Separatist rebels and the military in Indonesia's Aceh province have accused each other of responsibility for a bombing which killed 11 people at a New Year's Eve concert in the province.

Andrew Burrell, Jakarta – Indonesia's $5.7 billion tourism industry, still struggling to recover from the Bali bombings and last year's SARS outbreak, has been hit by a government decision to begin charging foreign visitors a visa fee from next month.

Anindhita Maharrani, Jakarta – A number of youth organisation under the banner of Youth Community (Kaum Muda) have protested the list of legislative candidates [for the 2004 general elections] which are dominated by old faces, people who have previously been legislative members.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – The country's judicial institutions have failed to uphold justice for all, as many verdicts have been delivered without proper legal arguments and charges have been leveled at suspects without sufficient evidence, a judiciary watchdog has said.

Dadan Wijaksana, Jakarta – Inflation rose by 0.94 percent in December from the previous month, bringing the total inflation in 2003 to 5.06 percent, the lowest year-on-year rate in four years, the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) reported on Friday.

A'an Suryana, Meulaboh – Even during the most desperate hour of need, there are those who still think only of themselves.

"Poltak" alit from a government ambulance loaded with medicines and food aid from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).

Moch. N. Kurniawan, Jakarta – The General Elections Commission (KPU) announced on Friday the regulations on the electoral campaign, which sets some restrictions regarding campaigning through the mass media.

Moch. N. Kurniawan, Jakarta – No one in this country who believes in democracy wants the 2004 elections to fail, as it is the only democratic tool to elect a legitimate government that will carry out reforms and dig the country out of its economic doldrums.

Patrick Walters – From the rocky, tree-shaded summit of "Mount Everest", 1980m up in the cool, moist highlands of the Bobinaro ranges in East Timor, Lieutenant-Colonel Glen Babington surveys his domain.

Jakarta – Indonesian activists yesterday filed a police complaint against Religious Affairs Minister Said Aqil al-Munawar, accusing him of possible corruption over advance money paid by some 30,000 would-be pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.

Hundreds of people have marked the death of the East Timor independence activist Andrew McNaughtan at a memorial service in the Australian city of Sydney.

Dr McNaughtan was the convenor of the Australia East Timor Association in New South Wales. He died in Sydney on December 22, aged 49.

Woro Swasti, Jakarta – The death of RCTI Television journalist Ersa Siregar remains a puzzle to this day. In order that there can be an independent investigation, international institutions are urged to be involved in the investigation of the case.

Surabaya – PT Telkom Managing Director Kristiono said here Friday the structure of telephone rates in Indonesia, especially those for fixed phones, were not attractive to investors.

Rendi A. Witular, Jakarta – The Jakarta Composite Index took a strong jump on the first day of 2004 trading on Monday, closing at above 700 – the highest in more than four years – as optimism pervaded regional stock markets and the government announced improved key economic indicators.

[Obituary - Dr Andrew Ian, McNaughtan, campaigner for East Timorese Independence, 21-2-1953 – 22-12-2003.]

John Martinkus – Dr Andrew McNaughtan, who has died in Sydney, was an outstanding human rights activist who devoted himself to changing the situation in East Timor throughout the 1990s and to improve the lives of ordinary East Timorese living under theIndonesians.

Jakarta – Indonesia said Saturday it will withdraw controversial British-made Scorpion light tanks from Aceh province and replace them with a locally-produced model.

Jason Mcleod – Abdul Teng is in his element. Mr Teng is from the North Malukus and is the head of Gambir Village, the only settlement on Gag Island, a diminutive and isolated 56-square-kilometre coral atoll located 150km north-west of Sorong, in the Raja Ampat archipelago, the world's most diverse marine environment.

Jakarta – Aceh rebels used a kidnapped television reporter as a human shield during a gunfight with Indonesian soldiers that led to his death early this week, the military claimed on Wednesday.

Luhur Hertanto, Jakarta – The problem of security is not the only stumbling block to holding the 2004 general elections in Aceh. Public apathy is also expected to be a major problem.

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – Despite the praise the police have earned from the international community in solving several bombing cases, many low profile cases are left unsolved as the year 2003 comes to a close.

Evi Mariani, Jakarta – Residents of Pinang Ranti, East Jakarta, filed a lawsuit on Tuesday to the Jakarta State Administrative Court against an eviction plan following previous lawsuits filed by evictees from Tanjung Duren Selatan in West Jakarta and Muara Angke in North Jakarta.

Jakarta – The Central Jakarta district court acquitted two soldiers and two civilians of all charges in the July 27, 1996 Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) killings, but sentenced another civilian defendant to two months and 10 days.

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – While noted figures, scholars and some politicians have expressed support for the national movement against unscrupulous politicians, Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung doubts the movement will live up to its expectations.

M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – Press freedom, once again, has been dealt another severe blow after the panel of judges at the South Jakarta District Court ruled on Tuesday in favor of businessman Marimutu Sinivasan of the Texmaco group in a defamation suit he filed against Koran Tempo newspaper.

Nur Raihan, Banda Aceh – As many as 13,996 TNI (Indonesian armed forces) members and police officers will be involved in securing election stations during the 2004 general elections in Aceh. The type of security which will be employed at the polling stations will be different from other regions in Indonesia.

Taufan Hidayat – Public protests are so common in Jakarta these days that they are regularly cursed – usually with good reason – by the gridlock-weary taxi drivers of Indonesia's capital. The country now benefits from a free and often cheeky press and personal freedoms have increased.

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – The National Police named on Tuesday a former Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA) chairman and his ex-deputy as suspects in the misuse of Rp 20.9 trillion (US$2.45 billion) from account no. 502.

Moch. N. Kurniawan, Jakarta – The General Elections Commission (KPU) said on Tuesday the 24 political parties contesting the 2004 elections would be allowed to add more women to their lists of legislative candidates if they had yet to meet the 30 percent quota of women aspirants.

Hope for the best, but be prepared for the worst. That's the principle Army Chief of Staff Ryamizard Ryacudu apparently had in mind when he sent a warning signal to public at the Army's anniversary last Monday.

Looking at the security and political situation that prevails as the year 2003 nears its end, we can say that the pattern of conflict that has been affecting the security situation in this country has reached stabilization point. In terms of open conflict, the situation in Aceh has already reached its peak.

A. Junaidi, Jakarta – Dozens of noted intellectuals, artists and activists from non-governmental organizations announced the establishment of the National Movement Against "Rotten" Politicians on Monday ahead of the 2004 elections, pledging to announce their names soon.

Moch. N. Kurniawan and M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – All 24 political parties rushed to file their lists of legislative candidates with the General Elections Commission (KPU) on Monday, just hours ahead of the midnight deadline, with the exception of PDI-P and the Indonesian Justice and Unity Party (PKP Indonesia) which registered earlier.

Jakarta – The political parties contesting the 2004 general election will not be allowed to file the names of any more legislative candidates following the expiry of the deadline on Monday, December 29 at 12 midnight.

Jakarta – Indonesian police will deploy up to 24,000 personnel to safeguard legislative and presidential elections in restive regions next year, a report said Tuesday.

The officers will be posted to Aceh, Central Sulawesi, Papua and Maluku provinces, national operations director Inspector General Dewa Astika was quoted by Koran Tempo newspaper as saying.

Yogyakarta – Some 20 students of the Indonesian Students Association (HMI) and the Proletarian Student Community (Kompor) here Tuesday staged a rally to reject general elections and sealed the Yogyakarta office of the General Elections Commission (KPU).

Michael Casey, Indonesia – Gunfire crackles and smoke wafts across a valley as an elite police unit storms a house filled with terrorists, rescuing the hostages and shooting dead the abductors.

Banda Aceh – Rebels in Indonesia's Aceh accused the military on Tuesday of executing a local television reporter who was found shot dead in the troubled province following a clash between separatists and marines.

International and local journalist groups have called for an independent investigation into the killing by Indonesian troops of a television reporter in Aceh province, six months after he was kidnapped by separatist rebels.

Ambon – Army Chief General Ryamizard Ryacudu has wondered why Alex Manuputty, a criminal who has been convicted for subversive activities, can be easily welcomed in the United States.

According to General Ryacudu, ordinary Indonesian residents who plan to go to the United States will not easily get visa despite clear and good intention.

Evi Mariani, Jakarta – Squatters facing eviction from their homes on Jl. Tanah Merah, North Jakarta, and Pinang Ranti, East Jakarta, have turned down compensation money offered by land owners, demanding a higher figure.

Jakarta – Syamsudin Haris, a political observer from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), predicts that 60-70 per cent of old politicians will win seats in the People's Representative Assembly in the 2004 elections.

Denpasar – TNI-AD (army) chief General Ryamizard Ryacudu has again reminded his officers to take a neutral stand in the coming elections, and not take sides with any of the political parties.

Bambang Nurbianto, Jakarta – The City Council plans to approve the 2004 city budget of Rp 12.16 trillion (US$1.43 billion) on Tuesday, but several councillors and analysts say there is no guarantee that the budget will be free from irregularities.

Jakarta – The newly established Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) began on Monday its four-year term, but fell short of deciding on cases to prioritize.

Jakarta – Old names are still dominating the candidate members for the People's Representative Assembly (DPR) in the lists submitted on Monday, December 29, to the General Election Commission (KPU) by the political parties who will participate in the 2004 general elections.

Indonesia, the world's largest Islamic country, is often described as a crucial ally of the United States in the war against terrorism.

Bambang Nurbianto, Jakarta – The Bus Rapid Transit system, or busway, has attracted strong opposition from transportation experts and observers since it was first introduced by the Jakarta administration in early 2002.

The experts argued that the busway would not be able to resolve chronic traffic congestion in the capital and poor-quality public transportation services.

Theresia Sufa, Bogor – Dozens of vendors pelted PT Jasa Marga Jagorawi toll road officers with stones and chased after them with machetes and sticks on Sunday at about 4 p.m. at the South Sentul entrance ramp.