GAM ready to end hostility, violence Nani Farida The Jakarta Post Banda Aceh Field commanders of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) are ready to hold conditional peace talks with the local military and police in an attempt to end hostilities and violence, says a GAM official. "We strongly support peace talks between the field commanders on both sides to end the hostilities and stop the prolonged violence," GAM negotiator Sofyan Ibrahim Tiba said here on Sunday.

16 found dead in restive Aceh Ibnu Mat Noor and Nani Farida The Jakarta Post Banda Aceh Human rights groups say the abduction and murder of civilians in Aceh has reached "alarming levels" after the bodies of 19 people were found separate locations throughout the war-torn province in the last four days. Most of the victims had first been abducted and shot in the head.

VP wants RI to stop begging for foreign aid The Jakarta Post Jakarta Vice President Hamzah Haz said on Saturday Indonesia should not become a "beggar nation" that relies on foreign assistance to care for its people. "We are not a people who like to beg for mercy from foreign people," he was quoted by Antara as speaking at an alumni gathering of the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) in the West Java capital of Bandung.

PDI Perjuangan discusses gubernatorial candidates Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Jakarta city chapter of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) conducted a special meeting on Saturday to discuss its nominations for the gubernatorial election on Sept. 11. The meeting, which took place at Hotel Radin, Ancol, North Jakarta, secured 11 names from the party's five mayoralty branches and the new Kepulauan Seribu regency.

Soccer fever hits BICC Passing by the lobby of the Bali International Convention Center (BICC) on Sunday afternoon one could hear calls of "yes!" or "c'mon!" That was uncharacteristic of an intensive UN meeting on sustainable development, which has been held in the building for the past week.

Navy shoots at two dredgers DPA, Singapore Two dredgers operating in the Straits of Singapore were attacked by the Indonesian Navy before returning safely to the city-state, a published report said Saturday. No crew members were injured aboard the Panama-registered Queen of Penta Ocean, which was riddled with almost 100 bullets, the Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) told The Straits Times. An hour later, the Dutch-registered Volvox Hansa also fled when it was fired upon, the MPA added.

Delegates undecided over Bali Commitment The Jakarta Post, Nusa Dua, Bali Two deadlines have passed and the negotiations on the Bali Commitment remain deadlocked, although the talks are now centering on fundamental issues that could open the way to new compromises, according to an Indonesian delegate. The delegate said on Sunday that intense negotiations throughout Saturday night had failed to find common ground. A new deadline had now been set for Monday evening, he said.

Study finds corruption rife in Asian justice Chris Foley Agence France-Presse Singapore Corruption and political interference are rife throughout police and justice systems in Asia, according to a regional survey in which only four countries headed by Singapore are viewed favorably. At the bottom of the heap is Indonesia where the "whole legal system is in desperate need of an overhaul," according to the survey of expatriates by the Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC).

'Fake diploma users tried to bribe lawyers' Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan At least five North Sumatra civil servants accused with 25 other civil servants and legislators of allegedly using fake university diplomas to advance their careers had attempted to bribe their way out of facing charges, a lawyer said on Saturday.