Jakarta – Lawyers of former Indonesian president Suharto have turned to the UN human rights commission in a bid to end his house arrest and weekly questioning, reports said Monday.

Tom McCawley, Jakarta – Indonesia's military will keep operating many of its illegal businesses because the state budget is inadequate to fund a reform programme aimed at reducing the military's extensive influence.

Twenty-four years of Indonesian occupation of East Timor ended last September in a frenzy of murder and destruction. Now the Timorese are recreating their nation with energy and hope

Susan Sim – The People's Consultative Assembly session in August will be a breakpoint for the major political parties, who will also have to work out an inter-party relationship based on some national platform.

Susan Sim, Jakarta – Mr Djohan Effendi's first thought when his long-time pal asked him to be his third State Secretary in eight months was instant despair.

"What sins have I committed to deserve this?" the Islamic scholar asked President Abdurrahman Wahid, who promptly burst into laughter.

Indonesians have spoken out against their politicians in a newspaper survey. They say their leaders show little regard for the country's 200 million people and have not done enough to bring former president Suharto to justice.

Jakarta – In an apparent about face, Indonesia's top prosecutor said there had been contact but no negotiations between the family of former president Suharto and the government over a possible hand-over of any ill-gotten wealth, newspapers reported Saturday.

Jakarta – Indonesia's once all-powerful military yesterday announced the replacement of 122 commanders and staff officers in a reshuffle aimed at modernising the forces.

Jakarta – The prominent Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) has been accused of being among those who are conspiring to topple President Abdurrahman Wahid.

Banda Aceh – The governor of Indonesia's rebellious Aceh province has been dismissed by President Abdurrahman Wahid, an official said here yesterday as students took to the streets to protest the sacking.

Jakarta – Governor Sutiyoso questioned on Friday the effectiveness of the actions by the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), which recently raided a number of city nightspots.

Jakarta – The National Commission on Human Right (Komnas HAM) announced on Friday that it had found no evidence of intentional mass killings or burials in the 1984 Tanjung Priok bloody shootings in North Jakarta. The commission, led by chairman Djoko Soegianto, reported its final conclusion of the incident to the House of Representatives.

Dili – The UN Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) is sending a wrong message to the devastated territory by failing to allocate funds for environmental protection in its new budget, according to local environmentalists.

Jakarta – Indonesia's central bank on Friday temporarily eased lending limits for banks to encourage them to boost economic activity through increased loans.

Bank Indonesia deputy governor Subarjo Joyosumarto said in a statement rules covering capital adequacy ratio (CAR) limits and divestment of bank equity in heavily-indebted companies would also be relaxed.

Lindsay Murdoch, Jakarta – A group led by a former Australian foreign minister, Mr Gareth Evans, has warned of the possibility of a coup in the long-term in Indonesia if its enfeebled government fails to meet popular expectations.

Alastair McLeod, Jayapura – Andy Burdam was just sitting down to an evening meal with his family when the police and militiamen arrived. They punched the 45-year-old Papuan elementary school teacher and dragged him away to the local police cells.

Jakarta – Legislator Pande Nabanan doubts that the government will be able to solve the July 27, 1996, bloody takeover of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) headquarters.

He, instead, feared that the investigation into the case would meet the same fate as many other unresolved cases after they reach the hands of the Military Police (MP).

Sonali Paul, Melbourne – Australian, East Timorese and United Nations officials have told oil companies renegotiation of the Timor Gap Treaty would not hurt their oil and gas plans, a Phillips Petroleum Co executive said on Thursday.

Lindsay Murdoch, Jakarta – The Defence Minister, Mr Juwono Sudarsono, says there is a plot to destabilise Indonesia ahead of an August session of parliament at which some MPs are expected to challenge the presidency of Mr Abdurrahman Wahid.

Jakarta – University of Indonesia students gave President Abdurrahman Wahid and Attorney General Marzuki Darusman "Soeharto Awards" on Wednesday, for their eight-month performance.

SCTV private television station reported that Abdurrahman won two trophies: for failing to eradicate corruption and nepotism, and for maintaining the status quo.

Robert Go, Jakarta – Indonesia needs to have a coherent strategy on economic reforms and make serious efforts in eradicating corruption if it wants international donors to keep funds flowing into the country, urged a top World Bank official yesterday.

Todd Callahan – At a seminar last month in Jakarta, Indonesia's new State Minister of Investment and SOEs Rozy Munir reported that the growing number of foreign and domestic investment approvals was a sign that Indonesia is slowly recovering.

Lindsay Murdoch, Jakarta – Key Indonesian agencies are working hard behind the scenes to sabotage attempts to improve relations between Australia and Indonesia.

After several months, Indonesia's military is re-emerging from the shadows. On June 13, the head of Indonesia's armed forces (TNI), Admiral Widodo Adisucipto, warned that the country was sliding further into chaos and that the government's first concern was to prevent the nation's disintegration.

Jayapura – The presidium of the Papuan People's Congress plans to meet with President Abdurrahman Wahid on June 25 to submit the result of the recent congress which declared their desire to separate from Indonesia.

Jakarta – Chief of the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI), Adm. Widodo AS warned foreigners yesterday against meddling in Irian Jayan or Papua affairs as the region is a legitimate part of the country, adding that the TNI will deal sternly against foreigners who fail to heed the warning.

Jakarta – Police in Irian Jaya (West Papua) have named two separatist leaders as suspects and charged them with treason following a recent congress at which the country's easternmost province was declared an independent state, a report said yesterday.

Jakarta – Eight people, including two policemen, have been killed and scores injured in the latest clashes between Muslims and Christians in the eastern Indonesian city of Ambon, the military said yesterday.

Jakarta – Police will question State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Mahadi Sinambela and Rudini, the former chairman of the General Election Commission (KPU), over an alleged malfeasance in the purchase of flags for political parties during last year's general election.

Jakarta – Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid must show at least some direction in tackling the country's economic and political woes or face the risk of an impeachment move in August, his economic advisor said Tuesday.

The attorney-general says the Indonesian president is above board. But the case of the presidential masseur, and 35 billion rupiah (S$7 million) of pension funds that have gone missing with him, has taken a life of its own.

Jakarta – Indonesian security forces fired rubber bullets to disperse stone-throwing students protesting in a provincial town in Borneo, injuring at least 14 people, a report said Tuesday.

The students then set ablaze a motorcycle and damaged three cars, all belonging to the security officials, the online service Detik.com reported.

Jakarta – Indonesia's state electricity company PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) said Monday it was seeking a 29.4 percent across the board increase in basic electricity tariffs this year.

Ambon – At least eight people, including two Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) officers, were killed during three, likely related, raids by armed men on Monday.

The attacks began when speedboats sped by shooting at Galala port in Ambon. Soon after an attack occurred at the nearby adjacent villages of Hative Kecil and Galala, just a few kilometers from Ambon.

Mark Dodd – East Timor, a rugged and mountainous half-island territory just 300 nautical miles off Australia's north-west coast, has long played a strategic role in Australia's defence planning.

Jakarta – Jakarta police have denied a statement by the city's governor that they are planning to deploy snipers at commercial centres in the capital ahead of the next session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) in August. "We aren't going to deploy snipers in the city," said Zainuri Lubis, a police spokesman.

By couple of weeks ago, Philip Eng, when replying to questions from reporters on whether he was concerned with the sharp fall in the price of Astra International's shares, noted that country risk rather than corporate failings was driving the stock down.

Chris McCall, Jakarta – Fighting is officially over in Aceh province, but a month after a ceasefire accord it is hard to tell the difference. Fighting has continued unabated since the deal took effect on June 2, with at least two people dead and many more wounded or made refugees.

Mark Dodd, Dili – Do not expect shiny stainless steel tables or a laboratory filled with gleaming new equipment at the United Nations' forensic examination centre in Dili.

Shoeb Kagda, Jakarta – Anyone watching the current spat between Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid and Bank Indonesia governor Sjahril Sabirin should be forgiven if he said: "Have we not seen all this before?" For it was only a few short months back when Mr Abdurrahman engaged in a battle of wits and verbal sparring with his former military commander and coordinating minister fo

Jakarta – The "Indonesian Axis" (Poros Indonesia) is set to burst onto the political scene, bringing together a cross section of figures from various political backgrounds who want to improve the state of their respective parties.

Bogor – Police caught eight men on Friday from among some 200 armed locals who were vandalizing the 3,000-square-meter Gunung Mas tea plantation in Blok Panjang at Cibereum village, Cisarua district.

Jakarta – Indonesian authorities were Monday investigating past liquidity support for banks given by the central Bank Indonesia while its chairman remains embroiled in the Bank Bali controversy.

Jakarta – Weapons smuggling to the Poso region in Central Sulawesi is a well orchestrated operation linked to the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) according to Andi Matalatta, a member of the Golkar faction of the Peoples' Consultative Assembly.

Chris McCall, Jakarta – A top figure in Indonesia's unstable east yesterday called for the Government to crack down hard on religious bloodshed, as the military said at least 123 had been killed in the latest flashpoint area.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) and the Mining Advocacy Network (Jatam) have condemned the brutal treatment of traditional miners at the hands of the Indonesian police, military and government officials acting in the interests of, and perhaps in direct coordination with, a mining operation owned by an Australian company.

Jayapura – Minister of Human Rights Affairs Hasballah M. Saad announced on Saturday the establishment of a special team to probe humanitarian crimes in Irian Jaya.

Speaking to journalists after meeting with pro-independence advocates and local leaders in Jayapura, Hasballah said as an initial step, he had sent a team of four to the province to gather facts from the people.

Jakarta – Shoppers pack the supermarkets in the Indonesian capital these days, car and mobile phone sales are jumping, seven new airlines are ready to hit the skies and companies are reporting solid first quarter profits.

Jakarta – Coordinating Economics Minister Kwik Kian Gie admitted on Friday that the culture of corruption, collusion and nepotism was still prevalent in the bureaucracy under President Abdurrahman Wahid, and said it would take a while to eradicate.

Jakarta – Five suspected holdup men were mobbed and burned to death by an angry crowd after being caught demanding money from passengers of a mikrolet public minivan in East Jakarta on Saturday.