Daniel Nelson – After 25 years of brutal occupation, culminating in Indonesian-organized murder and mayhem against a referendum on independence, the world's newest country is turning the spotlight on home-grown violence by launching a campaign against wife-beating.

Robert Go, Jakarta – Some recent developments suggest that Indonesia's economy is moving on the right track, but observers also warned that there is no light at the end of the tunnel yet given the severity of the problems faced by President Megawati Sukarnoputri's government.

Jan. 19, 1999: The beating of a Christian passenger by a group of bus crew members in Batu Merah in Ambon triggers a mass brawl.

March 9, 1999: A military special team meets the reconciliation team, both agreeing that building a feeling of security is an initial steps toward peace.

How much did the Australian Government know about plans for an attack by Indonesian forces which would result in the death of five Australian-based newsmen? Hamish McDonald and Desmond Ball analyse new evidence concerning the affair.

Indonesia's armed forces (TNI) need foreign military cooperation in intelligence exchanges and joint exercises to help fight terrorism, the military chief said.

On Thursday, Amed Forces Chief Admiral Widodo Adisucipto said in enhancing the capabilities of its anti-terrorism units the military would prefer "exchange of information and intelligence" with foreign countries.

jakarta – Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda yesterday played down a report by The Straits Times outlining an apparent aborted terrorist plan to launch bomb explosions in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta.

Asip A. Hasani, Yogyakarta – Dozens of activists blocked the entrance gate of Yogyakarta's provincial legislative council (DPRD) on Wednesday in a protest against two corruption scandals that they believe directly implicate local legislators.

Jakarta – American businessmen indicated an interest in investing in Indonesia at a meeting here on Tuesday.

Among the 20 members of the US-Indonesian Business Council who met the country's economic ministers were companies like ExxonMobil Indonesia, Motorola and New York Life Insurance.

Tangerang – About 200 angry gamblers attacked and destroyed Sgt. Maj. Jupri's house on Jl. Jati, Jatiuwung, Tangerang, on Tuesday night after the Military Police officer failed to pay off the winners in an illegal numbers racket that the Army personnel runs.

Lindsay Murdoch, Jakarta – Christian and Muslim leaders yesterday hailed a Government-brokered agreement as the best chance yet to end a three-year war in the Maluku islands that has killed more than 5000 people and forced about 700,000 from their homes.

A'an Suryana, Jakarta – All mainstream religious groups in Indonesia have suggested that the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) retain Article 29 of the 1945 Constitution in its present form, on the grounds that it has done an adequate job in promoting religious harmony in the predominantly Muslim country.

Palu, Central Sulawesi – Environmentalists have accused some plantation and forestry companies here of damaging hundreds of thousands of hectares of forests across Banggai regency.

They said that most of the companies pretended to clear land for plantation by cutting down trees, but later logged them out, and abandoned the areas.

Jakarta – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) called Wednesday for a "clear strategy" from the Indonesian government to recover loans worth billions of dollars which were extended to save the country's banks.

Independence leader Xanana Gusmao said Wednesday he had not yet decided whether he would run for the presidency of East Timor in April 14 elections, adding that he would not bow to "pressures from anyone" to stand as an independent candidate.

Achmad Sukarsono, Jakarta – A peace negotiator from the rebel Free Aceh Movement (GAM) on Wednesday welcomed US willingness to help Indonesia resolve a long-running conflict with the separatist group. An Indonesian government official said it wasn't clear what the United States had in mind.

Jakarta – The chief prosecutor in the Indonesian province of Yogyakarta is planning to summons all 51 provincial MPs over suspected bribery linked to a local election and a building project, a report said Wednesday.

Dita Sari, Jakarta – The driving forces of globalisation are the movement and expansion of capital and technology, through multinational companies. Globalisation, some people argue, has contributed a lot to the creation of a new world, with global welfare and justice for all. But in practice, globalisation is producing neither universal welfare nor global peace.

Jakarta – A paramilitary Muslim group which had waged a "holy war" against Christians in the Malukus said it would not leave the eastern islands despite the signing of a pact to end three years of sectarian bloodshed there.

R.K. Nugroho, Jayapura – Two government teams investigating the mysterious death of Papuan independence leader Theys Hiyo Eluay should be disbanded, non-governmental organizations and church groups demanded on Monday.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – Confronted with strong opposition from regents and experts on her move to revise the current autonomy law, President Megawati Soekarnoputri lashed out at regional authorities on Monday for what she termed excessive and ridiculous regionalism in recruiting civil servants.

Jakarta – In a stinging rebuke of the bureaucracy, President Megawati Sukarnoputri yesterday described the administration as a "trash can" and told officials to go out and check reports instead of staying desk-bound.

Jakarta – A member of a government-appointed team to investigate the murder of Papua separatist leader Theys Hiyo Eluay said Tuesday he has resigned and a report said a second resignation was likely to follow.

Jakarta – Nine more killings were reported in Indonesia's Aceh province, the scene of a decades-old separatist revolt, as US ambassador Ralph Boyce spent a second day there.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – The illegal trade of protected animals continues in Indonesia despite Law No. 5/1990 on the preservation of flora and fauna. Applying the law by banning illegal trade in protected animals has so far failed to stop the trafficking.

Jakarta – Rival Christian and Muslim factions from Indonesia's Maluku province agreed Tuesday to end their three-year war that has devastated the province and killed 10,000 people, a top Cabinet minister said.

Kurniawan Hari and Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – House of Representatives legislators turned a deaf ear on Monday to demands for military and police officers to appear for questioning at a human rights inquiry in connection with three high-profile incidents in 1998 and 1999.

Jakarta – Ethnic Chinese in Indonesia marked the start of the Lunar New Year amid new-found freedom to celebrate their most important festival but an activist said discrimination still exists.

Rendi A. Witular, Jakarta – Some 500 flood victims demonstrated on Monday to demand compensation from the Jakarta administration for its poor handling of major flooding that hit the capital since January 28.

Bambang Nurbianto, Jakarta – The city administration revealed on Monday that it had sold one of 22 small lakes in the Greater Jakarta area to private developers.

Jakarta – The government backed down on Monday from its initial plan to temporarily halt new construction in greater Jakarta amid strong opposition from various opposition groups, saying it would only temporarily withhold new licenses for some housing projects.

Jacob Herin, Flores – Police in East Flores regency clashed with local youths early on Monday, leaving at least one person killed and 12 others wounded.

Tangerang – About 250 vendors at Cikokol traditional market argued with Tangerang Public Order Agency officials on Monday after they were forced to leave the market to make way for the construction of the Cikokol cloverleaf intersection.

Jakarta – The Indonesian government's foreign debt totalled 71.4 billion dollars at the end of last year, top economics minister Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-Jakti said Monday.

Jill Jolliffe, Dili – In another step towards nationhood, East Timor's constituent assembly has approved a draft of a constitution guaranteeing basic civil liberties and a mixed economy for the new state that will emerge on Australia's doorstep in May.

Maxi Wolor, Palu – More than 300 workers of the furniture manufacturing company PT Leang Yang in the Central Sulawesi capital of Pulu went on strike on Saturday, demanding higher wages and better working conditions.

The protesters threatened to continue striking until management for the factory, located in Pantoloan, agreed to pay better monthly salaries.

Jakarta – A distributor here has withheld the latest issue of the US magazine Newsweek because it carries a picture of the prophet Muhammad that could anger subscribers in Indonesia – the world's largest Muslim-populated country.

Brendan Pereira, Jakarta – Australian Prime Minister John Howard came to Indonesia to melt the ice. But the reception he got here left little doubt that a thaw in ties is some way to go, with Australia still struggling to crack the Javanese mindset of its giant neighbour that has a long memory of the troubled relationship between both countries and Canberra's oft-blunt messages.

Jakarta – Political parties in Indonesia have capitalised on the recent flood disaster to court support among the masses, according to Tempo weekly magazine.

Marianne Kearney, Jakarta – In Muslim boarding schools across Indonesia, many young Muslims can be found poring over a book called the Couple's Contract or Uqud Al-Lujjayn.

A'an Suryana, Jakarta – Even against a background of other political parties with noisy internal disputes, Golkar still manages to stand out in the face of the 2004 general elections, thanks to chairman Akbar Tandjung's success in obtaining unanimous support from party officials.

Paul Brown – The Indonesian pulp and paper industry is destroying rainforest at such an astonishing rate that it will run out of wood in five years, according to a report being published today.

Jakarta – Large areas of natural forest in Indonesia will be destroyed by 2007 due to logging by the country's two largest pulp producers, two environmental groups warned in a report released Monday.

Jakarta – At least half of the famed Kuta Beach on the Indonesian resort island of Bali has been eroded by waves, an official said Monday.

"The damage has reached a critical level, covering 50 percent of the beach," said Tjok Bagus Budiana, head of the Bali Beach Restoration Project.

Vaudine England, Jakarta – Attempts to investigate military involvement in the killing of students and civilians in Jakarta during the fall of former president Suharto have been thwarted after generals refused to appear at a special inquiry.

Damar Harsanto and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – Many flood victims have been left homeless, jobless, sick and penniless as a result of the recent floods. Some have returned home, while others are still staying in inadequate makeshift shelters.

Jakarta – Indonesian Vice President Hamzah Haz has blamed the government of former president Suharto for nationwide flooding, saying the regime had been too corrupt to ensure good environmental planning.

Bambang Nurbianto, Jakarta – The recent floods in the city have strengthened the indications of public distrust in government officials, as almost all people and non-governmental organizations avoided official channels in making donations for fear of corruption or unfair distribution.

Jakarta – Indonesia's second largest and former ruling party, Golkar, has dismissed 16 senior members and suspended three others, it was announced.

Jakarta – Separatist rebels in Indonesia's Aceh province have criticized Jakarta's decision to extend military operations there as a "declaration of war" on the Acehnese people.

Top security minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Thursday announced the extension of military operations in the energy-rich province on the north of Sumatra island.

Michelle Grattan – When Amien Rais arrived at the state banquet that President Megawati Sukarnoputri hosted for the Howards on Wednesday night, there was a distinct whiff of cynicism among the Australian travelling party.