Jakarta – The early release from jail of the son of former Indonesian President Suharto has thrown the spotlight on what critics say is a justice system still capable of being manipulated by the rich and powerful.

The processes of justice in Indonesia's court system continue to baffle anyone looking for consistency or punishments fitting the crime.

A well-connected member of the Jakarta elite, especially someone belonging to top military or crony circles around the former president Soeharto, can expect to spend a comparatively short time in jail, whatever the crime.

Mario de Queiroz, Lisbon – After centuries of Portuguese colonialism and more than two decades of Indonesian military occupation, instability and violence continue to plague East Timor, simultaneously one of the world's newest and poorest nations.

Ary Hermawan, Jakarta – Waving and wearing big smile, Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putera walked away from the Cipinang narcotics prison Monday a free man, after serving less than half of his 10-year jail term thanks to generous remissions.

The youngest son of former president Soeharto left the maximum security prison in the early afternoon.

Ahmad Pathoni, Jakarta – The youngest son of former Indonesian president Suharto was conditionally released from jail on Monday, after serving a third of his original sentence for plotting the murder of a Supreme Court judge.

The move drew immediate fire from critics who said it showed undue leniency and favoritism for the powerful.

Lindsay Murdoch, Dili – The East Timorese Government has ordered a crackdown on activists behind a campaign aimed at denigrating Australian security forces in Dili and fuelling anti-Australian sentiment.

Bill Guerin, Jakarta – As Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono enters his third year in office, the world's most populous Muslim country is widely viewed simultaneously as one of the region's most stable democracies yet one of its most unpredictable economies.

Ary Hermawan, Jakarta – Losing trust in the new police investigating team, activists demanded Saturday that the government involve the United Nations in the probe into the 2004 murder of rights activist Munir.

Lindsay Murdoch, Dili – Australian embassy officials and staff in Dili have tightened their security as unidentified people spread rumours that appear to be aimed at provoking attacks against Australians in East Timor.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – The generous sentence remissions given to wealthy criminals on national holidays smack of corruption, activists said Friday.

Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) and the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) say the remissions are being bought and sold at the cost of the government's credibility.

Ruslan Sangadji, Palu – The Central Sulawesi Antiviolence Caucus asserted Friday that four police generals in charge of maintaining order in the conflict-ridden city of Poso should be held responsible for the bloody incident on Jl. Pulau Irian in Gebang Rejo village, Poso, on Oct. 22 in which one man was killed and two others were injured.

Matthew B Arnold – With America's adventures in Iraq and Afghanistan faltering and United Nations peace-keeping missions stretched thin and struggling from Haiti to the Ivory Coast and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the world is looking for proof that "interventionism" can produce positive results, especially for the longer term.

Maryadi, Jakarta – A visit by Munir's widow, Suciwati to the United States on October 14-20 has produced results. The United Nations, the US Congress and the Senate have declared their support to quickly find Munir's murderer.

Gagah Wijoseno, Jakarta – Suspicions that the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) was involved in the murder of Munir are becoming stronger. There is evidence that BIN is lobbying the United States over the case of the human rights activist.

Lindsay Murdoch, Dili – The commander of East Timor's army has called for an investigation into the behaviour of Australian troops in Dili, including claims they have taken sides in the conflict that plunged the country into violent upheaval.

Jakarta – The national team overseeing the East Java mudflow disaster is racing against time to reinforce a 7.2 kilometer embankment so that it doesn't collapse during the raining season.

Panca Nugraha and Ary Hermawan, Mataram/Jakarta – Suspected Muslim militants have attacked a mosque belonging to the Ahmadiyah sect in Sulawesi on Tuesday while the group was performing Idul Fitri prayers, police say.

Jakarta – An environmental group is questioning the government's commitment to combating rampant illegal logging in North Sumatra, saying many cases have been left unresolved while several protected forests have been converted into forest concessions.

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – A man for all seasons, Marsillam Simanjuntak joined Thursday a State Palace meeting to review the progress of the country's economic and political reforms in his new capacity as the President's private advisor.

There's a call for the Pacific Islands Forum to send a fact finding mission to Indonesia's Papua province.

In the communique at this week's summit, Pacific leaders welcomed progress towards autonomy in Papua but raised concerns at violence and called for the root causes of conflict to be addressed by peaceful means.

Jakarta – The effectiveness of the government's plan to cage fowls in residential areas as a move to curb the spread of the deadly avian influenza virus has been met with skepticism.

The Indonesia Consumers Foundation chief Husna Zahier said Sunday that the plan would be ineffective without a careful study of poultry and the relationship with their owners.

Blontank Poer, Klaten – This year's Idul Fitri was hard work for Yadi and Sriyati who live in the earthquake-hit village of Gesikan in Klaten, Central Java.

Poso/Jakarta – New violence flared up in Poso, Central Sulawesi, on Wednesday when a mob of villagers ransacked a house rented by policemen after a villager was shot by security forces Sunday night.

On Tuesday, angry residents burned down a police post. Nobody was reported injured in either attack.

Lindsay Murdoch – Security forces in East Timor fear violence will dramatically escalate in Dili after the execution of a leader of one of East Timor's biggest gangs. The martial arts gang leader was shot in the head on a Dili street, where for weeks rival gangs have fought fiercely.

Ridarson Galingging, Jakarta – According to existing Indonesian law, Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel who commit ordinary crimes are supposed to be tried by regular or civilian courts. Military courts only have jurisdiction when military personnel commit military offenses.

Vanda Mutia Dewi, Jakarta – A recent report by Greenomics Indonesia revealed some very interesting facts about who exactly is to blame for the delays affecting the reconstruction process in Aceh.

Jayapura – Development planning in the province of Papua is not being handled well even though the province has huge sums of money, in the form of general allocations as well as special autonomy funds from the central government.

Martin Abbugao, Singapore – The annual recurrence of carbon-rich haze caused by illegal fires in Indonesia's vast tropical peatlands may help fuel global warming if left unchecked, experts warn.

Dili – East Timor's Bishop Carlos Belo has reportedly held meetings with a rebel leader and key politicians named in a damning UN report on the country's violence to try to stop the ongoing unrest.

Jakarta – Millions of Indonesians have taken part in morning prayers before celebrating the end of the month-long Ramadan fast with family and friends as the world's largest Muslim nation marked the Eid al-Fitr Islamic holiday.

Jakarta – Two Islamic militants jailed for their role in helping bombers in the 2002 Bali blasts, were freed from prison after receiving sentence cuts to mark the Islamic holiday of Eid, officials have said.

Two men were stabbed to death after evening prayers in East Timor, a hospital director said, in the latest violence to disrupt the tiny nation since foreign peacekeepers arrived in May.

Four other people were injured in the fighting on Sunday night between rival gangs in the capital, Dili, Antonio Caleres, director of the Dili National Hospital, told The Associated Press.

Palu – A man was shot dead when police in Indonesia's religiously-divided town of Poso, in Central Sulawesi, came under attack while trying to disarm residents, police have said.

Millions of women in Indonesia are raising children on their own, some by choice and others by necessity. Now the country is coming under pressure to recognise their rights, the BBC's Lucy Williamson in Jakarta finds.

The Australia West Papua Association (Sydney) calls on the Pacific Islands Forum leaders to grant observer status to West Papua at its upcoming meeting in Fiji.

AWPA congratulates the Forum leaders for granting observer status to Tokelau at last years Forum, to join New Caledonia, French Polynesia and the newly independent nation of East Timor.

Tim Johnston – East Timor used to be the poster child for international intervention, but a report published this week by a group of United Nations investigators illustrates just how shallow the veneer of success was and just how difficult getting the country back on track is going to be.

Lindsay Murdoch, Darwin – Mick Slater, the commander of Australia's peacekeeping force in Dili, has revealed that he could not arrest East Timor's most wanted fugitive, Alfredo Reinado, during a secret meeting in the mountains last week because he was outnumbered.

Ary Hermawan, Jakarta – A recent survey that found 9 percent of Indonesian Muslims justify the Bali bombings as a form of "jihad to defend Islam" confirms the ambivalence of some Muslims toward terrorism, a Muslim scholar says.

Nabiha Shahab, Jakarta – It's 2:45 in the morning, and Ulfa and Eko have already launched into another Ramadan working day with their comedy sketch team, entertaining millions of Indonesians tuning in to their pre-dawn show.

The East Timorese Government was handed a heaven-sent opportunity this week to begin the long overdue process of healing the rifts so vividly exposed by last May's wave of violence.

Fabio Scarpello, Jakarta – After two years at the helm, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has drawn praise for ending the 30-year war in Aceh. Yet, human rights activists do not share the same enthusiasm when it comes to reforming the powerful military and solving human rights cases.

Jakarta – Stopping and clearing up a massive mud flow at an Indonesian gas well will cost at least $180 million and the final bill may well rise higher, the company operating the well said Thursday.

P. Parameswaran, Washington – Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is under US pressure to get to the bottom of the murder of a leading human rights lawyer – a case which suggested a cover up and links to the powerful national intelligence agency.

Jakarta – Experts recommended Wednesday that the mud gushing from a gas well in Sidoarjo, East Java, be dumped along the coast to form a mudland where mangrove trees and other plants could be cultivated.

Shawn W Crispin – With Thailand under military-appointed rule, the Philippines fresh off a stint of martial law and an unresolved vote-rigging scandal and the rest of Southeast Asia under hard and soft authoritarian yokes, Indonesia has clearly emerged as the region's healthiest, most vibrant functioning democracy.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Four years on, the special autonomy that costs more than Rp 5 trillion (about US$555 million) annually, has brought about little progress in Indonesia's eastern-most territory, analysts say.

Reports on violence in East Timor have tended, in the past, to be followed by inaction.

Ary Hermawan, Jakarta – Legal and human rights groups are giving President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono low marks for law enforcement, citing the unsolved murder of noted human rights activist Munir and the administration's failure to prosecute former president Soeharto on graft charges.

Jakarta – Indonesian television broadcast the photo of a fugitive convicted of embezzling millions of dollars in state funds as part of a new campaign against corruption.

The broadcast Tuesday was the first installment of a weekly TV program exposing people convicted of corruption, which remains endemic at all levels of government.

Lirio da Fonseca, Dili – East Timor's prime minister stood by the chief of the armed forces on Wednesday, after a UN inquiry called for his prosecution over the arming of civilians during a wave of violence in the tiny nation in May.