JP/5/CONVICTS

Convicts hope for better Indonesia

KEDIRI, East Java: Hundreds of convicts in Kediri Penitentiary, East Java, voted on Monday, with the hope that the country will be more prosperous, justice will be delivered and security maintained.

Rugianto, 53, an inmate, expressed concern about poor law enforcement in the country. The judiciary sides with the haves and powerful people, while the poor are often the victims of injustice, he said.

"Having cast my vote, I hope that the future legislators and government will uphold justice and enforce the law," he said, after voting in the compound of the penitentiary.

Suwarto, 39, another convict hoped that the next government would be able to take the nation out of the economic crisis.

Nanang, 23, called on the next government to eradicate corruption, as this has dragged Indonesia into an economic crisis and moral bankruptcy. -- Antara

;JP;ASA; ANPAa..r.. Aceh-school-TNI

JP/5/ACROSS

More school buildings burned in Aceh

BANDA ACEH, Aceh: An Indonesian Military spokesman accused members of rebels of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) of burning a school building in Bunie, Pidie regency here on Monday.

Lt. Col. Asep Sapari, the spokesman of the Indonesian Military (TNI) operation command in Aceh, said that the incident occurred on Sunday night, which sparked fear among local residents.

After witnessing the school building being set on fire by several armed men, the residents immediately contacted soldiers assigned at the nearest TNI outpost to put out the fire. A group of TNI soldiers then descended on the school building in search of GAM members, said Asep.

When they arrived there, the school had already been vacated.

Last year hundreds of schools were burned down on May 19, only a day before TNI imposed martial law in the troubled province of Aceh.

TNI also accused GAM of arson at that time. -- Antara