Jakarta – Hundreds of minivan drivers staged a rally in front of the City Council building on Wednesday, demanding privately owned vehicles stop picking up passengers in West Jakarta. They also demanded councilors increase supervision of the transportation agency and the city police, which they claimed allowed private vehicles to operate as public transportation.

In a few days the taxing, unenviable job of the men and women tasked to dig up the truth about violence around the time of East Timor's 1999 referendum should be over.

Well past its earlier, already extended deadline of January, the Indonesia-Timor Leste Commission on Truth and Friendship (CTF) should submit its report shortly to the presidents of both countries.

Yemris Fointuna, Kupang – Thousands of former East Timorese refugees occupied the Belu Legislative Council building in Atambua on Tuesday, demanding the central government explain why assistance has failed to reach them.

Lindsay Murdoch, Darwin – Timorese-born Australian Angelita Pires admits she was the lover of rebel leader Alfredo Reinado and says she understands why she has been accused of influencing him in the lead-up to last month's attacks in Dili.

Aditya Suharmoko, Jakarta – The World Bank has revised down its forecast on Indonesia's economic growth for this year from 6.4 percent to 6.0 percent after adapting to heightened financial turmoil in the US and the global economic slowdown.

Aditya Suharmoko, Jakarta – Soaring prices for food, energy and clothes caused inflation to rise at its fastest pace in 18 months in March, making it more difficult for the central bank to cut interest rates to spur economic growth.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – In the first-ever informal meeting with the leadership of Regional Representatives Council (DPD) at the presidential office here Friday, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono expressed his concern over the social unrest in Papua and simultaneously his commitment to address the prolonged issue.

Lilian Budianto, Jakarta – The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed a bill maintaining the government as the single Islamic haj organizer amid criticism of monopoly by the Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU).

Ted Sprague – It is not an overstatement that the Bolivarian Revolution in Venezuela is a shining beacon of hope for struggling masses around the world.

Not only inspiring, the Venezuelan revolution offers many lessons for revolutionaries who are genuinely seeking radical solutions to problems faced by the toiling masses.

Rofiuddin, Semarang – Dozens of students from the National Student League for Democracy (LMND) held a protest action in the Central Java provincial capital of Semarang today calling for the government to renegotiate its contract with Exxon Mobil. The protest on Jl. Pahlawan marched to the Central Java provincial government offices.

Muhammad Nur Rochmi, Jakarta – Two demonstrations involving significant numbers of protesters will colour Central Jakarta on Wednesday April 2. Based on data released by the Metro Jaya regional police on its Traffic Management Centre (TMC) website, the actions will take place on Jl. Kebon Sirih and Jalan Jenderal Sudirman, both in Central Jakarta.

Nabiha Shahab, Kuala Cenaku – Marto Wijoyo and his family left the overcrowded Indonesian island of Java 27 years ago in search of a better life on neighbouring Sumatra.

Damien Kingsbury – Entering its tenth year since the fall of the authoritarian President Suharto, Indonesia has progressed towards consolidating its democratic system, respecting rule of law and resolving ethnic grievances.

Ruslan Sangadji, Tojo Una-Una – Members of the isolated Tau Taa tribe, in Tojo Una-Una regency in Central Sulawesi, say discrimination and apathy has left their children scrawling their lessons in the dirt.

The tribe, known locally as To Wana, dwells in a number of villages called lipu, such as Lengkasa, Vatutana, Partambung, Mpoa, Tikore, Umeviawu and Ratovali.

Jakarta – Indonesia's president has urged the mainly Muslim nation not to resort to violence in protests against an anti-Islamic film, and barred the far-right Dutch lawmaker behind it from entering the country.

Jakarta – A controversial discussion late last week on homosexuality spilled over Monday as mainstream religious organizations claimed homosexuality was a psychological disorder, not a natural behavior given by God.

Jakarta – The Regional Representatives Council (DPD) has completed a draft amendment to the Constitution that would allow independent candidates to contest presidential elections and envisages an effective bicameral system of parliament.

Jakarta – Responding to the Constitutional Court amendment of Article 22 of the Investment Law, the House of Representatives and the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) said Monday the de facto duration for property rights would remain unchanged.

Usman Hamid and Eko Waluyo, Jakarta/Sydney – The three-day visit of Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono to Sydney to attend the East Asian ministerial dialogue forum, "The Way Forward on Asian Economic and Political Security", on March 26-28, 2008, is echoing regional response to security threats in the Strait of Malacca.

Jakarta – Hundreds of contract workers hired by bus operator Transjakarta, who are members of the Indonesian Madani Labor Union, staged a rally Monday demanding they be made permanent employees.

Jakarta – State enterprises will be required to disclose their financial reports and information about goods and services procurement to the public under new freedom of information laws.

Fery Firmansyah, Jakarta – Actions opposing the publication of the controversial anti-Islamic Dutch film "Fitna" are scheduled will be held today. A demonstration involving hundreds of protesters from Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) is planned to take place at the Dutch Embassy on Jl. Rasuna Said in South Jakarta.

The findings of an integrity survey conducted by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in 30 public institutions and state companies providing public services between last August and October in Greater Jakarta simply validated the international perception of Indonesia's government as one of the most corrupt in the world.

Paige Johnson Tan – In March 2007, Indonesia's Attorney General, Abdul Rahman Saleh, banned and ordered the burning of copies of 14 school history textbooks.

Jun Honna – A decade after the fall of Suharto, the Indonesian military is facing a historically unprecedented moment. Peace has broken out and there is no internal warfare. What does 'peace' mean for TNI (the Indonesian military), and for civil-military relations?

Amid increasing concern about Indonesia's harsh treatment of peaceful protestors in West Papua, more than 30 human rights groups and individuals worldwide are warning BP that its new $US6 billion Tangguh natural gas project is a potential source of instability in the troubled region [1].

The US Department of State Country Reports on Human Right Practices (2007) acknowledges the continuing threat to human rights and to democracy posed by the Indonesian security forces, including both the military and police.

Jakarta – In its findings, the joint Indonesia-Timor Leste Commission for Truth and Friendship (CTF) has named an institution it blames for violence prior to and after the independence vote in the former East Timor province in 1999, Antara news agency reported.

Dili – East Timor and its foreign supporters must do more to resettle around 100,000 citizens still homeless after unrest in 2006, the International Crisis Group said Monday.

A weak economy, a lack of security and a shortage of housing have left the tiny Asian country unable to shake the problem of internally displaced persons, the think tank said in a report.

Stephanie March, Dili – Jose Sarmento lines up on a basketball court with 3,000 other displaced people to collect his rice and cooking oil for the month.

Lindsay Murdoch, Darwin – Non-government organisations have called on the East Timorese Government to end a cycle of impunity for the perpetrators of violence, including those committing political crimes.

Muhammad Nur Abdurrahman, Makassar – On March 31 the Concern for the Nation Functional Party (PKPB) held an election campaign rally in the South Sulawesi provincial capital of Makassar. Speaking before around one thousand sympathisers, PKPB General Chairperson R. Hartono promised the rebirth of former President Suharto's New Order regime.

Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – Activists welcomed a resolution on climate change passed by the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Friday, expecting it to put pressure on the government to improve its efforts in dealing with the impacts of global warming.

Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, Jakarta – Female residents of Kampung Pulo, a flood-prone neighborhood in Kampung Melayu subdistrict, East Jakarta, banded together Thursday to determine the cause of their area's frequent floodings and lack of drinkable water.

Jakarta – The government on Saturday launched the National Movement for Good Conduct, a program that aims to promote morality among school students.

The publication of 12 textbooks on morality for primary and secondary school students marked the launch of the movement.

Rizal Sukma, Jakarta – After creating much controversy with the publication of her book, Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari is now visiting campuses to promote what she calls "the ideology of courage". She proudly tells students about her "struggle" against the World Health Organization, which she has labeled "neo-colonialist" and "unjust".

Muhammad Nur Rochmi/TMC, Jakarta – According to information from the Metro Jaya regional police Traffic Management Centre (TMC) website, at least six protest actions will rock Jakarta on Monday March 31.

At 10am protesters from the North Maluku Social Alliance (AMMU) will be holding a demonstration in front of the State Palace on Jl. Medan Merdeka Utara in Central Jakarta.

Jayapura – A majority of Papuan people still consume rain and river water since 70 percent of villages in the provinces have no clean water facilities.

Head of the irrigation section at the provincial public works agency Yusuf Yambe said 2,900 of the province's 3,300 villages lacked clean water facilities.

Lilian Budianto, Jakarta – The House of Representatives on Tuesday is set to pass a bill allowing independent candidates to contest local elections for governor, mayor and regent.

However, the nomination of independent candidates could be complicated by the tough and "discriminatory" requirements contained in the bill on regional administrations, observers said Sunday.

Novia D. Rulistia, Jakarta – Though rice prices are soaring in the global market, the country's rice production surplus must not be used for exports, analysts say.

The surplus should instead be managed to meet domestic demand and be able to withstand increasing threats from global climate change, they said.

Jakarta – An expected fresh cash injection from windfall profits from oil exports will allow the government to afford a soaring allocation for fuel subsidies from the state budget, a minister says.

Executive summary and recommendations

William Sparrow, Bangkok – Indonesia, with an estimated population of over 230 million, is the world's largest Muslim nation. As such, a morality debate has intensified in recent years regarding access to sexually explicit material, specifically as the Internet becomes widely available. Perceptions of so-called Western indulgence and moral decay have alarmed many Indonesians.

Jakarta – The country's fight against graft has been dealt a big blow after a survey Friday found the public sector and the general public alike condoned corruption.

Jakarta – Indonesian officials and Islamic leaders called production of an anti-Islam film posted on the Internet by a far-right Dutch MP "an irresponsible action" and "unethical", reports said Saturday.

Paul Toohey – The Australian-led International Stabilisation Force took double the normal time to travel to the compound of Jose Ramos Horta, on the day the East Timorese President was nearly killed.

By the time they got there on February 11, Mr Ramos Horta was already in an ambulance heading for the ISF medical centre in Dili.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – A delegation of Papuan politicians has called on President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to appoint a special envoy to improve Papua's image in the international world.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – A delegation of West Papua politicians has blamed Jakarta for the stagnation of special autonomy in Papua and West Papua, saying the two provinces could not properly implement autonomy without guidance from the central government.

East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta is critical of the failure of international forces to quickly capture the rebels who attacked him in Dili last month.

Dr Ramos-Horta is recovering in Darwin after being flown to Australia with gunshot wounds from an assassination attempt outside his home on February 11.

Lindsay Murdoch, Darwin – East Timorese President Jose Ramos Horta has accused a Timor-born Australian woman of influencing rebel leader Alfredo Reinado in the lead-up to last month's assassination bid.