Sydney – The widow of one of five Australia-based journalists shot dead in East Timor in 1975 says she is not surprised by new documents revealing the Australian and British governments colluded to cover up the killings.

Sarah Stephen – When seven asylum seekers from West Timor waded ashore near the Western Australian Aboriginal community of Kalumburu on November 5, immigration minister Amanda Vanstone declared that they were fishing, not seeking asylum. This fiction was maintained for 10 days by the immigration department (DIMIA).

Sean O'Neill – For 30 years Maureen Tolfree has suspected that the British Government lied to her about the death of her brother, Malcolm Rennie.

The release of the Foreign Office documents has whetted her appetite for more disclosures so that she knows the full truth about the deaths of Brian Peters and his colleagues.

Richard Lloyd Parry – The British Government knowingly lied about Indonesian atrocities in East Timor, including the killing of British journalists in 1975, according to newly released diplomatic documents.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – The former Aceh rebels will be free to celebrate the anniversary of their movement on Sunday as long as it does not rekindle separatism, the government says.

Tb. Arie Rukmantara, Jakarta – It is true what they say, "Money can't buy everything". As in the case of Probosutedjo, a businessman and half-brother of former president Soeharto, billions of rupiah "spent" to bribe prosecutors and judges could not get him exonerated.

Urip Hudiono, Jakarta – The Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) found 11 cases of irregularities in the management of state enterprise funds during the first semester of the year, with potential losses to the state amounting to Rp 2.59 trillion (US$258 million) and $39.1 million.

Amanda Freund, Newcastle – Newcastle City Council will fly the West Papuan flag from City Hall on December 1 as a gesture of support for the West Papuan people's struggle for independence from Indonesian rule.

Pip Hinman – The Melbourne-based Timor Sea Justice Campaign on November 23 described the Howard government's decision to discontinue funding to 13 East Timorese NGOs as "political interference".

Sian Powell and Richard Lloyd Parry – The Australian, British and US Governments and international arms makers should pay compensation for their part in Indonesia's brutal 24-year occupation of East Timor, a commission of inquiry has demanded.

Jakarta – Indonesian rights activists have condemned a recommendation by East Timor's president that a probe into past human rights violations in the world's youngest country be kept under wraps.

Kerryn Williams – On November 22, the US State Department decided to override restrictions on US-Indonesian military ties imposed by Congress less than two weeks earlier.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – Less than a week after the country refused entry to American researcher Sidney Jones, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono ordered the lifting of the ban on Tuesday, blaming the incident on the government of his predecessor Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice
US Department of State
2201 C Street, NW Washington, DC 20520

Dear Secretary Rice:

Tony Hotland and Blontank Poer, Jakarta/Surakarta – Apparently exhausted over pressure to bring the country's former authoritarian leader Soeharto to court over corruption allegations, the Attorney General's Office (AGO) said on Monday that the matter was now in the hands of the Supreme Court.

M. Azis Tunny, Ambon – Enraged by the arrest of terror suspect Syarif Tarabubun, hundreds of people attacked and burned down on Monday a Muslim boarding school believed to have been harboring terrorists.

John Aglionby – This Thursday, December 1, marks the 44th anniversary of the West Papuan people's declaration of independence from their Dutch colonial masters.

Jakarta – Creating internal conflicts within radical groups through infiltration is one of the strategies being pursued by the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) to fight terrorism, BIN director Maj. Gen. (ret) Syamsir Siregar said on Monday.

Jayapura, Jakarta – The central government must consistently implement the Special Autonomy Law in Papua in order to help quell the demands for independence for the resource-rich province, provincial governor Jacobus Perviddya Solossa said.

He said that special autonomy was aimed at effectively restoring the dignity of the Papuan people.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) is facing internal conflict following its patrons' decision to renew the party's support for the government.

Medan/Jakarta – The Indonesian Military (TNI) has warned former Aceh combatants against celebrating the anniversary of their organization, saying it would not be in accordance with the spirit of the peace agreement they signed in August.

Jakarta – As the forestry-based industry has yet to perform efficiently, the government should review its policy to increase next year's natural forest logging quota, an environmental organization says.

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – Recent raids conducted by city police and the immigration office have revealed thousands of foreigners staying in the capital either without proper permits or with expired permits.

Hera Diani, Jakarta – UNAIDS executive director Peter Piot could be in any city in the world for World AIDS Day, which falls on Thursday. But he has chosen to commemorate it here, in the capital of the world's fourth most populous nation, as it is "the new frontline of an AIDS epidemic".

Amnesty International is deeply concerned at President Xanana Gusmao's lack of political will to disseminate immediately to the public the recently completed final report of the Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation (Comissao de Acolhimento, Verdade e Reconciliacao de Timor Leste, CAVR) and at his apparent reluctance to support the report's recommendations pertaining to

Guido Guilliart, Dili – East Timor's president on Tuesday rejected recommendations made by a national commission to address human rights abuses carried out during Indonesia's 24 yearlong occupation, saying they could create anarchy.

John Aglionby, Jakarta – The East Timorese president, Xanana Gusmao, yesterday presented to parliament the long-awaited report of the nation's Reception, Truth and Reconciliation Commission but criticised many of the key recommendations and accused the commissioners of "grandiose idealism".

Richard Lloyd Parry – The British and American governments and international arms makers should pay compensation for their part in Indonesia's brutal 24-year occupation of East Timor, a commission of inquiry has demanded.

The Asia Pacific Solidarity Coalition (APSOC) is very alarmed that the United States is resuming military ties to Indonesia.

In a surprising and appalling move, the State Department waived all legislated restrictions on US military assistance for Indonesia on November 22. For the first time in over a decade, the Indonesian military is now eligible to receive Pentagon weapons and training without any specific human rights or other conditions.

Blontank Poer, Surakarta – The national celebration of Teacher Day turned sour on Sunday after a poetry-reading that was critical of the poor state of national education irked Vice President Jusuf Kalla.

New York – Today, President Kay Rala Xanana Gusmco presented the Timorese parliament and Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri with the final report of the Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation in Timor-Leste (CAVR in its Portuguese acronym).

Meidyatama Suryodiningrat, Jakarta – The decision by the US administration to resume arms sale and military financing to Indonesia is a foreign policy trophy for President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. It was even more significant since the decision was made through a special discretionary waiver granted to the executive to override certain restrictions of a law.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) very likely elicited a big sigh of relief from President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as the Muslim-based party reconfirmed its support for his government, at least for another year.

Wrapping up its two-day meeting, the influential PKS board of patrons unanimously agreed to grant Susilo a crucial vote of confidence.

Yemris Fointuna, Kupang – Former members of the pro-Jakarta militias that rampaged through East Timor in 1999 are forming an organization to protect the rights and privileges they feel the government they fought for is now denying them.

Dili – East Timorese police exchanged gunfire Monday with infiltrators who appeared to be pro-Indonesia militiamen, leaving one policeman wounded, an officer said.

Antony Barnett – British military equipment is being used by the Indonesian authorities against civilians in remote parts of the country.

Emmy F, Kupang – Feeling as if the government is treating him as a stepchild, former pro-Jakarta militia have reassembling their forces by forming the Ex-East Timor Forum for Struggle.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Vice President Jusuf Kalla has again proved himself to be a more than competent mediator, bringing together officials from Papua and the central government on Thursday and prodding them into an agreement on the legal basis for the controversial formation of West Irian Jaya province.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Concluding its two-day leadership meeting on Friday, the Golkar Party reaffirmed its position as the main supporter of the current administration as it seeks more seats in the Cabinet team.

Eva C. Komandjaja and Suherdjoko, Jakarta/Semarang – An attempt by the Ministry of Religious Affairs to ban Islamic books thought to foment radicalism has been opposed by a large Muslim organization that fears the move could prove counterproductive.

Dean Yates and Tomi Soetjipto, Jakarta – Indonesia will take tough action in its newly declared war on militant ideas that could include shutting an Islamic school co-founded by hardline jailed cleric Abu Bakar Bashir if serious teaching deviations are found, the vice president said on Saturday.

The United States' decision to restore military ties with Indonesia does more than draw a line under past human rights abuses in East Timor. It brings Indonesia's armed forces in from the cold after decades of embargoes and bans by Western governments.

[Tom Hyland Last Flight Out of Dili. By David Scott Pluto Press, $34.95.]

In late November 1975, with the Indonesian invasion just over a week away, David Scott was among a handful of Australians who witnessed the sad, defiant swearing-in ceremony of the cabinet of the doomed Democratic Republic of East Timor.

Jakarta/Semarang – The amount of money obtained by local terror groups, including Azahari's network, is substantial with a staggering US$75,000 channeled to the terror groups in the country in the past few years, BIN has revealed.

Jakarta – The Golkar Party is discussing whether to demand the corruption charges against former president and party leader Soeharto be dropped, or that the case should proceed to court.

Hera Diani, Jakarta – Entrenched cultural traditions as well as the religious teachings of certain religions here say it is causes dishonor if women publicly reveal things that will disgrace husband and family.

It is these two powerful pressures that keep many women from speaking out about domestic violence.

Importing rice, like raising fuel prices, is always politically controversial. However, the heightened political emotions set off by the importation earlier this month of 70,000 metric tons of rice from Vietnam seems to be inordinate.

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – To step up the fight against terrorism, the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) has demanded that intelligence units be empowered to be able to arrest and interrogate suspects for up to three days.

The request is likely to be accepted by legislators, despite strong reactions from human rights activists.

Tiarma Siboro and Tony Hotland, Jakarta – Military analysts cautiously responded to the United States' decision to resume lethal arms sales to Indonesia, warning that Jakarta may become trapped in Washington's foreign policy.