 16 years in jail for treason in Indonesia's war-hit Aceh province.

Sayed Mustafa, a Free Aceh Movement rebel coordinator for southern and western Aceh, was also found guilty of illegal weapons possesion, said chief judge Azhari of the Tapaktuan district court in South Aceh.

Jakarta – Chief Justice Bagir Manan said the country's first sharia court in Aceh, which applies Islamic law, or sharia, could not work effectively due to the absence of related bylaws.

Jakarta – The coordinator of Indonesia's NGO Coalition for International Human Rights Advocacy (HRWG), Rafendi Djamin, hopes that president-elect Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) will repeal the state of civil emergency in Aceh as part of the program of the first 100 days of his administration and in such a way establish a process of development and the pre-conditions for peace in Ace

Jakarta, Kompas – The Aceh Working Group or AWG is urging the government to investigate human rights violations which have taken place in Aceh, many of which have been suffered by political prisoners in a various Acehnese jails.

Jakarta – Eight suspected separatists and a marine were killed in a fierce gunbattle in Indonesia's restive Aceh province, a military spokesman said Friday.

Police raided a squatter settlement in a Malaysian jungle, burning down shacks and arresting more than 100 illegal immigrants, mainly from Indonesia's war-torn Aceh province, a human rights group said Wednesday.

Maria Ulfah, Jakarta – Chief of Army Staff Ryamizard Ryacudu said he would not withdraw troops from conflict areas such as Aceh and Papua.

An Islamic judicial system has been introduced in Indonesia's restive province of Aceh as part of increased autonomy granted to the staunchly Muslim province by Jakarta.

"The head of the Supreme Court is currently in Aceh to inaugurate the operation of the Sharia Court there," said Andi Syamsu Alam, deputy chairman of the Supreme Court for religious court affairs.

Langsa – Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh expressed on Saturday his expectation that the armed conflict in his province would be settled soon. "I have a hunch that the armed conflict will be settled in three months time," he said.

"I base this on the fact that the security situation in Aceh is getting better while the people are more at ease and feel safer," he added.