Agustina Wayansari, Jakarta – "My boyfriend asked me to do squats to get the sperm out so that I wouldn't fall pregnant," said a university student in a recent survey on sex, sexuality and reproductive health in several urban cities in Central Java.

Jakarta – A recent national survey has shown if the national election was to be held this month, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) would beat the Golkar Party and the Democratic Party.

The survey said there were definite factors that had strengthened PDI-P's prospects for gaining a majority vote in the national election.

Jakarta – The secretary of Garuda Indonesia chief pilot Rohainil Aini testified Tuesday that she falsified an assignment letter a few days after the Sept. 7, 2004 death of Munir Said Thalib on a Garuda Airways flight to Amsterdam.

Abandons human rights for Indonesia to train its worst military and police units

Human rights advocates have learned that the US is training members of Kopassus, the notorious Indonesian Special Forces unit with a long record of human rights violations. The similarly-brutal Brimob, the para-military mobile police brigade, is receiving training as well.

Jakarta – Government officials called for more participation from female educators in efforts to establish a gender-equal education system during the "National Policy Dialog on Gender Equality in Education" in Central Jakarta on Tuesday.

Denpasar – Three Indonesian Islamic militants facing execution for the 2002 Bali bombings will get one month to seek presidential clemency after being officially notified of the rejection of their final appeal, a prosecutor said on Wednesday.

Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – Doni Daulay was hesitant to walk close to Merdeka Square in Medan, North Sumatra, on Tuesday, which was being tightly guarded by a security unit.

The square was being guarded because President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is scheduled to officially open the ceremony commemorating Social Solidarity Day there Wednesday.

Jakarta – Indonesian women still lack legal protection because law enforcers remain gender biased, the National Commission on Violence Against Women said Tuesday.

Jakarta – One-hundred-and-sixty local-government water firms (PDAM) in Indonesia, or about 75 percent of the 223 audited by the Development Finance Controller (BPKP), performed poorly this year.

American Samoa Congressman Faleomavaega has written to the Indonesian President expressing his disappointment over a recent trip to Papua, and saying until he can visit Papua properly, he can't advocate support for the Special Autonomy Law in Congress.

Jakarta – Reconstruction in ravaged areas of the Indonesian coastline is on track nearly three years after the Indian Ocean tsunami, a key group of international donors said Tuesday.

The Multi Donor Fund (MDF) of foreign nations and international financial institutions paid out 270 million dollars between May 2005 and September this year, a progress report said.

Desy Nurhayati, Jakarta – Indonesia should double its budget for reproductive health services in order to reduce the country's maternal mortality rate, said United Nation Population Fund (UNFPA) representative in Indonesia Zahidul Huque here Monday.

Nurul Hidayati, Jakarta – Two days before the start of the Idul Adha, Christmas and New Year holiday period, Jakarta will be hit by all sorts of protest actions on Tuesday December 18. Take a look at the list of demonstration posted by the Metro Jaya regional police Traffic Control Centre so that you don't get caught up in the current:

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Jakarta – As a city riddled with sanitation-related diseases such as diarrhea and dengue fever, the Jakarta administration needs to start working with the public, private companies and non-governmental organizations to build a better sanitation system, an expert has said.

Jakarta – Dozens of residents blocked Jl. Medan Merdeka Selatan outside City Hall on Monday while demanding the postponement of a plan to evict residents from their homes in Rawa Badung, East Jakarta.

Head of the residents' group, Eddy Pardede, said the eviction was scheduled for Tuesday.

Yuli Tri Suwarni, Bandung – Traders from nine traditional markets in Bandung staged a rally at the West Java Legislative council Monday demanding that the government stop issuing building permits for malls.

Washington – Lawmakers have agreed to boost military aid to Indonesia and the Philippines, but some of the money would be contingent on human rights improvements.

They also decided to bar all but a small amount of military aid to Sri Lanka until the Bush administration has certified that the Sri Lankan government had made certain improvements in its human rights practices.

Increased US support for the Indonesia military is not the way to promote reform or human rights accountability. In fact, the history of the US-Indonesia relationship demonstrates the exact opposite. Since the Bush Administration waived all restrictions (November 2005), military reform in Indonesia and human rights accountability for past violations have stalled or gone backwards.

Thalif Deen, United Nations – When UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon paid his first official visit to East Timor (Timor-Leste) last week, he was conscious of the growing demands for accountability for crimes committed during Indonesia's invasion and subsequent occupation of that relatively new nation state.

Stephen Fitzpatrick, Dili – In East Timor, they say, you only really know a man once he's betrayed you. Until then, you can never be entirely sure where he stands.

Dili – A rebel soldier wanted on murder charges in East Timor has one "last chance" to surrender peacefully with his armed supporters or face the government's response, Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao said Sunday.

Alfian, Jakarta – Two researchers from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) proposed Saturday public policy models to tackle wide economic differences in the country.

Hari Susanto and Jusmaliani spoke at a ceremony that installed them as new research professors in regional economics and industrial economics respectively at LIPI.

Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono held a meeting with some 300 retired generals of the Indonesian Military and the National Police at the National Military Academy (AMN) in Magelang, Central Java, on Sunday.

Sofian, Jakarta – Seven different protest actions will be held by a variety of social organisations in Jakarta today. Based on information from the Metro Jaya regional police Traffic Management Centre (TMC), two of the demonstration will be held at the city hall and three at the Supreme Court.

Slamet Susanto, Yogyakarta – Young members of the country's second largest Muslim organization, Muhammadiyah, announced Sunday the establishment of the Matahari Bangsa Party (PMB) at the Jogja Expo Center in Yogyakarta.

Congressman Eni F. H. Faleomavaega
Territory of American Samoa
US House of Representatives

Karen Michelmore, Jakarta – Australia's relationship with Indonesia is full of new promise. A new year, and a new Australian prime minister and foreign minister, offer scope for a fresh chapter in at-times tricky bilateral ties.

Jakarta – The large number of incumbent officials that have been loosing in regional elections is being caused by a number of factors, including the public's rejection of status quo forces and a desire to vote for new leaders. The preferences for a new face is originating from the floating masses whose numbers are considerable.

Neles Tebay, Abepura, Papua – Papua holds one of the largest areas of forest in the Asia Pacific region. It is also both a home and the grounds for a livelihood for some of the world's most culturally diverse indigenous peoples.

Alfian, Jakarta – The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas-HAM) has said it will investigate reports on the increasing incidence of forced closings of churches.

The commission will act on a complaint filed Friday by leaders of the Communion of Indonesian Churches (PGI) and the Indonesian Bishops Conference (KWI).

Cilacap – A controversial Indonesian Muslim cleric warned on Saturday that the country would suffer a big disaster if three Bali bombers on death row were executed.

Jakarta – Jakarta's pipe water users may not be getting any water at all next year if the administration does not bring the supply to a potable level.

The government regulation on the water supply system states that by Jan. 1, water sold to consumers must conform to the potable water standard.

Angela Maria Flassy, Jayapura, Papua – State prosecutors seized Friday 60 copies of a book they say could divide Papua politically, while critics have accused them of robbing local people of their freedom of expression.

Jakarta – Religious and anticorruption activists are calling for an end to the monopoly of the Religious Affairs Ministry over haj management so pilgrims can have better service.

Indonesian Corruption Watch's (ICW) public services head, Ade Irawan, said here Thursday that monopolistic, opaque government policy made the haj management vulnerable to corruption.

Jakarta – Human rights watchdog Imparsial is seeking to appeal a court ruling that rejected its lawsuit against a senior Indonesian intelligence official.

Jakarta – Law and media experts agreed Thursday that a freedom of information law – not yet passed – should cover state-owned companies, but with some exceptions.

Frans Hendra Winarta of the Indonesian Law Commission said there were two reasons why state-owned companies should be included in the bill.

Jakarta – Officials have said that the Indonesian Military's plans to possibly allow Muslim female personnel to wear the headscarf outside of Aceh could raise "insignificant" discussions.

Jakarta – Imbalances between development and environmental conservation in Jakarta may lead to several major floods in the city in coming years, a hydrology expert said.

Climate change is also increasing the likelihood of floods occurring in the capital, Firdaus Ali from the Regulatory Body for Jakarta's Water Supply said Thursday.

Maryadi, Jakarta – Jakarta never seems to be free from protest actions. Not a day goes by without demonstrations, including today, Friday December 14.

Stephen Fitzpatrick, Dili – East Timorese President Jose Ramos Horta will tell Kevin Rudd today that he expects Australian troops to stay in the country for at least another year.

Dili – Australia's prime minister and the United Nations chief on Friday pledged continued support for East Timor to ensure peace and stability in the tiny nation.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has given his strongest indication yet that Australian troops will remain in East Timor until 2009.

Dili – Prime Minister Kevin Rudd today said he'd discussed the 1975 deaths of five Australian-based journalists in East Timor with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

NSW Deputy Coroner Dorelle Pinch last month found the Balibo Five were deliberately killed by Indonesian troops to cover up the invasion of East Timor.

The Rudd government appears to be backing away from any government involvement in prosecutions relating to the death of five Australian-based newsmen in East Timor in 1975.

Last month, NSW deputy coroner Dorelle Pinch found the men, known as the Balibo Five, were deliberately killed by Indonesian troops in 1975 to cover up the invasion of East Timor.

Nusa Dua, Bali – Anti-nuclear activists have expressed their strong opposition to the use of nuclear energy to mitigate the impact of climate change. They condemned such an option saying it would only aggravate the already worsening climate situation.

Adianto P. Simamora, Nusa Dua, Bali – Indonesia, home to more than 200 million people is ranked third among the world's nations most affected by extreme weather events due to climate change.

The archipelago comes after the Philippines and the Democratic Republic of Korea, where climate change has affected thousands of people, mostly through flooding, a report says.

Jakarta – A senior executive of Golkar, the country's largest political party, said Wednesday maintaining the pairing of current President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Jusuf Kalla was the most rational strategy for winning the 2009 presidential election.

A Papuan human rights campaigner has been formally charged with insulting Indonesia's president in a series of mobile phone SMS text messages.

Ruslan Sangadji, Poso – Religious figures in Central Sulawesi see the security situation in Poso regency as improved and large-scale violence a thing of the past.

Urip Hudiono, Jakarta – Investments and exports are expected to contribute more to Indonesia's economic growth next year, giving an additional boost to the slow but sure revival in consumption, a central bank official says.