Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – The government should quickly solve the Munir murder and other outstanding human rights cases to avoid becoming the target of US Congressional sanctions after the Democrats take control of both chambers, experts warned Thursday.

The Australia West Papua Association spokesperson Joe Collins expressed grave concerns at the new security treaty with Indonesia.

AWPA is concerned that there is too much secrecy surrounding this security treaty. We do not know the full terms of this agreement or what the government is committing us to.

Andra Jackson – Australia was "killing off" democracy in Papua with its impending treaty with Indonesia, a Papuan leader has said in Melbourne.

Jakarta – The post-Idul Fitri influx of migrants to Jakarta may create opportunities for internal human trafficking from rural to urban areas, experts say.

Ary Hermawan, Jakarta – One of three militants charged with beheading three Christian schoolgirls last year in Poso carried out the attack as an "Idul Fitri gift" for Muslims, a Jakarta court heard Wednesday.

The outlook is bright on this side of the world for convicted murderers, particularly those who plot to assassinate the law enforcers who punished them for other crimes.

Multa Fidrus, Tangerang – A protest was staged Wednesday against the alleged assault of reporters by Air Force soldiers, who had been trying to stop them from covering an eviction at the force's housing complex in Neglasari subdistrict.

The Tangerang-based Journalists Working Group (Pokja) demanded that the Air Force Military Police investigate the case.

Damien Kingsbury – On Monday, Australia's Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, and Indonesia's Foreign Minister, Hassan Wirayuda, will sign a so-far secret treaty intended to bring the two countries closer together.

Mark Forbes, Jakarta – John Howard and Alexander Downer should trumpet a new security treaty with Indonesia, but their attempts to play down elements unpalatable to some Australians – suppressing support for Papuan activists and assisting Indonesia's nuclear ambitions – are disingenuous.

Reporter: Lynn Bell

Mark Colvin: The Prime Minister John Howard has welcomed a new Australian-Indonesian security treaty as a sign of the strengthening relationship between the two countries.

The Foreign Minister Alexander Downer will fly to Indonesia on Monday to sign the treaty with his Indonesian counterpart Hassan Wirajuda.

Mark Forbes, Jakarta – Australia will help Indonesia develop a nuclear program, conduct joint border protection patrols, expand military and intelligence ties and agree to suppress Papuan independence supporters under a historic security treaty to be signed on Monday.

The wife of an American man murdered in Indonesia's troubled Papua province four years ago says she's satisfied justice has been done in the trial which ended this week. Patsy Spier lost her husband Ricky and two close friends in the 2002 attack. The highly politicised case raised questions over the possible involvement of Indonesia's military.

Ahmad Pathoni, Jakarta – Most people in Indonesia's tsunami-hit Aceh province want to vote in December's landmark elections but many wrongly believe they are not registered to do so, a survey released on Wednesday showed.

Having conceded to Indonesian demands, the Howard Government has squandered an unprecedented opportunity to push for overdue reform in West Papua.

The proposed security agreement is nothing more than a cynical handshake with the Indonesian military, a recognised source of instability within our region.

The decision announced by the Indonesian police on 7 November that he would not allow any international involvement in efforts to investigate the murder of Munir will come as a huge disappointment to his widow, Suciwati, who has worked relentlessly since his murder more than two years ago for a thorough investigation into this politically-motivated murder.

Nani Afrida, Banda Aceh – Eight pairs of candidates are eligible to contest Aceh's Dec. 11 gubernatorial elections, the Aceh Independent Elections Commission declared Monday.

Among the hopefuls running for governor are a retired general and former head of the military district command and a former member of the rebel Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

Semarang – The number of people infected with tuberculosis has reached at least 34,761 in Central Java, an official said Monday.

Former East Timorese prime minister Mari Alkatiri has appeared under tight security escort at the General Prosecutor's Office for questioning over allegations of arming civilians during the May unrest.

Arriving in a government car under escort from several East Timorese security personnel and six Australian soldiers, Dr Alkatiri made no comment upon arrival.

Achmad Sukarsono, Jakarta – A Papuan separatist received a life sentence on Tuesday and six others were handed shorter jail terms for the murder of two Americans and an Indonesian four years ago near a massive US-operated mining complex.

Matthew Libbis – On 17 October, the United Nations's Independent Commission of Inquiry for Timor-Leste released its report into who was responsible for the violence of April and May this year. Fighting broke out in Dili the night after. It could almost have been an orchestrated exercise for the hundreds of international Joint Task Force (JTF) members who had arrived the day before.

Sydney – The democratic process has moved forward in Aceh province. The provincial election in Aceh will be held on 11 December 2006 after the Indonesian parliament endorsed the Law for the Aceh Government, on 12 July 2006.

This election was mandated in the peace agreement between the Indonesian government and Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in August 2005 in Helsinki.

Banda Aceh – A former Indonesian general and a separatist rebel are among eight candidates running for governor in the once-volatile province of Aceh next month, an election official said on Monday.

Jakarta – A senior Indonesian minister has promised the country will introduce new get-tough measures on human traffickers.

P. Parameswaran, Washington – Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono risks political backlash for failing to go after "big fish" under a promised anti-graft drive that propelled him to office, local and international experts say.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – The threat by Golkar Party politicians to withdraw support for the government in protest over the establishment of a controversial advisory team is a bluff, analysts say.

Niniek Karmini, Mantangai – Dozens of endangered orangutans have been driven from their dwindling jungle habitat in Borneo by months of land-clearing fires that have shrouded parts of the region in a choking haze, conservationists said Monday.

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – Indonesia has jumped to third place from 21st behind the United States and China as the world's top contributor of greenhouse gasses because of its clearing and burning of peatland areas, a conservation group and research institute say.

Jakarta – Indonesian Defence Minister Juwono Sudarsono said political or military issues would not be discussed during US President George W. Bush's impending visit. However, Sudarsono said Indonesia would declare its intent "to maintain good relations with all those who want to enter into partnerships with us, whether they are Russia, China, India or South Korea".

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Private labor exporters are unhappy with a new government policy that requires the businesses to have a minimum capital of Rp 3 billion and pay a Rp 500 million deposit to the government.

The Regional Investment Forum here last week presented several business-friendly provincial governors and regional officials, who fully realize that conducive policies and bureaucratic and regulatory environments are more effective than natural resources in attracting investment.

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – Vice President Jusuf Kalla made sure on Friday that no one, including President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, could defy him without risking a political scandal.

Yemris Fointuna, Kupang – After a lengthy drought the situation in East Nusa Tenggara has become critical, with tens of thousands of hectares of paddy fields drying up and residents facing water shortages.

Nani Afrida, Banda Aceh – Aceh's first-ever direct elections are scheduled for December, yet many eligible voters may be unable to cast ballots because they have not registered.

Hamish McDonald – With the near Pacific going pear-shaped on just about every front for Canberra, let us take a look at the crisis that kicked off the year, the Indonesian province of Papua.

Jakarta – Stay-at-home mom Wahyuni looked relieved as she walked away from the pawnshop in Senen, Central Jakarta. "Thank God, now I will be able to pay for my child's diploma," said the resident of the municipality's subdistrict of Kali Pasir.

Yuli Tri Suwarni, Bandung – Representatives of the Bogor municipal administration in West Java province, the police and Indonesian Military (TNI) have been holding a number of meetings ahead of President George W. Bush's visit to the Bogor Palace at the end of this month.

Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – The government says it will begin offering farmers incentives to stop clearing land using fire, as part of efforts to stop the annual haze that has become a regional problem.

Planned incentives include providing productive crop seedlings and grants to farmers, according to an official at the State Ministry for the Environment.

James Dunn – For Prime Minister John Howard, the recent Pacific Forum meeting must have been a rather uncomfortable experience. It should also have been a learning experience, a warning that Australians cannot take these small states for granted.

Jakarta – Three Muslim men have been charged in the beheadings of three Christian girls in an Indonesian province fraught with sectarian tension, and the suspects could face death sentences if convicted, lawyers said Friday.

Ridwan Max Sijabat and Nani Afrida, Jakarta/Banda Aceh – The European Union election monitoring mission is upbeat Aceh's first direct elections, scheduled for December, will proceed peacefully.

Benget Simbolon Tnb., Jakarta – Transportation Minister Hatta Rajasa assured investors Wednesday that private firms – both local and foreign – would still be allowed to own up to 100 percent of infrastructure projects despite the upcoming amendment of the existing transportation legislation.

Urip Hudiono, Jakarta – Two key economics ministers have given assurances that Indonesia is committed to addressing the concerns of investors hoping to participate in infrastructural development in Indonesia, having instituted a number of significant reforms over the past year.

Victor Tjahjadi, Jakarta – Indonesia has sought to reassure investors attending a key infrastructure summit that the government is fighting hard to end corruption and slash red tape in Southeast Asia's largest economy.

Indra Harsaputra, Sidoarjo – Residents of Jatirejo village in Sidoarjo, East Java, took to the streets Wednesday after a monthlong break for Ramadhan, accusing Lapindo Brantas Inc., the company blamed for the mudflow disaster, of failing to meet its promises to compensate victims whose properties have been engulfed by the mud.

Dili – Stone-throwing between two street-roaming youth gangs in the capital of East Timor Thursday marred an otherwise peaceful celebration of a major Catholic holiday in the tiny restive nation.

Ary Hermawan, Jakarta – Breaking a long silence on the issue, the Justice and Human Rights Ministry promised Wednesday to review regional bylaws accused of discriminating against minority groups.

Justice and Human Rights Minister Hamid Awaluddin said he would coordinate with the Home Affairs Ministry, which has repeatedly promised to look over the bylaws.

Tangerang – A total of 6,500 employees of PT Dong Joe Indonesia, which produces Reebok sports apparel, have been out of work since the factory owners fled to their home country, Korea.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Miner PT Freeport McMoran Indonesia and pulp and paper company PT Kiani Kertas have denied a labor union's claim they intimidated or dismissed workers who tried to organize.

Ary Hermawan, Jakarta – Seven Papuans arrested over the 2002 killings of two Americans and their Indonesian colleague in Papua declined to enter a plea of not guilty Tuesday, saying they were victims of a political deal between Jakarta and Washington.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Social scientists warned Tuesday that Indonesia's social problems will get worse over the next 10 years because the bulk of the 11 million unemployed will be aged between 15 and 24 years old.

They said such a situation could spur political instability in line with widespread poverty and other social ills.