Damien Kingsbury – The relationship between Australia and Indonesia is the most testing of Australia's foreign relations, and one which has consistently been mishandled.

Mark Dodd – A UN inquiry into the causes of deadly violence in East Timor earlier this year has accused President Xanana Gusmao of inflaming tensions which brought the country to the brink of civil war.

The long-awaited UN report has also recommended former prime minister Mari Alkatiri face a criminal investigation over alleged weapons offences.

Jakarta – UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged the East Timorese today to accept the conclusions of an inquiry by the world body into deadly violence that rocked Dili earlier this year.

Lindsay Murdoch, Darwin – Former East Timorese prime minister Mari Alkatiri failed to stop weapons being distributed to civilians and should face a criminal investigation, a UN inquiry has found.

John M. Glionna, Sukadamai – These days, the forlorn widow never leaves her tiny shack in this bustling island village. She sits in the doorway, an emotional shut-in who rubs her painfully bloated legs and feet as she peers out longingly at a world that shuns her.

If the latest opinion poll by the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI) is any indication, then the combined votes of all the Islamist parties in Indonesia will plunge to 9 percent in the 2009 elections, from more than 20 percent in 2004.

James Balowski, Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is coming under increasing pressure to release a report implicating security forces in the murder two years ago of Munir, Indonesia's most prominent human rights activist.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – "Money politics" are having a negative affect on the behavior of voters and politicians, threatening democracy in Indonesia, say analysts and politicians.

Urip Hudiono, Jakarta – The House of Representatives approved the 2007 budget Tuesday, with the government envisaging a wider deficit of Rp 40.5 trillion (US$4.3 billion) to help accelerate growth to 6.3 percent next year.

Another life was eliminated on Monday by those who have an interest in the violence in Central Sulawesi prevailing. The death of the man adds to the list of those who have lost their lives in the sectarian-torn region and no one knows when the list will end.

Ary Hermawan and Ruslan Sangadji, Jakarta – The State Intelligence Agency (BIN) warned of more attacks during Idul Fitri celebrations in religiously-divided Central Sulawesi after a Christian pastor was shot dead in the provincial capital of Palu.

But context of recent violence needs greater attention

The East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN) today praised the work of the UN's Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the violence in Timor-Leste last April and May.

Indra Harsaputra, Sidoarjo – The government Monday began dumping into the sea mud gushing from a gas exploration well in Sidoarjo, East Java, amid protests against the move by local farmers and environmentalists. The disposal, a trial using the Porong river after previous trials failed, was carried out with untreated mud.

Anissa S. Febrina, Jakarta – It was a hot afternoon last Wednesday in North Jakarta's Kapuk Sawah, a day that would surely test those who were fasting. Just when it seemed things could not get any worse, they did.

Workers, students and street vendors living in the crowded kampong witnessed a terrible scene: their homes, burning.

Jakarta – Civil servants in an Indonesian province have been offered two days off work if they help douse land-clearing fires which have blanketed vast areas with choking haze, officials said.

M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – All political factions involved in the deliberation of the controversial pornography bill have agreed to draw up provisions that would act as a strong deterrent against the distribution of pornographic materials that exploit children.

Ary Hermawan, Jakarta – The future of political Islam remains bleak in Indonesia, with fewer than one in 10 Muslims saying they would still vote for Islamic parties in the next election, a survey revealed Sunday.

Jakarta – State Minister for Administrative Reforms Taufik Effendi said Saturday that the number of civil servants would be reduced by at least one million in order to improve efficiency.

Benget Simbolon Tnb., Jakarta – Despite fairly free elections at a regional level, democracy in Indonesia is still at the procedural stage, promoting the "practices of a shadow state and informal economy" which could discourage foreign investors, a researcher says.

Jakarta – Indonesia began dumping mud surging from a gas exploration site in central Indonesia into the sea on Monday, hoping to minimize destruction from the disaster that has submerged entire villages and displaced thousands.

Bhimanto Suwastoyo, Jakarta – The death toll in Indonesia from bird flu rose to 55 after officials confirmed that a 27-year-old woman who died last week was infected with the virus.

The death is the third to be confirmed in two days in Indonesia, which is grappling with the world's highest number of deaths from avian influenza.

Achmad Sukarsono, Jakarta – An unidentified gunman shot dead a Christian pastor on Monday in Indonesia's Central Sulawesi province, officials and church groups said, sparking fears of a return to sectarian fighting that once gripped the region.

Slamet Susanto, Yogyakarta – Scalpers are a common and exasperating sight at train stations here.

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – Thousands of Indonesians gathered here Sunday to join a worldwide campaign against poverty meant to remind world leaders of their promises to achieve the 2000 Millennium Development Goals.

Anissa S. Febrina, Jakarta – If spirits wander the city determined to set things right, the ghost of former president Soekarno might continue to haunt the grounds of Central Jakarta's Senayan complex.

There is a serious problem in Indonesia that needs to be addressed: People tend to be hypocritical and distrustful of everything.

Goenawan Mohamad, Ubud, Bali – Pramoedya Ananta Toer is no longer with us, but such is his stature that his absence constitutes an assignment. Today we have the memory of a hero and piles of his prose works to deal with – not knowing for sure whether the subject of our discourse should be the former or the latter.

Slamet Susanto, Bantul – With Idul Fitri less than two weeks away and no money on hand, Yogyakarta earthquake victim Girah only has one option: pawning his old bicycle.

The 46-year-old resident of Kasongan hamlet, Bantul handed his bicycle over to the Bantul state pawnshop for Rp 150,000 (US$16.60), which he will use for Idul Fitri preparations.

Jakarta/Timika – Relatives of seven Papuans on trial for the 2002 killings of two Americans and one Indonesian demanded a fair trial in Papua on Friday as the defendants continued to boycott the session in a Jakarta court.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – After being denied government assistance, dozens of Papuans went on a rampage Friday, burning government offices and clashing with police officers.

M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono came off well in a House of Representatives discussion of his first two years in power, with even traditional critics praising his work.

His supporters said that during his first two years of administration, Yudhoyono had managed to resolve problems that had beaten previous leaders.

Hamish McDonald – Four years after the first Bali bombings, a new picture has emerged of the Islamic jihadist organisation that carried them out, thanks to the insights of a former Australian intelligence analyst.

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – Children here and overseas are frequently physically and emotionally abused at home and at school with many people around the world thinking the abuse is "normal", a UN study revealed on Thursday.

Ary Hermawan, Jakarta – The failure to unravel the 2004 murder of human rights activist Munir highlights the need for speedy reform of the intelligence services, defense analysts said Thursday.

"The Munir case should be linked to the agenda of security reform," said defense analyst Edy Prihartono of the National Alliance for Intelligence Democratization (Sandi).

Niniek Karmini, Pekanbaru – Southeast Asian nations Friday urged Indonesia to ratify a regional treaty to fight annual brush fires that have sent choking smoke across parts of Malaysia and Singapore, saying only then would it get financial help.

Pandaya, Jakarta – When you are on your way from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport to downtown Jakarta, look down as your taxi climbs the first flyover. The ugly side of Jakarta's face stares back at you. Shanties line the streets next to a badly polluted river.

Jayapura – The Jayapura District Court on Wednesday handed down a five-year prison term to Sem and Wandik, the latest defendants to be convicted for their involvement in a bloody clash last March which killed five security personnel during a protest against the Freeport gold mine.

Twelve Australians jailed in Indonesia – including convicted drug smuggler Schapelle Corby – could soon be eligible to return home with a landmark deal believed to have been struck between the two nations.

Tony Hotland and Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – The unresolved murder of noted human rights campaigner Munir continues to get international attention, while his widow, Suciwati, is preparing to address the United Nations Human Rights Commission about the case.

Benito Lopulalan, Kuta – Indonesians and foreigners on Bali have marked the fourth anniversary of deadly bombings by Islamic extremists with a series of emotional ceremonies and rituals on the resort island.

Canberra – East Timor's parliament will next month consider ratifying a revenue sharing treaty with Australia covering Timor Sea energy resources that would remove one of the stumbling blocks to the development of a major oil and gas project, East Timor's prime minister said Thursday.

Reporter: Anne Barker

Peter Cave: The Brussels based International Crisis Group has warned that a United Nations report on the political and security crisis in East Timor will be explosive and may touch off another round of serious violence. The UN report is due out within days, and is expected to name those responsible for the recent turmoil.

Mark Dodd and Sid Marris – East Timor President Xanana Gusmao and his former prime minister Mari Alkatiri have been singled out for criticism in a report from the UN into the violence last April.

The wide-ranging report is understood to be a brutal assessment of the breakdown of control that culminated in an Australian-led peacekeeping force being deployed.

Lisbon – East Timor's deposed prime minister, Mari Alkatiri, rejected Thursday a report by a conflict-prevention group which recommended that he and President Xanana Gusmao sit out next year's general election to reduce tensions in Asia's newest nation.

Martin Abbugao, Singapore – Pressure is intensifying on Indonesia to take action on the smoke haze blighting neighbouring countries as Singapore invited regional ministers to discuss "urgent" measures to tackle the problem.

Hera Diani, Jakarta – Medical experts warned Tuesday that Indonesia's rising suicide rate was representative of the declining level of mental health in the country.

They said public awareness about mental health was so poor that people did not seek professional help until illnesses had reached an advanced stage.

Victor Tjahjadi, Jakarta – Indonesia has terminated a contract with ExxonMobil Corp to drill a major offshore gas field in the Natuna Sea off the west coast of Borneo, in a move that may alarm foreign investors.

ExxonMobil however said that the contract stood firm as it was extendable and they were still working to develop the field.

The Indonesian government recently issued a ministerial decree to implement a citizenship law passed in July. The law will clarify the status of hundreds of Indonesians studying abroad during the alleged 1965 coup attempt who had their citizenship stripped by the Suharto regime after the overthrow of President Sukarno for alleged links to "subversive movements".

Jakarta – Parcel vendors claiming a ban on government officials exchanging gifts at Idul Fitri is harming their businesses continued their protest Tuesday.

The vendors, who Monday gathered outside the office of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), which issued the ban, marched on the House of Representatives on Tuesday to demand it be scrapped.

James Balowski, Jakarta – Although still three years away, citing the need to prevent Indonesia's 2009 general elections from becoming "overly fragmented" by a plethora of new political parties, legislators are seeking to limit the number of parties that can participate.