Seven activists from the Acehnese Democratic Women's Organisation (ORPAD), including a high school student, were arrested while staging a peaceful protest on July 16 in the territory's capital Banda Aceh. They were demanding that Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri's regime be replaced by a government of the poor.

The activists were also opposed to Jakarta declaring Aceh a state of “military emergency” and called for the Indonesian military's Aceh command be disbanded.

They were rounded up by police. The next day, all but one of the activists, Reihana Diany, who is ORPAD's chairperson, were released. Diany is being held under articles 154 and 157 of the Indonesian Criminal Code for “insulting the head of state”.

Protest faxes can be sent to Sayed Hoesaini (head of Banda Aceh district police) or Banda Aceh Police headquarters on +62 0651 41507.

From Green Left Weekly, July 31, 2002.
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