Agnes Winarti, Jakarta – Due to a lack of accurate data, authorities in North Jakarta are finding it difficult to deal with the problem of human trafficking, an official said at a public discussion Thursday.

Jakarta – On the afternoon of Thursday November 1, around 50 people from the Solidarity Network for the Families of Victims or JSKK again held a peaceful action in front of the State Palace in Central Jakarta. They were calling on President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to conduct a thorough investigations into past human rights abuses in Indonesia.

Jakarta – Vice President Jusuf Kalla said Thursday bureaucratic reform was unlikely to succeed without improved efficiency, time management and cost control, as well as economic development.

Jakarta – Director general for tourist destination Ddvelopment at the Tourism Ministry, Sambudjo Parikesit, warned related institutions Thursday of potential child exploitation in the sex industry.

The warning was issued in response to a finding by UNICEF that about 40,000 Indonesian children had become victims of commercial sex exploitation.

Alfian, Jakarta – Most of the countries rich in oil, gas and mineral resources ironically suffer from poverty and other social problems caused by corruption, an international anti-graft campaigner said Thursday.

Jakarta – A coalition of NGOs and the National Commission on Human Rights expressed different opinions Thursday about the al-Qiyadah sect, which has been described as "misguided" and prohibited in Jakarta by the Provincial Prosecutor's Office and nationally by the Indonesia Ulema Council.

Jayapura – A lack of clear regional autonomy guidelines has prevented the two-year-old Papua People's Council (MRP) from reaching its full potential, members say.

Council chairman Agus Alue Alua acknowledged the council has been less than effective.

Sri Wahyuni, Yogyakarta – Women have a key role to play in helping the country out of economic hardship, but more needs to be done to help them enter the formal economy, a minister says.

State Minister for Women's Empowerment Meutia Hatta Swasono said over the weekend women make major contributions to the national economy.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said that as Head of State and Head of Government, he is ready to go to war if any country infringes the sovereignty of the NKRI (Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia).

Alfian, Jakarta – To understand the extent of the Indonesian Military (TNI)'s business network, it is necessary for regional administrations to undertake a thorough inventory of military-linked companies in their areas, observers said Wednesday.

Ati Nurbaiti, Jakarta – So many hands shot up in the air across the ballroom. So many questions on the basics of life and existence, and too little time.

"How do I get a divorce if my husband left me without documents?"

"Is it true that a birth certificate states if the child is illegitimate?"

Jakarta – Global warming is altering ocean tides, meaning more homes will be inundated with floodwater in the years to come, an official from the City Environmental Management Board (BPLHD) said.

Jakarta – Central Jakarta District Court judges ruled Wednesday that the most recent indictment in the murder case of rights activist Munir Said Thalib stands, and that former Garuda Indonesia president director Indra Setiawan will be tried for conspiracy to murder.

M. Rizal Maslan/Muhammad Nur Hayid, Jakarta – The Solidarity Action Committee for Munir (Kasum) doubts the neutrality of Supreme Court Chief Justice Bagir Manan as the presiding judge in the judicial review of the Munir murder case.

Jakarta – The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) hopes that the police will soon provide an explanation for the arrest of an activist from the Foundation for Legal Education and Democracy (LPHD), Iwangin Sabar Olif.

Ridwan Max Sijabat and Nani Afrida, Banda Aceh/Jakarta – Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam Governor Irwandi Jusuf has sent an official letter to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono appealing for amnesty for his predecessor, Abdullah Puteh.

Politicians and activists in Aceh questioned the appeal, saying it undermined a sense of justice for the people of Aceh.

Nabiha Shahab, Jakarta – Two of the three Muslim militants on death row for involvement in the 2002 Bali bombings said they were sorry for killing fellow Muslims, while insisting their deadly attack had gone according to plan.

Jakarta – A group of influential political figures on Wednesday attended the launch of the Indonesian Awakening Committee to express their concern over the pace of development in the country and what they called the government's short-term political interests.

Rizal Ramli, the committee's founder, said the idea behind the group was to open a new path for the country.

The Honorable Condoleezza Rice
Secretary of State
Department of State
Washington, DC 20520

October 31, 2007

Dear Madame Secretary,

Consider the different fates of these two organizations. Both are small and both are trying to propagate their own brand of Islamic teachings. The one called Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) is notorious for its violent tactics; the other, going by the name Al Qiyadah al Islamiyah, has no history of violence, at least none that we know of, in spreading its teachings.

Mustaqim Adamrah, Jakarta – City Council members gave a mixed response Tuesday to the ambitious 100-day program Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo unveiled the previous day.

The chairman of Commission D for city development, Sayogo Hendrosubroto, said he was optimistic the governor's 100-day plan could be achieved.

Irawaty Wardany, Jakarta – A US political scientist on Tuesday dismissed the idea that democracy cannot develop in countries with large Muslim populations, citing Indonesia as an example of a smooth democratization.

Annolies Truman – Two thousand people rallied in the East Timorese capital of Dili on October 17 to demand food sovereignty for East Timor. The demonstration was the culmination of three days of activities to mark World Food Day.

Makassar, Kompas – On the morning of Monday October 29, police officers from the East Makassar district police in South Sulawesi sabotaged a planned meeting of the National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) that was to be held at the Makassar Bhumibhakti Adhiguna Public Hall. Police said that meeting organisers did not have a permit.

Rudy Prasetyo, Jakarta – Hundreds of people from various organisations will hold demonstrations in different parts of Jakarta today. Based on data from the Metro Jaya Regional Police Traffic Management Center, the actions will take place between 9am to 2pm local time.

Telly Nathalia, Jakarta – Indonesia's Constitutional Court ruled on Tuesday that executing drug smugglers did not breach the constitution, rejecting a bid by three Australians and two Indonesians who are on death row to challenge the law.

Jakarta – Scholars have criticized the lack of legal protection for Indonesian migrant workers, citing many loopholes in the law's implementation.

Atma Jaya University law professor Henny Wiludjeng said there had been a vacuum of legal protection for migrant workers since the enactment of Law No. 39/2004.

ID Nugroho, Sidoarjo – Residents in Sidoarjo, East Java, have reported that pollution from the mudflow has left the water in their wells unfit for consumption.

Residents say they can only use the water for cleaning, and have to purchase water for drinking and cooking.

Jakarta – Prosecutors have rejected a defense statement provided by lawyers representing former president Soeharto in relation to the Supersemar Foundation, saying the foundation channeled more funds into the business sector than the education sector.

Jakarta – National Police chief Gen. Sutanto has ordered all provincial police chiefs to contact and question leaders of the controversial Islamic sect Al-Qiyadah al-Islamiyah.

He said the order had two purposes: to prevent the sect from spreading false teachings, and to protect sect leaders from possible attacks by Muslim groups.

Mustaqim Adamrah, Jakarta – Governor Fauzi Bowo on Monday unveiled the working plan for his first 100 days in office, with his priorities focused on tackling some of Jakarta's most pressing problems.

Desy Nurhayati, Jakarta – A US political analyst has lauded the Indonesian Military (TNI) for helping to improve the country's democracy by staying out of active politics for the past nine years.

It's ironic Indonesia refuses to appropriately respond to United Nations' moves to investigate alleged gross crimes against humanity in this country, despite its membership with the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNCHR).

What is more worrying is there has been no sign of change in the government's mind-set, nor any appearance of guilt.

On 18 October, members of the anti-terrorist squad, Detachment 88 arrested Iwanggin Sabar Olif, a human rights activist in Jayapura. A few days later, he was moved to Jakarta where he is now being held at police headquarters.

The involvement of Detachment 88 in his arrest raises fears that he may be subjected to mal-treatment and is likely to face serious charges.

Jakarta – For many young people, more accustomed to slangy speech, having to revert to formal Bahasa Indonesia can be a daunting task, if not altogether impossible.

"Awkward," said Dea, 16, commenting on a friend using formal Indonesian during a conversation. "That sounds ridiculous," said Ricky, 16, Dea's classmate.

Jakarta – The year was 1928 when young nationalists declared the Youth Pledge, which included a call for a national language, Bahasa Indonesia.

Irawaty Wardany, Jakarta – The House's honor council should better concentrate its investigations into legislators allegedly involved in the procurement of weapons and defense equipment for the Indonesian Military (TNI), experts said.

He is responsible for the repetitive television advertisements calling on the Howard Government to act for West Papua, and he is about to embark on a letterbox campaign to sway votes away from the Liberal Party in the marginal seat of Eden-Monaro.

Ridwan Max Sijabat and Nani Afrida, Banda Aceh – Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam could face an unemployment explosion in two years after reconstruction work in Aceh is completed, says a local manpower office official.

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – Despite being a member of the UN Human Rights Council, Indonesia is among those countries that continue to refuse a visit by a UN official responsible for investigating extrajudicial killings.

Jakarta – Human rights activists are calling for the immediate release of Sabar Iwanggin, a Papuan lawyer, arrested because he forwarded a mobile phone text message, said to be offensive to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – Members of the Indonesia-Timor Leste Commission for Truth and Friendship (CTF) may decide by vote if gross violations of human rights occurred before and after the 1999 referendum in East Timor if they fail to reach a consensus on the matter.

Alfian, Jakarta – Indonesia's future leaders should ideally be aged under 40 years as they are less likely to have been "contaminated" by the New Order regime, an observer said Saturday.

Jakarta – Indonesian army chief General Djoko Santoso on Sunday defended the shooting of a suspected smuggler who crossed from East Timor, saying soldiers had followed proper procedures before opening fire.

Palembang, Kompas – The Munir murder case could become a political commodity in the 2009 elections if the government does not quickly solve the issue. In the end the case will only be politicised to improve the image of the political parties, presidential candidates or to hit out at their political opponents.

Ridwan Max Sijabat and Nani Afrida, Banda Aceh – Since the establishment of the GAM Party in 2006, five more local political parties have been set up, although none has registered with the provincial authorities, a prerequisite for achieving formal recognition.

Desy Nurhayati, Jakarta – It is not necessary for the Indonesian Military (TNI) to deploy civilian defense groups to handle internal conflicts in the country such as the 1999 violence in Timor Leste, a military analyst said Friday.

Ahmad Pathoni, Jakarta – A commission investigating bloodshed during East Timor's 1999 vote for independence from Indonesia will offer United Nations officials another chance to testify, its co-chairman said on Friday.

Sofian, Jakarta – A number of parts of Jakarta will be congested today, Thursday October 25. One of the reasons being that seven demonstrations will rock seven points across the city.

Irawaty Wardany, Jakarta – While press freedom in Indonesia has moved ahead in leaps and bounds in recent years, most media sources are still controlled by players who prioritize economic interests above all else, a discussion concluded Tuesday evening.