Bramantyo Prijosusilo, Jakarta – Opinus Tabuni, 35, was shot dead during a peaceful rally in the city of Wamena in the picturesque Baliem valley in the Indonesian province of Papua on August 9th.

Tom Hyland – New evidence has emerged linking the Indonesian military to the 2002 murder of two American teachers and an Indonesian colleague in a remote region of Papua, according to research by a US academic and an Indonesian investigative journalist.

Hotli Simanjuntak, Banda Aceh – A vegetable vendor was busy tending to customers at a makeshift stall at the central market of Banda Aceh on Friday.

Nearby a congregation prayed at the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque to commemorate the third anniversary of the peace pact between the Aceh Freedom Movement (GAM) and the Indonesian government in Helsinki, Finland.

Dian Kuswandini, Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono re-affirmed Friday his commitment to rooting out corruption, saying nobody is above the law in the anti-graft drive he himself is leading.

But the effort has met with challenges both from his government and the House of Representatives.

Police rejected a request by six Papuan Tribal Council executives to allow UN staff to accompany them during an investigation into the hoisting of a separatist flag last week.

"The case has nothing to do with the United Nations," National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Abubakar Nataprawira was quoted by Antara as saying here Friday.

Jakarta – Around 100 students from several state universities staged a rally outside the House of Representatives, where President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was delivering an annual state address Friday.

The protesters called on the government to roll back its controversial policy of raising fuel prices by 28.7 percent in May.

Aditya Suharmoko, Jakarta – Strong exports, primarily those of commodities, helped fuel Indonesia's economic growth by an unexpected 6.4 percent in the first half of 2008 as compared with the same period in 2007, the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) revealed Thursday.

Fadli, Batam – Some 1,000 workers employed by foreign companies in Batam staged a rally on Thursday demanding an end to the practice of outsourcing in the region, which they said had left them without futures.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has insisted the police should thoroughly investigate a fatal shooting incident during the commemoration of UN Indigenous People's Day in Wamena on Aug. 9.

Andreas D. Arditya, Jakarta – Senior prosecutor Urip Tri Gunawan expressed "deep regret" during his bribery trial here Thursday for accepting money from businesswoman Artalyta Suryani, but insisted the cash was not a bribe.

East Timor's main opposition party, Fretilin, is calling for an independent international investigation into the assassination attempt on the country's leadership in February.

Indra Harsaputra, Surabaya – The Surabaya Military Court on Thursday sentenced 13 marines to prison terms of 18 months to three-and-a-half years for fatally shooting four villagers and wounding another eight in a clash last year.

Erwida Maulia, Jakarta – The freedom of association that Indonesian workers have enjoyed since the start of the reform movement in 1998 is now set to backfire on them, a seminar heard Thursday.

Erwida Maulia, Jakarta – Men's resistance to condom use will transform moderate-risk Indonesia into a country with the highest HIV/AIDS rate in the region within a few years, the Commission on AIDS in Asia has warned.

As the battle against corruption intensifies in the legal arena, pressures mount for this acute societal disease to be simultaneously fought in a different mode: through social sanction.

Jakarta – An Indonesian mayor has ordered security officers in parts of the capital to go door-to-door on Independence Day to make sure people are flying the national flag.

Panca Nugraha, Mataram – In the past three years child trafficking has increased in West Nusa Tenggara, according to the provincial chapter of LBH APIK.

"The foundation handled 458 cases in the past three years with 118 cases in 2007," said Beauty Erawati, chapter director of the Women's Legal Aid Foundation (LBH APIK), on Monday.

Sofian, Jakarta – Around 10 protest actions will enliven the atmosphere of Jakarta today, Thursday August 14.

Based on information from the Metro Jaya regional police Traffic Management Centre, the first action will take place at 8am at the Hotel Indonesia roundabout on Jl. MH Thamrin in Central Jakarta.

Yemris Fointuna, Kupang – East Nusa Tenggara provincial administration has accused the central government of neglecting a help plea to address chronic malnutrition in the area.

The administration reportedly submitted an aid fund proposal for Rp 50.4 billion (US$5.5 million) to the Coordinating Ministry for People's Welfare in April, but had yet to receive a response.

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – More than half of all the preliminary lists of eligible voters (DPS) released by villages and subdistricts throughout the country contain outdated data, a survey says.

Statement by ELSHAM-Papua, Yahamak (Institute of Basic Human Rights and Anti-Violence) and AMPTPI (Alliance of Students of the Central Highlands of Papua)

Irawaty Wardany, Jakarta – Former Bank Indonesia deputy governor Iwan R. Prawiranata withdrew on Wednesday his claim that a state prosecutor received money from Rp 100 billion ($10.9 million) in BI funds allegedly misappropriated in 2003.

But the panel of judges hearing the graft case of former BI governor Burhanuddin Abdullah refused to take Iwan's about-face for granted.

Yuli Tri Suwarni, Bandung – Residents in Samarang district, Garut regency in West Java blockaded the entrance Tuesday to a geothermal power plant operated by PT Chevron Geothermal Indonesia (CGI) asking for more community development funds.

Paul Toohey – Questions have been raised as to whether rebel leader Alfredo Reinado was lured down from the mountains of East Timor to be executed after it emerged he was shot dead at almost point-blank range inside the home of President Jose Ramos Horta.

Stephanie March, Dili – Six months ago Victor Alvez's voice rang out through radios and televisions, appealing for peace and calm from the people of East Timor.

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – A series of defeats in regional elections and threats of disunity have led Golkar Party leadership to scrap its control of the distribution of legislative seats in next year's polls.

Jon Afrizal and Agus Maryono, Jambi, Purwokerto – The number of people living with HIV/AIDS in Jambi and Central Java provinces, especially in Banyumas regency, is rising at an alarming rate, according to HIV/AIDS activists.

Former State Intelligence Agency (BIN) deputy chief Muchdi Purwopranjono has requested a city arrest, as the Attorney General's Office (AGO) prepares to indict him for his role in the murder of human rights activist Munir Said Thalib in 2004.

Desy Nurhayati, Jakarta – Prisoners convicted last year of corruption, illegal logging, terrorism and drug abuse will not be eligible for annual prison term reductions granted in observance of this year's Independence Day on August 17.

Jakarta – Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will not respond to a letter from 40 members of US Congress demanding the immediate release of two Papuan activists, a spokesman said Tuesday.

Evan A. Laksmana, Singapore – In the past few weeks, a debate surrounding the 2009 general elections has revolved around the role of the Indonesian Military (TNI) in political parties where almost every major political party has former military officers sitting as board members or as chairman.

Andreas D. Arditya, Jakarta – A witness testified Monday that former Bank Indonesia deputy governor Aulia Pohan played a bigger role than previously thought in the alleged embezzlement of Rp 100 billion (US$10.9 million) in BI funds in 2003.

TAPOL wishes to express its deep concern about the death of a Papuan who was participating in the celebration of World Indigenous Day in Wamena on Saturday, 9 August.

The Indonesia Human Rights Committee has written to each of the Heads of Government of the Pacific Island Forum Nations (see letter below) ahead of their annual meeting next week. IHRC is calling on the Forum leaders to prioritise the issue of Indonesian-ruled West Papua.

Mark Forbes, Jakarta – Several of the 43 Papuans who sparked a diplomatic crisis by seeking asylum in Australia want to return home, according to Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda, who has offered to assist them.

Ed Davies and Telly Nathalia, Jakarta – Indonesia does not face any organised resistance to its rule in Papua and there should be a degree of tolerance responding to cases of banned separatist flags being hoisted, the defence minister said on Monday.

The Australia West Papua Association in Sydney has written to the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) leaders who will meet in Niue on the 19 August for the opening of the 39th PIF Leaders Summit.

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – On a talk show recently, soap opera actor Adrian Maulana looked momentarily baffled when confronted with the question, "What makes you dare enter politics?"

Prodita Sabarini, Jakarta – Former homophobe Anton (not his real name) says he has transformed into a more tolerant person, acknowledging that gay men, lesbians, bisexuals and transvestites are humans who have the same rights as anyone else.

"I used to agree with violent bashing of gay men and transvestites," he said. "I'm ashamed of the way I used to think back then."

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – A man was reportedly killed in Wamena, Jayawijaya regency, during an event Saturday celebrating the International Day of the World's Indigenous People.

Jakarta – A man was killed in Indonesia's Papua province after police fired warning shots when a group raised a separatist flag at a ceremony, an official said on Saturday.

Thousands of people had gathered in Wamena city to mark UN Indigenous Peoples' Day when the incident happened.

Nethy Darma Somba – The World Indigenous Day celebration in Papua province turned into a riot on Saturday after several members of local separatist group hoisted the Bintang Kejora (Morning Star) flag.

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – The House of Representatives' special committee tasked with investigating the government's fuel price rise policy has become enveloped in a fury of political maneuvering, including pleas to summon the President for questioning.

Each faction represented in the committee has produced its own list of officials to be summoned for questioning.

Desy Nurhayati, Jakarta – Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono and TNI chief Gen. Djoko Santoso were divided Friday in their responses to a request from US Congress members asking Indonesia to release two convicted Papuan separatists.

Jakarta – A hardline Muslim group staged a rally outside the US embassy in Jakarta on Saturday to protest over a call by Washington for the release of two Papuan activists.

Some 100 members of Hizbut Tahrir massed outside the embassy with banners reading: "We are against US intervention in Papua."

Muh Syaifullah, Yogyakarta – The Yogyakarta District Attorney General's Office has seized 213 books titled "The Annihilation of Ethnic Melanesians: Breaking the Silence on the History of Violence in West Papua", published by PT Galang Press. The AGO seized the books because they were deemed to touch upon the issues of SARA (race, religion and tribalism).

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – The Indonesian public considers the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) the law enforcement institute with the highest integrity, a new survey revealed on Thursday.

The survey was conducted by the KPK between February and June, and polled 2,191 respondents in six major cities across the country.

Tito Belo, Dili – The United Nations urged on Thursday East Timor not to let those responsible for bloodshed surrounding Dili's 1999 independence vote from Indonesia off the hook, pledging to provide support to prosecute perpetrators.

Desy Nurhayati, Jakarta – State airline PT Merpati Nusantara has been forced to axe more than half its workers and receive a government bailout in a major restructuring program designed to stave off a collapse.

Hotli Simanjuntak, Banda Aceh – A fight broke out between members of the Banda Aceh public order agency and the province's sharia police unit Thursday, during a musical stage show held to celebrate their respective 58th and 4th anniversaries.

"It was just a small misunderstanding and not a large-scale brawl among officers," said H. Marzuki, who oversees the two agencies.