Lhokseumawe – Aceh Separatist Movement (GSA) members may have infiltrated Acehnese society over the past few weeks to obtain newly issued "red-and-white" citizen's cards, a military officer said.

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – Politicians have blocked public demands for transparency in the campaign funds channeled to and spent by presidential candidates, casting doubt over their commitment to a fair and honest election, observers say.

Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – A group of senior Indonesian MPs is in the spotlight after media reports here said that they and their families had lived it up on a recent tour of Europe at taxpayers' expense.

Jakarta – The media criticized on Friday new guidelines for media coverage in Aceh, saying that rules were effectively hampering the press from obtaining balanced reports on the current integrated operations in the conflict-torn province.

Nothing fades as fast as an international crisis that seems to be settled, as proved by the almost complete disappearance of East Timor from Australian newspapers and television screens. James Dunn's updating of his history to cover its foundation as an independent nation reminds us of its continuing importance to international politics.

Marianne Kearney – One year after formal independence and almost four years after East Timorese voted in a United Nations-backed referendum to split from its former occupier Indonesia, the world's newest nation is still dirt poor.

Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – Sobbing witnesses, lawyers walking out in protest against the judges' decision, and a defendant who never looked up from a book he was reading throughout the trial – even courtroom scenes in television soaps are rarely this exciting.

Jakarta – FBI agents have returned to Indonesia to investigate the killing last August of two American schoolteachers in restive Papua province, an issue Washington has said could seriously affect bilateral ties.

Jakarta/Medan – Indonesia marked International Anti-drug Day 2003 on Thursday with grave concerns about the rapid growth in the drug trade.

National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said the fact that half the prisons across the country were housing large numbers of drug convicts proved that drug abuse was a serious challenge facing the police.

Hanoi – President Megawati Soekarnoputri deplored US Secteraty of State Colin Powell's statement on alleged human rights abuses in Papua province, especially in the Timika ambush which killed two Americans and an Indonesian.

"I think Mr.Colin Powell exaggerated things somewhat," the Indonesian head of state told a press briefing at Melia Hotel here Thursday evening.

Jakarta – Twenty bodies were uncovered in two mass graves in Aceh province, police said yesterday, as President Megawati Sukarnoputri warned that a military offensive against rebels in the region may be extended.

Martial law authorities in Indonesia's Aceh have further tightened restrictions on foreign journalists and overseas non-government organisations (NGOs).

A'an Suryana, Takengon – Tens of thousands of Central Aceh residents thronged Gelanggang Musara Alun soccer field in Bebesen district on Thursday for a rally against the separatist movement in the province.

Kafil Yamin, Jakarta – Indonesia's armed forces might be winning the propaganda war in Aceh, thanks to "embedded" journalists, but activists warn that peace remains out of sight after more than a month of military operations. Instead, they say, the offensive in Aceh province that began on May 19 has taken a severe toll on civilians and on the rule of law.

Jakarta – A Japanese photojournalist has been arrested in the war-torn Aceh , apparently for working without a permit, police and the military said on Friday.

"He is now apparently being detained in South Aceh. We're checking it," Aceh police spokesman Sayed Husaini told AFP. He did not give further details.

Kasparman, Padang – Hundreds of people in Padang, West Sumatra clashed on Wednesday with security officers over a housing dispute, causing 20 people to be arrested by the police.

Vannessa Hearman – On the eve of an official visit to Jakarta, Timorese PM Mari Alkatiri on May 30 called for an international tribunal in a "neutral country" to try those responsible for serious crimes in his country in 1999. He likened the current Indonesian trials to "a piece of theatre".

An Indonesian Muslim cleric accused of leading a terror network accused the United States of orchestrating his treason trial to stop him fighting for the establishment of Islamic law.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – The Ministry of Justice and Human Rights is drafting tough regulations to limit the presence of foreign non-governmental organization (NGO) activists in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, further closing the province to independent scrutiny.

Jakarta – An international ratings agency said Thursday it may upgrade Indonesia's credit ratings but warned that the country remains vulnerable to "unforeseen shocks." Moody's Investors Service said in a statement it is reviewing four ratings for a possible upgrade following a substantial cut in government debt ratios and reduced external vulnerability.

How would you characterize a typical government worker in Indonesia? If Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno has his way, a typical civil servant would be loyal to the cause of the unitary state (however the minister defines "loyal"), but would still be corrupt. You can throw in lazy for good measure, to complete the picture.

Jakarta – Indonesia's parliament is to summon President Megawati Sukarnoputri to explain the loss of two islands to Malaysia, reports said yesterday.

Parliament wants Ms Megawati to elaborate on the loss of Sipadan and Ligitan islands following a World Court decision last December, the Jakarta Post and the state Antara news agency reported.

Alan Sipress, Jakarta – Five years after Gen. Suharto was ousted and a newly democratic Indonesia pledged to reform the military, the ambitious effort has largely stalled and the generals are resurgent, according to Indonesian and Western analysts.

Journalists who are based in Lhokseumawe boycotted on Wednesday a press briefing at the military operation center in protest over unfair treatment they received from military operation commander Brig. Gen. Bambang Darmono.

Zakki Hakim, Jakarta – "We chose to go to court because we didn't want to bribe the traffic police officer. But it turned out that people here ask for more money than the police do," a 66-year-old man, who was accompanying his son, said angrily in front of the East Jakarta District Court.

The disastrous failure of Indonesia's ad hoc human rights court for East Timor to provide justice for the victims of human rights atrocities in East Timor has heightened fears of increased military oppression in areas such as West Papua.

John Aglionby, Jakarta – Indonesia's government risks poisoning a large proportion of the population unless it alters its attitude to the environment, the World Bank warned yesterday as it launched its first environmental report on the world's fourth most populous country.

Jakarta – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is to release $US486 million to Indonesia as part of its ninth review of Indonesia performance.

The executive board of the IMF announced yesterday the completion of its latest review, which opens the way for release of a further US$486 million in loans.

Health officials in Indonesia's conflict-hit Aceh province have treated thousands of refugees for illnesses since they were moved into camps around the province to avoid fighting, an official said Wednesday.

James Balowski, Jakarta – It has now been a month since martial law was declared in Indonesia's northern-most province of Aceh. But the "integrated operation" launched by the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) to smash the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and win the hearts and minds of the Acehnese people has, if anything, only succeeded in alienating them further.

The spectre of past human rights abuses in East Timor and West Papua haunts the people of Aceh, where the Indonesian armed forces have begun attacking and murdering civilians as part of its crackdown on pro-independence fighters. John Martinkus, who risked his life in entering the rebellious province, details a disturbing but all-too-familiar picture of military atrocities.

Jakarta – Indonesians might have forgotten the bloody attack at Tembagapura, Papua, 10 months ago. But Americans, or at least the US Senate, have not.

Sri Wahyuni, Yogyakarta/Jakarta – Chairman Ahmad Syafii Maarif of Muhammadiyah, the country's second largest Muslim organization, reiterated on Monday his call for the government to end the war in Aceh and reopen dialog with the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

Nisam – An American holed up with rebels in Aceh province presented himself on Tuesday to the Indonesian Military which has threatened to prosecute him for allegedly spying.

Up to 90 human rights organisations, anti-arms trade and anti-war groups have demanded an international embargo against selling arms to Indonesia

The British-based Indonesia Human Rights Campaign says the appeal, which includes groups from Europe, North America, Asia and Australia, is a response to Indonesian military campaigns in Aceh and Papua.

Matthew Moore, Jakarta – The Indonesian army has sent dozens of British-made Scorpion tanks to Aceh ignoring concerns that it is defying British conditions of sale designed to prevent human rights abuses.

The TNI military spokesman for Aceh, Colonel Ditya Soedarsono, said the army had landed the tanks at the weekend to battle separatist rebels (GAM).

Berni K. Moestafa, Lhokseumawe – The Indonesian Military (TNI) has asked foreign and Indonesian journalists working for foreign media to temporarily leave Aceh, following a recent presidential decree that restricts foreign news coverage of the ongoing operation to crush separatists.

Jim Lobe, Washington – Some 90 human rights, peace, and church groups around the world are calling for an international military embargo against Indonesia in light of its current counter-insurgency campaigns in Aceh and West Papua provinces and military-backed violence in other parts of the country.

Derwin Pereira, Jakarta – It comes as no surprise that Indonesian legislators are crying foul over the government's decision to buy Russian fighter jets.

Tokyo – President Megawati Soekarnoputri said Tuesday the Asia Development Bank (ADB) will likely play a key role in reforming Indonesia after a major IMF programme expires at the end of the year.

Megawati, on the third of a four-day official trip to Japan, met Japanese Finance Minister Masajuro Shiokawa at the state guest house.

Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – Millions of Indonesian civil servants nationwide will be subject to government screening starting next month to prove their loyalty to the nation.

The man accused of masterminding the Bali bombings has alleged that police interrogators tortured him into confessing a role in the attacks.

Macau – Dili's foreign minister, Josi Ramos Horta, said Monday that East Timor would likely be admitted to ASEAN's Regional Forum security structure next year, with hopes of obtaining formal observer's status in ASEAN by 2006.

Luhut M.P. Pangaribuan, Jakarta – The martial law in the province of Aceh was issued in a decree signed by President Megawati Soekarnoputri. The decision was taken based on the reasoning that a comprehensive approach and dialog had failed to change the separatist intentions of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) from unitary state of Indonesia (NKRI).

One month has passed since the "integrated operations" under the auspices of a military emergency were launched to settle the Aceh conflict once and for all, and the question has become, are we moving closer to a solution? Judging by the latest events and most recent statements, it is anybody's guess.

Lhokseumawe – Three dozen British-made Scorpion tanks have joined Indonesian troops in Aceh to fight local separatists, risking further dispute with the European country.

The heavily armed tanks arrived on Sunday as part of the reinforcements from the West Java-based First Cavalry Battalion of the Army Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad).

Jakarta – For the first time since violent clashes broke out between Muslims and Christians on Indonesia's Ambon island in 1999, members of both communities are jointly cleaning mosques and churches.

About 400 Muslims and Christians from Ambon's Sirimau sub-district joined soldiers and officials to clean churches and mosques, the state Antara news agency reported.

East Timor won huge goodwill as it launched into independence. But Asia-Pacific editor Rowan Callick has discovered, in investigating a deeply troubled Australian venture there, that the tasks of winning business confidence and creating the rule of law are, for now, proving too hard.

Moch. N. Kurniawan, Jakarta – Hazardous industrial waste is becoming an increasing threat to the country's biggest cities, including Jakarta, Semarang in Central Java, and Surabaya in East Java, according to an expert.

Jakarta – The government will administer a nationalism test to all civil servants throughout the country from July 1 through July 31 to ensure that all state employees are completely loyal to the unitary republic of Indonesia, the home affairs minister disclosed on Sunday.