Banda Aceh – Indonesian troops killed seven men they claimed were separatist rebels in the country's oil-and-gas rich Aceh province, the military said Sunday.
Indonesia & East Timor Digest
Displaying 77151-77200 of 94390 Documents
October 31, 2004
The Chief of Army has admitted more than 1300 troops who served in East Timor were given an anti-malarial drug with potentially devastating side effects.
It also has been revealed hundreds of our soldiers in Timor were used to test an unauthorised drug being developed by the US Army.
October 30, 2004
Dan Kingsley, Jakarta – We have read quite a bit recently about how Indonesia's non-oil manufacturing exports have been decreasing. In fact, there has actually been negative investment in this sector if the number of international trading companies (export manufacturing, retail buyers, international investors) that have left the country is taken into account.
Tony Hotland and Zakki P. Hakim, Jakarta – The World Bank urged the new government on Friday to fix the country's adverse investment climate in a bid to accelerate economic growth and create jobs.
The Jakarta Post, Denpasar – The visa-on-arrival policy has discouraged foreigners from traveling to Bali, the country's main tourist destination, a recent survey revealed. From the responses of 10,000 people, the survey found that more than 50 percent of those interviewed would not return to Bali due to the new policy.
Ben Harkness, Jakarta – As of July, 2004 the official number of HIV/AIDS infections in Indonesia recorded by the Indonesian Department of Health was 4,389. However, a widely accepted estimate of the true number of cases is between 100 000 and 150 000.
Palembang – The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) disclosed on Friday that it had discovered at least nine high-profile pollution cases over the past year.
M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – An international housing rights protection organization called on the administration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to put a stop to forced evictions in Indonesia.
Matthew Moore and Karuni Rompies, Jakarta – In the months before he was swept to office, Indonesia's new president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, promised a 100-day plan as a way of breaking through the malaise of President Megawati Soekaroputri's administration.
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – House of Representative speakers and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono met for the first time on Friday amid tension between the two sides over who should lead the Indonesian Military (TNI).
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – None of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Cabinet members had submitted a wealth report to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) as of Friday, a commission member stated.
As part of efforts to create a clean government, Susilo told his new ministers last Friday to submit their reports to the commission within a week.
Batam/Samarinda/Jakarta – Hundreds of Indonesian workers in Malaysia began returning home on Friday, marking the first day of the 17-day amnesty program for illegal workers offered by the Malaysian government.
Cunding Levi and Lita Oetomo, Jayapura – Thousands of demonstrators from the Papua People's Anti-Militarism Front (Front Rakyat Papua Anti Militerisme, FRPAM) led by Jefrison A. Pagawak demonstrated again on Friday October 29.
Nani Afrida, Banda Aceh – A group of armed men shot dead an elementary school teacher and injured his son and a neighbor in Sawang district, South Aceh regency, according to an official military account on Friday.
Jakarta – Two Acehnese non-government organisations, the Acehnese Popular Democratic Resistance Front (Front Perlawanan Demokratik Rakyat Aceh, FPDRA) and the Acehnese Democratic Women's Organisation (Organisasi Perempuan Aceh Demokrati, ORPAD) are demanding the fulfillment of President Bambang Susilo Yudhoyono's promise during the election campaign that there would be changes in Ac
Jakarta – The two opposing factions in the House of Representatives remained locked in their respective positions on Friday, raising the possibility of a lengthy deadlock in the legislative body.
As the nation clamors for change, the conduct currently being exhibited by the honorable members of our national legislature, the House of Representatives, does not bode well for the immediate future of democracy in Indonesia.
Nigel Wilson – East Timor is demanding the Australian Government pay more than $2.6 billion in compensation for oil produced from Timor Sea fields since 1999.
October 29, 2004
Kornelius Purba, Jakarta – When asked about the decision of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to oblige his ministers to sign a "political contract" before their appointments, a senior government official who has served three presidents replied, "You remember president Habibie?" According to the official, top government officials from the central government down to the lowest tier
Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – Responding to the war on corruption launched by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the National Police and the Attorney General's Office (AGO) have decided to prioritize several graft cases in the first 100 days of the new administration.
Ridwan Max Sijabat and Oyos Saroso, Jakarta/Lampung – Pardede, a truck driver, had just eaten a meal at a busy roadside Begadang Restaurant, Bandarlampung. But while his stomach was full, his wallet was not.
Jakarta – A number of non-government organisations (NGOs) who are concerned with issues of human rights are supporting the Indonesian government's nomination as the head of the United Nations Human Rights Commission on the condition that the government must first resolve cases of human rights violations which have occurred in the country.
East Timor on Friday indicted eight Indonesian soldiers and two militiamen for allegedly killing two UN election workers and attacking independence supporters during the country's bloody break from Indonesian rule in 1999.
Nala Edwin, Jakarta – The Committee to Monitor the New Order (Komite Waspada Orde Baru, Tewas Orba) says that the Indonesian Cabinet of Unity is ridden with people from former President Suharto's New Order regime. There are indications that 34.21 per cent of the members in the cabinet of newly installed President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) have links with the New Order.
M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – The absence of clear-cut domestic regulations sanctioning the debt-for-nature-swap (DNS) scheme has hampered the way for its full-fledged implementation, a non-governmental organization says.
Bill Guerin, Jakarta – Smack in the middle of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, hordes of international and local reporters have descended on a makeshift courtroom here to witness the long-awaited and pivotal trial that pits the state against one of its people, 66-year-old militant cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir.
Agus R/Supriyantho/Dian Y/Mahbub, Surabaya – Commemorations of Youth Pledge Day in various parts of the country yesterday were enlivened by a number of demonstrations. In the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya, around 20 activists from the Left Democratic Force (LDF) held a demonstration at the State Grahadi Building wearing bamboo hats traditionally worn by farmers.
Newly-elected Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said he would consider becoming a globe-trotting advocate for moderate Islam, promoting peace in hotspots such as the Middle East.
Yudhoyono said he wanted Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, to be a model for moderate Islamic democracy.
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – Employers can no longer dismiss striking workers or those implicated in crimes without due process of law, the Constitutional Court ruled on Thursday.
The press in our former colony, the tiny East Timor, is much more free than ours; the new nation ranks number 57 together with Ghana and a notch above Thailand on a newly released list that ranks 167 countries.
Ivy Susanti, Jakarta – The Indonesian government will review the visa procedures for foreign diplomats to facilitate their travel to Indonesia, particularly Aceh, foreign affairs minister Hassan Wirayuda said on Thursday.
Hassan was commenting on an appeal by the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the European Union (EU).
[The following report was filed by the Aceh Working Group on 18 October, following their investigation of three places of detention, in Aceh and Java. The Group investigated 71 cases of persons who were repeatedly beaten and subjected to torture, both during interrogation as well as after having been tried in court, on charges of involvement in GAM, the Free Aceh Movement.]
October 28, 2004
Muninggar Sri Saraswati – Press freedom in Indonesia remains under serious threat due to the existence of outdated laws, and killings and physical attacks targeting journalists, an international press organization has said in a report.
Radical Islamic cleric Abu Bakar Baasyir says charges that he was behind the deadly Bali and Marriott Hotel bombings were trumped up by US President George W. Bush and his "slave" Australian Prime Minister John Howard.
Flamboyan, Jakarta – The head of the European Union's Troika Delegation, Bernard Bot, said on Thursday October 28 that they were interested in visiting Aceh and West Papua.
Meriam Debora, Jakarta – Moves to nominate Indonesia as the head of the United Nations Human Rights Commission and as a permanent member of the Security Council are presumptuous because of the many cases of human rights violations in Indonesia which have yet to be resolved.
Rowan Callick/Melbourne and John McBeth/Jakarta – Fresh from a re-election victory, Australian Prime Minister John Howard's government is raising the prospect of stronger security cooperation with Indonesia's new administration to boost anti-terrorism efforts – and even formalizing that cooperation in a comprehensive new defence treaty.
Sunariah, Jakarta – The Acehnese Popular Democratic Resistance Front (Front Perlawanan Demokratik Rakyat Aceh, FPDRA) has rejected a decision by the coordinating minister of politics, legal and security affairs to extend the civil emergency in Aceh.
Gary LaMoshi, Denpasar – Newly inaugurated Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, also known as SBY, is borrowing a page from another president known by his three initials: America's Franklin Delano Roosevelt, FDR (1933-1945).
The Golkar Party, which dominated Indonesian politics under former dictator Suharto, may have lost this year's presidential election but it now controls the lion's share of important posts in the national parliament.
October 27, 2004
Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – Five factions supporting President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono boycotted on Tuesday a House of Representatives (DPR) plenary meeting and refused to submit candidates names for the election of committee leaders.
Nani Farida and Tiarma Siboro, Banda Aceh/Jakarta – Peace, safety and justice for local officials implicated in corruption are all that the Acehnese are demanding from the Susilo administration as it prepares new policies for the province.
Luhur Hertanto, Jakarta – Home affairs minister M. Ma'ruf has prohibited all of the staff in his department from living with a women or men as man and wife without being officially married. In addition to this, Ma'ruf has also asked his staff not to receive presents or gifts in any form which can reasonably be believed to be related to their work as civil servants.
James Balowski, Jakarta – On October 20, former general Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono – popularly known as SBY – and business tycoon Jusuf Kalla were sworn in as Indonesia's first directly elected president and vice-president.
Indonesia's new President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has refused to accept the resignation of military chief General Endriartono Sutarto.
Abu Bakar Bashir, the Muslim cleric who was cleared last year of leading Jemaah Islamiah, goes on trial again on Thursday accused of involvement in the Bali and Marriott hotel bombings.
Sydney – As East Timor-like tragedies unfold in Aceh and Papua, at both ends of our giant and important neighbour, how real is the democratic transformation of Indonesia? What is the relationship between terrorist groups and the Indonesian military?
Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – The government is making the necessary preparations to facilitate the return of an estimated 160,000 Indonesian illegal workers from Malaysia to celebrate Idul Fitri in their home villages.
Rendi A. Witular, Jakarta – The new government under President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will push efforts to resolve protracted problems in state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in its first 100 days, in a bid to help the companies run their businesses more efficiently.
Palembang – More than half of South Sumatra's residents have no access to electricity, due to the remote locations of their homes, a senior government official said on Tuesday.
Of 1.1 million households in South Sumatra, 60 percent have no access to electricity, said chief of the South Sumatra administration's Village Electricity Program Zahirsyah.