Jakarta – The Free Aceh Movement (GAM) has criticized the number of Indonesian Military (TNI) organic personnel, which exceeds the number of TNI personnel in other regions.

As details begin to emerge of the proposed deal between East Timor and Australia on how to divvy up the Greater Sunrise gas field located twice as close to East Timor than Australia, it's clear that our impoverished neighbours will be walking away short-changed.

Amnesty International is deeply concerned that the Security Council continues to delay consideration of a detailed United Nations (UN) report on the prosecution of serious violations of human rights committed in Timor-Leste in 1999.

Jakarta/Tangerang/Bogor – Blackouts that affected much of Java and Bali on Thursday resulted in massive traffic jams, stalled trains and delayed flights in the capital and neighboring towns.

Imanuddin Razak, Jakarta – The Aceh peace accord signed in the Finnish capital of Helsinki on Aug. 15, 2005 was indeed a gift and sweet prelude for the Indonesian people and government prior to celebrating the country's 60th anniversary of independence.

Members of the US House of Representatives recently called on President Bush "to reconsider strengthening ties with the Indonesian military (TNI)."

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – The government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) signed an historic peace agreement, though not the first, on Monday in Helsinki, Finland.

Noted lawyer and human rights activist Todung Mulya Lubis, who is on the board of the Jakarta-based Tifa Foundation focusing on empowering civil society, shared his thoughts with The Jakarta Post's Tony Hotland.

Rendi A. Witular, Jakarta – Following the signed peace deal between the government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebel group, Aceh will still adhere to most of the key fiscal and monetary policies set by the central government with some exceptions.

Tiarma Siboro and Nani Afrida, Banda Aceh – The peace agreement between the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) faced its first test on Wednesday when plainclothes police threatened rebels who were released from the Jantho penitentiary in Aceh Besar regency.

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – A number of politicians have voiced strong criticism of the Aceh peace deal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), with opposition bloc the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) demanding a court ruling to revoke it.

I. Christianto, Contributor, Helsinki – In spite of the amnesty offered by the Indonesian government to all people linked to the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), many of them who are living in exile overseas have adopted a wait-and-see attitude, with no immediate plans to return home.

The Indonesian military has been blamed for systematic violence, including rape, arson and torture, in the province of West Papua, according to a new report by Australian researchers.

The Australian Democrats have criticised the federal government for ignoring the human rights abuses to avoid upsetting Indonesia.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Lawyers for an Indonesian pilot charged with poisoning leading human rights campaigner Munir Thalib Said, have accused government prosecutors of making up motives behind the murder, saying prosecutors should arrest the real murderer, instead making a scapegoat out of their client.

It was arguably the most important scheduled political speech since the President took office in October. It was not bad, but it was certainly far from inspiring.

Economists may by poring over the numbers and statistical data presented by the President during his first State of the Nation address, but to the average layman it was uninspiringly average.

Nigel Wilson – East Timor has launched an international campaign to attract explorers to the Timor Sea in areas not in dispute with Australia.

A roadshow will begin next month to sell the results of 6600km of seismic data collected earlier this year that the East Timor Government claimed "revealed the presence of potential petroleum structures over the entire area".

Jakarta/Semarang/Medan/Surabaya/Jayapura/Cirebon – Student protests and record-breaking attempts highlighted the 60th anniversary of the nation's independence on Wednesday with the Netherlands formally recognizing the date.

Allan Nairn – In Central Aceh, the TNI has an ethnic Javanese and Gayo militia force that is estimated to be larger than the Aceh-wide GAM. An investigator who speaks the local Gayo language puts their strength at 12,000 people and 6,000 weapons – some homemade, some military issue.

Allan Nairn – The TNI/POLRI is now saying that they have about 35,000 men in Aceh, which, if true, would mean that under the Helsinki deal with GAM signed yesterday they will be temporarily withdrawing about 32% of their troops, not much more than a normal rotation.

Surabaya/Kutai Kartanegara – For the suspected members of the outlawed Communist Party of Indonesia (PKI) and their families, the country's anniversary celebration has always been a bitter time, bringing back old memories.

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta - If former Free Aceh Movement (GAM) members are granted amnesty, then what about the fate of convicted activists and political prisoners jailed as a result of the Aceh conflict?

Helsinki – After having been at conflict for almost 30 years, the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) have made a historical step by signing a peace agreement.

Both parties still have differences of opinion in terms of human rights violation trials.

Speakers: Malik Mahmood, GAM chief negotiator; Hamid Aaluddin, Indonesian Justice Minister; Allan Nairn, award-winning journalist and activist. His article on the Aceh peace agreement can be found at newsc.blogspot.com

Following are key passages from a seven-page Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebel group, signed on Monday in Helsinki.

Jakarta – Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has pledged to honor a historic agreement with separatist rebels from Aceh province and has urged the guerrillas to do the same.

Dan Eaton, Banda Aceh – Indonesia's military and Acehnese rebels on Tuesday cautiously welcomed a peace pact but each expressed doubts the other would stick to the deal.

Michael McKenna – Allegations of corruption against East Timor's Government were largely unfounded and based on rumour, according to its Foreign Minister, Jose Ramos Horta.

The Aceh peace accord was signed in the Finnish capital of Helsinki on Monday, the culmination of six months of tough negotiations. The accord could not be more timely as Indonesia celebrates its 60th year of independence on Wednesday.

For Australians, August 15 is the date World War II finally ended. In years to come, it may also mark the day one of Asia's longest-running wars ended.

Indonesia as a nation reaches a milestone today with the celebration of 60 years of independence. There is every reason to rejoice at this achievement: we have survived as one nation in spite of the many forces that constantly threaten to divide us. In spite of our diversity, we have overcome trials and tribulations, and come out intact as one nation.

Michael Casey, Jakarta – Indonesia will prosecute 10 companies – eight of them Malaysian – for illegally lighting fires on Sumatra Island that have enveloped much of Malaysia with smoke.

The widespread haze, which appeared on Aug. 2, has forced the closure of schools and workplaces and dramatically increased respiratory ailments.

Jakarta/Medan – The choking haze from forest fires on Sumatra island has spread to more areas on Sunday, including Medan and Pontianak, threatening public health and disrupting transportation.

Jakarta – Thousands of supporters of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) continued their protests on Sunday against a court ruling annulled the victory of Nur Nahmudi Ismail and his running mate Yuyun Wirasaputra in the Depok mayoral election.

Jakarta – Internal conflict within the National Mandate Party (PAN) has risen to new level with the resignation of co-founder and current legislator Fuad Bawazier.

Fuad, who helped found PAN in 1998, said over the weekend he was considering a jump to the up-and-coming Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) or the establishment of a new party, Antara reported.

Jakarta – Rights activists Usman Hamid and Rachland Nashidik have been named suspects arising out of a defamation complaint filed with the police by former National Intelligence Agency (BIN) director A.M. Hendropriyono.

Tiarma Siboro and Nani Afrida, Banda Aceh – An atmosphere of peace prevailed in Aceh ahead of an historic day that many hope will mark an end to almost three decades of bloodshed.

Associated Press in Banda Aceh – As a ship carrying hundreds of troops leaves Aceh's port, soldiers and police wonder if an accord being signed by the Indonesian government and separatist rebels today will bring lasting peace to the province.

Mark Forbes, Jakarta – The gunfire that marked 30 years of bitter secessionist fighting in Aceh has given way to another sound – the beating of 114 traditional rapai drums during a ceremony abandoned during the years of fighting.

Banda Aceh – Separatist guerrillas in Indonesia's restive province of Aceh will respect a peace pact to be signed with the government, one of their top spokesmen said.

Helsinki – The Indonesian government and Muslim Aceh rebels signed a historic peace accord aimed at ending decades of bloodshed in a region devastated by last year's tsunami.

All hostilities were to end with the signing of the agreement, under which the separatists dropped their long-held demands for independence and agreed to disarm and demobilise their soldiers.

AK-17, Banda Aceh - A day before the signing of the peace agreement, the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) has protested the continued presence of TNI (armed forces) controlled militia in Aceh. This was conveyed by GAM's spokesperson Bachtiar Abdullah in a press release received by Aceh Kita on Sunday August 14.

Allan Nairn – Today (August 15, 2005) the Aceh Freedom Movement (GAM, Gerakan Aceh Merdeka) will sign a deal with the government of Indonesia under which they agree to disarm and accept amnesty, money and farmland.

Jakarta – The Hizbut Tahir Indonesia (HTI) activists staged a peaceful rally with about 5,000 Indonesian Muslims against what they called "the conspiracy of colonizers in Aceh and Papua" here Sunday.

The rally was held at the Hotel Indonesia Circle, Central Jakarta, for four hours, starting from 8 a.m local time, the HTI Coordinator Irwan Saifullah said.

Banda Aceh – Hopes are high that a peace deal to be signed Monday will finally end decades of bloodshed between troops and separatist rebels in Indonesia's Aceh province, but analysts warn the road to lasting peace will not be smooth.

Stockholm – Rebel leaders from Aceh accused the Indonesian government of failing to disarm militias in the province, a day before both sides are to sign a landmark peace deal in Helsinki.

Michael Casey, Jakarta – A militant cleric jailed for his role in the 2002 Bali bombings will be among 53,000 inmates receiving sentence reductions to mark Indonesia's independence day, authorities and media reports said Saturday.

Jakarta – Not everybody is impressed by the nationwide campaign for the use of condoms to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS. Among those who are apparently opposed to the campaign is State Minister for Youth and Sports Affairs Adhyaksa Dault.

Jakarta/Medan – The authorities say they are trying to identify companies responsible for the current forest fires in the Sumatra region which have caused choking haze in neighboring Malaysia.

How often we are reminded. How quickly we forget. Like a recurring bad dream that is cyclical in nature, nations in Southeast Asia are again clouded by thick haze from out-of-control wildfires in Indonesia.

Jakarta – Environmentalists have criticized a draft presidential regulation on forest use as not providing protection for forests because of its outright "pro-business agenda".

Friends of the Earth Indonesia executive director Chalid Muhammad said that the draft regulation did nothing to prevent further deforestation.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – At least 10,000 Papuans stormed into the office of the Papua provincial legislative council in Jayapura on Friday, demanding the government to review its Special Autonomy Law.