Nusa Dua – Around 170 political parties have so far registered with the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights to contest the 2004 general election.
Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra said here on Wednesday that most of the parties registered for the last election in 1999 were on the list.
Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – Activists from various non-governmental organizations (NGOs) renewed on Wednesday their demand for an independent constitutional commission in place of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) which they deemed incapable of amending the 1945 Constitution in accordance with democratic reforms.
Blora – A major fire that is still raging at Pertamina's oil and gas exploration field in Cepu in Central Java has displaced more than 1,000 villagers.
The blaze broke out on Monday at an unfinished well and spread to other nearby wells and buildings at the site in Blora district, sending more than 4,000 residents of villages near the fire fleeing.
Nusa Dua/Jakarta – The much-awaited ad hoc human rights trial is faced with another stumbling block as the government has asked the Supreme Court to delay indefinitely its first hearing pending the issuance of laws on witness protection, and rehabilitation and compensation for rights violation victims.
Jakarta – The commercial center and wholesale market in Kramat Jati in East Jakarta returns to normal on Wednesday afternoon after the two warring ethnic groups involved in a brawl that had lasted from Sunday night until Monday, decided to bury the hatchet and end the conflicts, reports said.
Manila – Myanmar has objected to a proposal to grant East Timor observer status to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Philippine officials said Thursday.
Achara Ashayagachat – East Timor needs 10 years to prepare for joining the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, de facto Foreign Minister Ramos Horta said.
Jakarta – Indonesian prosecutors said Wednesday that former president B.J. Habibie is not currently a suspect in a 3.8 million dollar fraud case allegedly involving one of his ministers.
They questioned Habibie on Monday and Tuesday about the alleged embezzlement of 40 billion rupiah (3.8 million dollars) in funds intended for the poor while he was president in 1999.
Nglinting Darmono, Yogyakarta – There's no such thing as a wholly "natural" disaster. The recent catastrophic floods in Jakarta and along the northern coast of Java, which claimed at least 200 lives, were no exception.
Jakarta – Jakarta is planning to discontinue scholarships to some 1,100 East Timorese students in Indonesia, a report said Wednesday.
Yemris Fointuna – The East Timor Commission for Truth, Reception and Reconciliation is planning to question several proindependence leaders, including Jose Alexandre "Xanana" Gusmao, for allegedly committing human rights abuses in the territory during the period of April 1974 to October 1999.
Max Lane – Normalinda, an activist from the Indonesian National League of Students for Democracy (LMND) and Fransiscus "Black" Farneubun, an activist from the Peoples Democratic Party (PRD), were each sentenced to three months in prison by a Bandung court on February 7.
Max Lane – The chairperson of SMUR (Students in Solidarity with the People), Mahmudal, was arrested in Banda Aceh on February 19 during a demonstration organised by ORPAD (Acehnese Women's Democratic Organisation).
Dili – The General Prosecutor of East Timor issued an indictment today charging militia commander Bernadino da Costa – also known as "Mata Satu" – with nine counts of Crimes Against Humanity including murder, persecution and the forcible transfer of hundreds of East Timorese to West Timor.
Indonesia's recent indictment of seven military officers for crimes against humanity committed in East Timor in 1999 does not alleviate concerns that Indonesian courts can provide justice for the thousands of victims of military violence in East Timor, observed an East Timorese activist and the East Timor Action Network/US(ETAN).
Dili – A preliminary government report that indicates 41 per cent of East Timor's population live in poverty and 48 per cent are illiterate was presented today to the Council of Ministers.
Yemris Fointuna, Kupang – Around 128,000 East Timorese people staying in numerous refugee camps in East Nusa Tenggara Province are facing starvation as their food supply is nearly exhausted.
Nusa Dua – Tens of thousands of East Timorese refugees who are still reluctant to return are testing the patience of their compatriots back home, Foreign Minister Jose Ramos Horta has said.
An estimated 60,000 to 80,000 refugees remain in squalid camps in Indonesian West Timor, two and a half years after fleeing independence- related violence.
Ibnu Mat Noor, Banda Aceh – At least seven people have been killed in the latest spate of violence since Friday in the restive province of Aceh, local authorities said on Monday.
Jakarta – A political stalemate and lack of legal certainty are hampering efforts to reform and restructure Indonesia's banks, Moody's Investors Service warned Monday.
The global ratings agency said the banks' financial strength ratings have seen a modest recovery due to recapitalisation, intensive restructuring, upgrading programmes and tighter regulation.
Robert Go, Jakarta – Indonesia's grand scheme to rev up its economy by revitalising four key industries has been branded unrealistic by businessmen and analysts.
Robert Go, Jakarta – Hackers forced the temporary closure of the website of Indonesia's highest legislative assembly yesterday after plastering it with sarcastic messages alleging its members were corrupt and out of touch with the crises facing the country.
Oktovianus Pinontoan, Ambon – At least one person was shot on Monday in the capital of Maluku province, Ambon, in the first spate of serious violence in the province since the Malino peace accord was signed earlier this month by members of the local warring factions.
Jakarta – Former president Soeharto's youngest son Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra had threatened the late Supreme Justice M. Syafiuddin Kartasasmita, according to witness' testimony on Monday.
Tiny East Timor, which becomes the world's newest nation on May 20, held its first trilateral talks with giant neighbours Indonesia and Australia and said peace was its priority.
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Nusa Dua, Bali – Indonesia and East Timor ended bilateral talks on Monday, signing two agreements on direct postal service links and technical arrangements to facilitate the movement of people and goods between the enclave of Oecussi and other parts of East Timor.
Ahmad Junaidi, Jakarta – The city administration announced on Monday that more than 60 percent or 68 of 109 private developers in West Jakarta had not fulfilled their obligation to set aside spaces for public and social facilities.
Jakarta – No less than 200 members of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) were killed in armed contacts with the Indonesian Military (TNI) troops within the Teuku Umar Military Resort Command jurisdiction in 2001, a military officer claimed on Sunday.
Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – Minister of Industry and Trade Rini M. Soewandi urged the nation to focus on revitalizing four industries – textiles, electronics, footwear, pulp and paper – as part of efforts to rejuvenate the country's waning manufacturing sector.
Kurniawan Hari and I Wayan Juniartha, Jakarta/Denpasar – Health clinics, hospital or physicians are supposed to serve all patients, including those already infected with Human Immune Deficiency Virus (HIV) or full-blown Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), Minister of Health Achmad Sujudi said on Saturday.
Jill Jolliffe – It is 11am on a weekday and people are queueing at Dili's Chinese Buddhist temple. Most of the East Timorese in the queue are Catholics and they have come to have their horoscopes read.
Robert Go, Jakarta – Gourmet coffee is coming home to Java as cafe culture takes hold of Indonesia's yuppies – even in the midst of an economic crisis. The Coffee Bean opened in one of Jakarta's glitziest malls last month.
Jakarta – Civil servants who are absent for 12 days consecutively without notice must be fired, according to State Minister of Administrative Reforms Feisal Tamin.
Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – Singapore's 'authoritarianism' is at the root of a dispute with Indonesia over how to deal with alleged terrorists, says Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda.
Jakarta – Senior human rights activist Haji Johannes Cornelis Princen who died early on Friday after suffering a stroke, was eventually laid to rest at Pondok Kelapa cemetery in East Jakarta late Friday afternoon. He was 76.
Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, Jakarta – The West Java administration has decided to suspend all industrial logging for the next three years in an attempt to re-green its barren forest areas, which have contributed to environmental deterioration and natural disasters such as floods and landslides over the last few years.
Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – Islamic organisations are making their mark on Indonesia's economy with growing operations in the retail, manufacturing and banking sectors. By applying their own brand of 'Islamic management', these groups believe they can be financially self-sufficient to achieve their religious cause.
Rendi A. Witular, Jakarta – The City Population Agency started a week of free services on Thursday for flood victims seeking identity cards (KTP), birth certificates and family cards. However, the service has proven ineffective and has failed to meet public expectations.
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – Former president Soeharto's youngest son Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra continues to enjoy special treatment even though he is now behind bars at Cipinang Penitentiary in East Jakarta.
Jill Jolliffe, Oecussi – East Timor's revolutionary hero, Xanana Gusmao, was met by enthusiastic village crowds this week as the stage was set for him to become president of the 21st century's first new nation.
Joanna Jolly, Dili – Independence leader Jose Alexandre "Xanana" Gusmao, a potent symbol of East Timor's resistance during decades of Indonesian rule, on Saturday officially declared himself a candidate in the new nation's first presidential election.
Two international human rights groups questioned Indonesia's determination to bring offenders in East Timor to justice despite its indictment of seven suspects in the murderous army-backed militia attacks on independence supporters in 1999.
Batam – Two men were killed in rioting involving 100 members of the Barisan Brigade youth organization at a major taxi stand in Batamindo Industrial Estate at Mukakuning on Batamisland on Tuesday night.
The victims were identified as Gomgom Nadapdap, 35, a food vendor, and Gotma Sihombing, 24, a taxi middle man.
Yemris Fointuna and R.K. Nugroho, Kupang/Jayapura – A score of activists conferred Wednesday 55 coffins to the 55-member of the East Nusa Tenggara provincial legislative council in their protest of the legislature's 2002 budget totaling Rp 12 billion.
Kuala Lumpur – Indonesia's Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda said here yesterday that his countrymen were laughing at what they saw as overblown fears of Islamic terrorism in the nation with the world's largest Muslim population.
Banda Aceh – Eight more killings were reported Thursday in Indonesia's strife-torn Aceh province as residents said special prayers for peace on the eve of the Muslim Day of Sacrifice.
Jakarta – A powerful politician has expressed fears a privatisation programme will turn Indonesia into a "nation of coolies."
Yogyakarta – At least two people have been killed and several others wounded when two separate groups of people dressed in Ninja garb attacked rivals linked to major political parties in Yogyakarta province.
Bambang Nurbianto, Jakarta – The floods that have plagued Jakarta for the past three weeks have claimed more than 30 lives and forced more than 380,000 people to take refuge. However, the magnitude of the recent disaster was not reflected in a hearing between the government and the House of Representatives on Wednesday.
Dili – UNTAET and the East Timorese government met for the first time today to discuss a joint strategy to address the domestic violence problem and ensure that different government departments work together on the issue.