Jakarta – A paramilitary Muslim group which had waged a "holy war" against Christians in the Malukus said it would not leave the eastern islands despite the signing of a pact to end three years of sectarian bloodshed there.

Jakarta – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) called Wednesday for a "clear strategy" from the Indonesian government to recover loans worth billions of dollars which were extended to save the country's banks.

Jakarta – The chief prosecutor in the Indonesian province of Yogyakarta is planning to summons all 51 provincial MPs over suspected bribery linked to a local election and a building project, a report said Wednesday.

Rendi A. Witular, Jakarta – Some 500 flood victims demonstrated on Monday to demand compensation from the Jakarta administration for its poor handling of major flooding that hit the capital since January 28.

Jakarta – In a stinging rebuke of the bureaucracy, President Megawati Sukarnoputri yesterday described the administration as a "trash can" and told officials to go out and check reports instead of staying desk-bound.

Tangerang – About 250 vendors at Cikokol traditional market argued with Tangerang Public Order Agency officials on Monday after they were forced to leave the market to make way for the construction of the Cikokol cloverleaf intersection.

R.K. Nugroho, Jayapura – Two government teams investigating the mysterious death of Papuan independence leader Theys Hiyo Eluay should be disbanded, non-governmental organizations and church groups demanded on Monday.

Jakarta – A member of a government-appointed team to investigate the murder of Papua separatist leader Theys Hiyo Eluay said Tuesday he has resigned and a report said a second resignation was likely to follow.

Jakarta – Nine more killings were reported in Indonesia's Aceh province, the scene of a decades-old separatist revolt, as US ambassador Ralph Boyce spent a second day there.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – The illegal trade of protected animals continues in Indonesia despite Law No. 5/1990 on the preservation of flora and fauna. Applying the law by banning illegal trade in protected animals has so far failed to stop the trafficking.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – Confronted with strong opposition from regents and experts on her move to revise the current autonomy law, President Megawati Soekarnoputri lashed out at regional authorities on Monday for what she termed excessive and ridiculous regionalism in recruiting civil servants.

Jacob Herin, Flores – Police in East Flores regency clashed with local youths early on Monday, leaving at least one person killed and 12 others wounded.

Jakarta – The government backed down on Monday from its initial plan to temporarily halt new construction in greater Jakarta amid strong opposition from various opposition groups, saying it would only temporarily withhold new licenses for some housing projects.

Jakarta – Rival Christian and Muslim factions from Indonesia's Maluku province agreed Tuesday to end their three-year war that has devastated the province and killed 10,000 people, a top Cabinet minister said.

Kurniawan Hari and Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – House of Representatives legislators turned a deaf ear on Monday to demands for military and police officers to appear for questioning at a human rights inquiry in connection with three high-profile incidents in 1998 and 1999.

Bambang Nurbianto, Jakarta – The city administration revealed on Monday that it had sold one of 22 small lakes in the Greater Jakarta area to private developers.

Jakarta – Ethnic Chinese in Indonesia marked the start of the Lunar New Year amid new-found freedom to celebrate their most important festival but an activist said discrimination still exists.

Marianne Kearney, Jakarta – In Muslim boarding schools across Indonesia, many young Muslims can be found poring over a book called the Couple's Contract or Uqud Al-Lujjayn.

Jakarta – A distributor here has withheld the latest issue of the US magazine Newsweek because it carries a picture of the prophet Muhammad that could anger subscribers in Indonesia – the world's largest Muslim-populated country.

Paul Brown – The Indonesian pulp and paper industry is destroying rainforest at such an astonishing rate that it will run out of wood in five years, according to a report being published today.

Brendan Pereira, Jakarta – Australian Prime Minister John Howard came to Indonesia to melt the ice. But the reception he got here left little doubt that a thaw in ties is some way to go, with Australia still struggling to crack the Javanese mindset of its giant neighbour that has a long memory of the troubled relationship between both countries and Canberra's oft-blunt messages.

Jakarta – Large areas of natural forest in Indonesia will be destroyed by 2007 due to logging by the country's two largest pulp producers, two environmental groups warned in a report released Monday.

Jakarta – The Indonesian government's foreign debt totalled 71.4 billion dollars at the end of last year, top economics minister Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-Jakti said Monday.

Jill Jolliffe, Dili – In another step towards nationhood, East Timor's constituent assembly has approved a draft of a constitution guaranteeing basic civil liberties and a mixed economy for the new state that will emerge on Australia's doorstep in May.

Jakarta – At least half of the famed Kuta Beach on the Indonesian resort island of Bali has been eroded by waves, an official said Monday.

"The damage has reached a critical level, covering 50 percent of the beach," said Tjok Bagus Budiana, head of the Bali Beach Restoration Project.

Maxi Wolor, Palu – More than 300 workers of the furniture manufacturing company PT Leang Yang in the Central Sulawesi capital of Pulu went on strike on Saturday, demanding higher wages and better working conditions.

The protesters threatened to continue striking until management for the factory, located in Pantoloan, agreed to pay better monthly salaries.

Jakarta – Political parties in Indonesia have capitalised on the recent flood disaster to court support among the masses, according to Tempo weekly magazine.

A'an Suryana, Jakarta – Even against a background of other political parties with noisy internal disputes, Golkar still manages to stand out in the face of the 2004 general elections, thanks to chairman Akbar Tandjung's success in obtaining unanimous support from party officials.

Vaudine England, Jakarta – Attempts to investigate military involvement in the killing of students and civilians in Jakarta during the fall of former president Suharto have been thwarted after generals refused to appear at a special inquiry.

Damar Harsanto and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – Many flood victims have been left homeless, jobless, sick and penniless as a result of the recent floods. Some have returned home, while others are still staying in inadequate makeshift shelters.

Jakarta – Indonesian Vice President Hamzah Haz has blamed the government of former president Suharto for nationwide flooding, saying the regime had been too corrupt to ensure good environmental planning.

Bambang Nurbianto, Jakarta – The recent floods in the city have strengthened the indications of public distrust in government officials, as almost all people and non-governmental organizations avoided official channels in making donations for fear of corruption or unfair distribution.

Jakarta – Indonesia's second largest and former ruling party, Golkar, has dismissed 16 senior members and suspended three others, it was announced.

Annastashya Emmanuelle and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta – The government, which has come under strong criticism from human rights activists for reviving the Aceh military command just this week, is now set to give a new mandate to the military to crush the separatist movement in Aceh.

Berni K. Moestafa, Jakarta – Hundreds of employees from Bank Central Asia (BCA) demonstrated on Thursday against the planned sale of BCA, stirring up familiar concerns of mob politics blocking crucial privatization and asset sales programs. Rallying inside the House of Representatives complex ,the employees demanded the government to cancel the sale of BCA, Antara reported.

Yemris Fointuna, Kupang – Possible clashes are looming between East Timorese refugees and Indonesian farmers seeking to reclaim land used to accommodate the refugees on the border of West Timor and East Timor.

A'an Suryana, Jakarta – As the beleaguered Golkar Party seeks to remove the thorn in its flesh, a party top official warned on Thursday of tough measures against staunch critic and senior party member Achmad Arnold Baramuli.

Conn Hallinan – The problem of lying down with dogs, goes the old saying, it that you end up with fleas. Over the years, the US has run with some nasty brutes, from the Congo's Mobutu to Iraq's Saddam Hussein.

Jakarta – Australian Prime Minister John Howard on Friday wrapped up a fence-mending visit to Indonesia with a sightseeing tour, unfazed by a student protest in the Central Java city of Yokyakarta and an earlier snub by top legislators in Jakarta.

Darwin – Less than a year after Australia rejected Royal Dutch/Shell Group's bid for Woodside Petroleum Ltd., the government may cite the same national interest argument to sink Shell's proposed $4.9 billion floating natural gas platform.

Yemris Fointuna, Kupang – The Indonesian Military (TNI) has dishonorably discharged seven of its personnel arrested for stealing six cows belonging to residents of Sulamu village in East Nusa Tenggara province, local TNI commanders said on Wednesday.

Jakarta – Separatist rebels in Indonesia's Aceh province have criticized Jakarta's decision to extend military operations there as a "declaration of war" on the Acehnese people.

Top security minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Thursday announced the extension of military operations in the energy-rich province on the north of Sumatra island.

Michelle Grattan – When Amien Rais arrived at the state banquet that President Megawati Sukarnoputri hosted for the Howards on Wednesday night, there was a distinct whiff of cynicism among the Australian travelling party.

Bambang Soed, Medan – The World Bank predicts that Sumatra will no longer have dense forest areas by 2004. This dire prediction is based on the high 2.5 percent level of destruction taking place on that island.

Tiarma Siboro and Yogita Tahilramani, Jakarta – Papuans and human rights activists expressed doubt on Wednesday that the National Investigation Commission set up to probe the mysterious death of Papuan independence leader Theys Hiyo Eluay would reveal the truth behind the murder, saying commission members would work to protect the interests of the state.

Alexander Cockburn – Right till the end of January, Dita Sari was preparing to fly from her home near Jakarta to Salt Lake City to bask today in the admiration of assorted do-gooders and celebrities mustered by Reebok.

Dili – As East Timor prepares for full independence in May, voters lack information about the draft of the country's new constitution, according to a survey released Thursday.

Jakarta – Moody's Investors Service said Thursday that Indonesia's B3 country rating and stable outlook reflected the continued fragility of its access to foreign loans.

Jakarta – Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra denied on Wednesday that he had bribed former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid in his attempt to secure a pardon in 2000 in relation to a case of alleged graft.

Fadli, Batam – The situation in certain strategic areas in Batam is still tense following three ethnic riots that rocked the island over the weekend.