Muhamad Ali, Hawaii – The fatwas (edicts) issued by the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) concerning intra and inter-religious issues in the country have generated concerns and criticisms from other scholars and the public, and clearly demonstrates that there is still a semantic and intellectual gap among the religious elites themselves about how to deal with religious diversity and f

Israr Iskandar, Jakarta – Indonesian leaders were quite disturbed on hearing that two members of the US House of Representatives had questioned the status of Papua within the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI). Under Bill No. 2601, the US House cast doubt on the effectiveness of Papua's special autonomy and disputed the presence of this territory within NKRI.

Jakarta – Despite the ongoing controversy surrounding the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI)'s edicts against secularism, pluralism and liberalism, the Indonesian Council for Islamic Propagation (DDII) will fully support the MUI in its "war on deviant thoughts", a top preacher said on Sunday.

Abdul Khalik and Yuli Tri Suwarni, Jakarta/Bandung – Over 5,000 members of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and Nahdhatul Ulama (NU) gathered on Sunday in Depok, West Java, to protest a court ruling that declared Golkar Party candidate Badrul Kamal the winner of the June 26 Depok mayoral election.

In simultaneous rallies in Depok and Jakarta, hundreds of supporters of Nur Mahmudi Ismail on Saturday staged protests over the West Java High Court verdict overturning election results for the first directly elected Depok mayor.

Jerry Norton, Jakarta – Optimistic talk that a decades-long simmering civil war in Indonesia's Aceh province is about to end. A peace pact brokered in Europe. International monitors set to make sure the warring sides follow through.

That's the background to a deal set for signing by Indonesia's government and Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels in Helsinki on Aug. 15.

Lhokseumawe – According to Iskandar Muda Military chief Maj. Gen. Supiadin AS, the Indonesian Military (TNI) has withdrawn its troops from the forests and villages of Aceh.

This is aimed at giving members of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) the opportunities to gather and ready themselves to collect their weapons and matters.

Jakarta – The highest Islamic authority in Indonesia has been criticised by the world's largest Muslim organisation over its controversial edicts against "liberal Islamic thought," a report says.

The Indonesian Ulema Council last week issued 11 edicts to fight "deviance and secularism" in the world's largest Muslim-populated nation.

Jakarta/Bandung/Surabaya – More criticism has been levied against the controversial edicts issued by the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), this time from the world's largest Muslim organization, Nahdhatul Ulama (NU), which has around 40 million members.

Jakarta – After seven long hours, the members of the Islamic Liberal Network (JIL) felt relieved, at least for the day.

And so did some 300 people gathered outside the Utan Kayu Community complex to express their support for JIL following rumors of a planned attack by hard-liners after Friday prayers.

Fearing escalating tension in Depok following the court ruling that overturned the result of the June 26 mayoral election, the Jakarta Police called on Depok residents to stay calm, while saying that police would send more personnel.

Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Firman Gani said the police would maintain a high alert in the Depok mayoralty.

Michelle Janowitz – With many companies engaged in an endless quest to secure successful low-cost solutions for running their business, outsourcing has inevitably developed into one of the more popular ways to drive company costs down.

Jakarta – Budianto and Sugito, two victims of mystery shooting incidents in Poso on Thursday (04/08), were key witnesses in several terrorism case in the conflict area.

Central Sulawesi Police chief Brig. Gen. Arjanto Sutadi said on Friday (05/008) that 13 witnesses had been questioned in these cases.

Tiarma Siboro and ID Nugroho, Jakarta/Surabaya – Top members of the Papuan Tribal Council (DAP) met with Vice President Jusuf Kalla on Friday and asked the government to immediately hold a significant review of its special autonomy policy in the province, otherwise the campaign for independence of the resource-rich province would become stronger.

Comrades,

Ruslan Sangadji, Poso – Another wave of terror hit the city of Poso in Central Sulawesi when two men were shot dead by unidentified people on Wednesday night and early Thursday morning.

Budianto, 26, an ojek (motorcycle taxi) driver, was shot while eating dinner with his wife and child at 8:30 p.m. local time on Wednesday in his house in Gebang Rejo, Poso Kota.

Jakarta – A United States Congressman assured Indonesia on Thursday of his country's support for the territorial integrity of this country, which has been plagued by secessionist movements for decades.

Alisa P, Jakarta – The demilitarisation phase covered under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement will proceed over a period of three months.

Jambi/Yogyakarta – Nurhayati looks worried and seems reluctant to go to school. The 11-year-old sixth grader has reason to worry. She does not have the money to pay her teacher at SDN 51/IV elementary school in Telanaipura district in Jambi city for textbooks.

AK-7 & AK-26, Lhokseumawe – Speaking in Lhokseumawe on Friday August 5, the commander of the Iskandar Muda territorial military command, Major General Supiadin AS, said that there are parties who want to thwart the signing of the peace agreement between Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) on August 15.

Indonesia and East Timor have formally opened a truth commission to look into Jakarta's bloody handling of Timor's independence vote in 1999.

Kuta – The truth commission looking into Jakarta's bloody handling of East Timor's push for independence has a tough job ahead of it, the chairman of the newly established body said Friday after its first meeting.

Figures from various religions, including Muslim scholars Dawam Rahardjo and Syafii Anwar, and priest Anand Krishna, attended the event on Thursday.

August 15th, 2005 may possibly – hopefully – be recorded as a day of peace in Indonesian history books. Two days ahead of the 60th anniversary of Indonesia's independence, the government is going to sign a peace accord with the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). The bloody conflict in Indonesia's westernmost province that has lasted for more than 30 years may thus soon be past.

Jakarta – A senior US defense official on Wednesday expressed optimism that Washington would restore full military cooperation with Indonesia, citing the country's moves towards democracy.

Jakarta – Indonesia may need three to four years to become a net oil exporter again, with new oil refinery projects expected to shore up domestic fuel supplies, said Finance Minister Jusuf Anwar.

'We're trying to open new refineries to add production, so that within three to four years we are back to being a net oil exporter,' Anwar said last night.

The Right Hon Jack Straw MP
Foreign Secretary
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
King Charles Street
London SW1

Dear Mr Straw,

I wish to draw your attention to the grave situation in West Papua and the many reports we have been receiving recently of growing tension there.

Michael Vatikiotis, Jakarta – Every city has a heart; Jakarta's is a concrete overpass called Semanggi – the Indonesian word for cloverleaf. Its place in the nation's history far outweighs its mundane function of funneling traffic north and south, east and west.

Fred Dove (Presenter): In the far corner of South East Asia the island of New Guinea is divided into West Papua and Papua New Guinea. While the latter is independent, West Papua, a former Dutch colony, has been officially part of Indonesia since the so-called Act of Free Choice referendum in 1969.

Miswar, Banda Aceh – August 15 will be a historical moment for the Acehnese people, because on that day the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and the Indonesian government will be signed.

Jakarta – Foreign countries still recognise Papua as part of Indonesia, said Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda in response to the US Lower House's recent bill questioning the validity of the 1969 referendum in Papua, in which Papua locals voted unanimously to join Indonesia.

Yuswardi A.Suud, Banda Aceh – After being withdrawn from the forests and mountains of Aceh, TNI (armed forces) troops will be placed in posts on the outskirts of the forests and only allowed to move within a radius of 750 metres from their post.

Niken Widya Yunita, Jakarta – The position of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) faction, which has persisted in opposing negotiations between the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), has received a cool response from the government.

AK-25, Jakarta – The defense department is still pursuing its plan for budget increases for the security operation in Aceh. A budget of as much as 526 billion rupiah is needed to pay for troops and the military operation in Aceh until December 2005.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – Human rights activists have urged the government to release all Aceh civilians accused of involvement in the separatist group there after a peace deal is signed later this month.

Jakarta – In an apparent attempt to calm the public, the government says it will refrain from paying too much attention to a move to question Indonesia's sovereignty over Papua.

Last week's disclosure of indications of money laundering involving hundreds of billions of rupiah related to the personal accounts of 15 police officers is the biggest test yet of the leadership and integrity of new National Police chief Gen. Sutanto.

Jakarta – Fuel imports undertaken by state oil and gas company PT Pertamina have exceeded annual consumption by more than 50 percent, an official said on Thursday.

This month alone Pertamina would import 17.8 million barrels of fuel, consisting of gasoline and diesel oil, Achmad Faisal, chairman of Pertamina's fuel division, said.

Ng Boon Yian, Singapore – Years after being battered by the financial crisis, the Indonesian banking sector seems to have picked itself up again, luring more foreign investors to take up stakes in local banks.

Hera Diani, Jakarta – Some 50 members of hard-line Muslim groups gathered outside the Central Jakarta District Court on Wednesday, while dozens of others clad in white robes packed a courtroom on the second floor.

Fedhly Averouss Bey, Jakarta – A court hearing of a class action by ex-members of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) was marred by a demonstration by the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI). During the action, demonstrators almost broke down the gates to the Central Jakarta State Court.

James Balowski, Jakarta – Despite earlier opposition, leaders of Indonesia's parliament now appear to be willing to allow provincial-based political parties to be established in Aceh. This was a major sticking point in finalising the peace agreement reached between the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and the Indonesian government in Helsinki on July 17.

Jakarta – The government is now focused on formulating a dispute settlement mechanism, if violence arises after the peace deal with the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) has been signed.

AK-25, Jakarta – The Indonesian government has declared it will grant amnesty to members of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and activists accused of subversive acts against the state. Amnesty will not only be granted to those who have been found guilty by the courts but also to those in detention who have yet to face trial.

Jon Lamb – On July 25, Lieutenant Colonel Lance Collins, a leading intelligence expert on East Timor and Indonesia, blew the whistle on the Australian Defence Force's intelligence manipulation and cover-ups in East Timor in 1999.

Max Lane – East Timor's local elections are now in their eighth month. In Aileu, close to Dili, the Socialist Party of Timor (PST) achieved second place after Fretilin, pushing the Democrat Party into third place. Overall, in the districts contested so far, the PST has been averaging third position, up from the sixth place it achieved in the 2001 elections.

Jakarta – A number of non-government organisations (NGOs) have declared their opposition to the formation of the Indonesia-East Timor Truth and Friendship Commission (KPP). Aside from being little more than a political tool for the perpetrators of crimes can evade justice, the NGOs believe that the commission will become a political bargaining tool for Indonesia and East Timor.

Dili – East Timorese Foreign Minister Jose Ramos Horta has said he is convinced that none of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) members would accept the presence of an International Human Rights Court for human rights violation cases in East Timor.

New York – A draft law on Indonesia's national intelligence body denies basic rights to detainees and violates Indonesian criminal law and international human rights law, Human Rights Watch said in a new legal analysis today.

Jakarta – The United States congratulated Indonesia Wednesday for reaching a draft peace deal with rebels in Aceh province, and said the accord would make it easier for Washington to resume frozen military-to-military ties with Jakarta.