Jakarta – Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri Wednesday swore in career prosecutor Muhammad Abdur Rahman as her new attorney general, a choice which left human rights advocates disappointed and sceptical.

Megawati said she had chosen someone from within the attorney general's office "to enhance the image of the office, which has recently been not too good."

Max Lane – Military generals and figures linked to the regime of former dictator Suharto have done well in the first cabinet of newly-elected President Megawati Sukarnoputri, which was announced on August 9.

Mark Dodd, Dili – A former member of the independence movement Fretilin, Dr Abilio Araujo, expelled for his links with Indonesia, has returned to East Timor after 26 years' self-imposed exile in Portugal to contest the election on August 30.

Max Lane – Militant trade union leader and former political prisoner Dita Sari has been awarded the Raymond Magsaysay Award, considered an Asian Nobel Prize, for being a "leader of new forces in Asia".The chairperson of the Indonesian National Front for Workers' Struggles, Dita Sari told the People's Democratic Party's August 8 issue of Our Tasks, that she was "very moved [by the aw

Max Lane – In moves which confirm activists' appraisals that her government represents a return to power of those allied with former dictator Suharto, the government of newly-elected president Megawati Sukarnoputri is escalating a targeted program of political arrests.

Medan – A court in the North Sumatran capital of Medan has jailed for 11 years a man found guilty of making and posting 14 bombs to churches and clergymen on Christmas Eve last year.

The sentence was lighter than the 20-year jail term sought by chief prosecutor Freddy Siregar.

[Source: RDP Antena 1 radio, Lisbon, in Portuguese. Excerpt from report by Portuguese radio on 14 August]

Jakarta – Some 74 becak (pedicab) drivers, formed a union here on Monday to fight for the right to peddle the streets of Jakarta. The decision was announced by drivers during a three-day congress held in a field opposite the Gapura Angkasa Building in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, that started on Sunday.

Joe Leahy – Antonio, a farmer in the arid highlands south of East Timor's capital Dili, points at a distant ridgeline. That is where his family's traditional houses were before Indonesia invaded in 1975.

Unidentified assailants have thrown stones at a vehicle carrying Democratic Party (PD) supporters on a campaign tour of the Liquiga district west of the East Timorese capital.

The incident, which took place early Monday evening, left one car window smashed but no-one hurt and was only reported to police on Tuesday.

Jakarta – Hundreds of angry pedicab drivers set fire Tuesday to two Jakarta city council vehicles during an attempt to get them off the streets of the Indonesian capital, witnesses said.

The two pickup trucks were torched during an attempt by city officials to remove the pedicabs from main streets in the central Roxy and Karanganyar areas, one witness told AFP.

Jakarta – Human rights groups accused the the Indonesian army of hampering the hunt for the fugitive son of former dictator Suharto, as police interrogated his wife yesterday. Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra has eluded authorities since he was convicted of corruption last year and sentenced to 18 months in jail.

Lindsay Murdoch, Jakarta – Australia has buried the hatchet with Indonesia's new government over East Timor, opening the way for renewed contact between the two countries' armed forces.

Jakarta – Australia has urged fellow members of the Pacific Forum not to debate independence for Indonesia's Irian Jaya province at its annual meeting this week, an Indonesian MP said Monday.

Jakarta – Former president Abdurrahman Wahid, familiarly known as Gus Dur, warned the new government against the arbitrary arrest of prodemocracy activists, saying it would sow hatred against the security authorities.

Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – The Indonesian police have come under fire for their half-hearted attempts at arresting the fugitive son of former President Suharto. Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala allegedly ordered the murder of a senior judge and masterminded bombings in the capital.

[Source: Media Indonesia, Jakarta, August 13]

Jakarta – The State Intelligence Agency (BIN) will become an umbrella organization for all existing intelligence agencies, according to newly-appointed BIN head AM Hendropriyono.

Robert Go, Jakarta – President Megawati Sukarnoputri's efforts to re-establish stability in the regions will involve a temporary pulling back of Indonesia's decentralisation programme, a move that threatens to spark protests from the country's 350-plus bupatis, or local administrators.

Robert Go, Jakarta – Indonesia's big-bang decentralisation programme took effect eight months ago and gave wide-ranging powers over taxation, education and exploitation of resources to the country's bupatis.

Thousands of people made their way to Dili on Saturday to take part in the UDT mammoth campaign. UDT supporters in buses and trucks toured the city shouting slogans and waving victory signs before they reached the Democracy field to hear UDT leaders and candidates speak. At the Democracy Field, supporters and on-lookers were entertained by the popular rock band Vi-Almaa-X.

[Source: RDP Antena 1 radio, Lisbon, in Portuguese]

Jakarta – Australia's prime minister on Sunday became the first foreign leader to visit new Indonesian President Megawati, vowing to be a good mate as his troubled neighbour moves towards democracy.

Certain political parties have resorted to door knocking campaigns forcing people to vote for them. This was brought up at a dialogue session with the Democrat Party (PD) campaign manager who visited Aileu on Saturday.

Mark Dodd, Dili – His name is distinctive, and in coming months Australians may hear a lot more of the East Timorese independence leader LuOlo. The Department of Foreign Affairs certainly thinks so, and earlier this year he was flown to Canberra to meet ministry mandarins for talks and a chance for them to get to know the man and the policies he represents.

Jakarta – Indonesia will not agree to an international probe into the massacre of 31 people in strife-ridden Aceh province because it would infringe upon its sovereignty, Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda said on Monday.

Jakarta – An investigation into the July 26, 2001 murder of Justice Syafiuddin Kartasasmita has revealed that fugitive Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra had once offered the judge billions of rupiah in return for ruling in favor of the convict in a 1996 corruption case.

Lynn Fredriksson – Recent reporting in Indonesia has predictably focused on expectations about newly appointed President Megawati Sukarnoputri.

Mark Dodd – An Australian-funded program teaching East Timorese to reject corruption hopes to make an impact on political parties competing in national elections this month for an 88-seat constituent assembly.

Marianne Kearney, Jakarta – While Indonesia's new Cabinet has won praise for its high percentage of seasoned professionals, it will have to move fast to prove its capability.

Associated Press in Jakarta – An angry mob beat and burnt a man to death after he allegedly tried to steal a chicken from a coop outside a house on the outskirts of Jakarta, news reports said on Saturday.

The victim, 25, was killed early on Friday morning by villagers in Tangerang, just west of the capital, Kompas newspaper reported.

Jakarta – Newly appointed Minister of Forestry M. Prakosa is facing calls to impose a log export moratorium to help save the country's forest resources and protect local timber-related companies.

Agencies in Jakarta and Banda Aceh – Indonesia's new Foreign Minister, Hassan Wirayuda, said yesterday there was still room for peace talks in the troubled northern province of Aceh, where more than 1,100 people have been killed this year in escalating separatist conflict.

Robert Go, Jakarta – Market players do not expect miracles, but they see the quick signing of Jakarta's next agreement with the International Monetary Fund as a major test of President Megawati Sukarnoputri's new economic Cabinet.

Comment by Hamish McDonald – The new Megawati Cabinet will reassure foreign lenders and investors that the Government will continue with the economic rescue plan negotiated with the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

Vaudine England, Jakarta – President Megawati Sukarnoputri finally announced her cabinet yesterday and immediately won praise for achieving a judicious balance of professionals, politicians and personal friends.

Jakarta – Tommy Suharto, the fugitive son of Indonesia's former dictator, has offered to surrender to face questioning over the murder of a senior judge and other alleged crimes, the Jakarta police chief said Friday.

Sofyan Yacub said he was confident Tommy would hand himself in based on a letter to police from his eldest sister Tutut, received Thursday afternoon.

Susan Sim, Jakarta – President Megawati Sukarnoputri's failure yesterday to name a new attorney-general might be indicative of the difficulties her government will have in deciding how to deal with the ghosts of the past – the same ones that her predecessor insists brought him down because he went after them.

Mark Dodd in Dili and Craig Skehan in Canberra – An East Timorese militia leader who served in the Indonesian Army's special forces and is on trial for war crimes – including the murder of a nun – says he was trained by Australian soldiers.

Warren Caragata, Jakarta – On a day when most business executives in Jakarta were chasing rumors about the possible shape of President Megawati Sukarnoputri's cabinet, investment banker Tim Gray was past caring. Let others worry whether her government will prove any more stable than that of her impeached predecessor, Abdurrahman Wahid. Gray is leaving town.

Warren Caragata, Dili – It's the road from nowhere, but it's surprisingly busy. Mafalda Florindo and Isabella Antonine walk along it, smiling betel-stained grins as they talk about cloth they had just bought for a good price. A little farther, Alicin Soares, a rice grower, maneuvers his truck along the dusty track.

Warren Caragata, Dili – The big UN Land Rover that carries Xanana Gusmao and his bodyguards from event to event should have a bumper sticker that says "I'd rather be doing practically anything else." Anyone who doubts that's the case should watch him when he has a camera in his hands.

Banda Aceh – Thirty-one people were killed by unidentified gunmen on a palm-oil plantation yesterday, according to police and separatist rebels who accused each other of carrying out the attack.

Nigel Wilson – For months there have been rumours of problems in the "co-operative" arrangement to develop more than 12 trillion cubic feet of gas in the Timor Sea. Yesterday those rumours were confirmed – with gusto.

Ian Timberlake, Jakarta – The Indonesian military directed a militia campaign of killings, terror and forced deportation against East Timorese civilians, according to a new book on the 1999 atrocities.

Robert Go, Jakarta – By drafting respected technocrats and businessmen into her economic dream team, President Megawati Sukarnoputri made clear her intentions of reclaiming the international community's support and getting the economy back on track.

Yeoh En-lai – Indonesia's military will continue to play a strong role as the present crop of politicians is far from securing the future of the country, Indonesia's former defence minister said yesterday.

Hamish McDonald – A Sydney law professor will head an international study into whether there are grounds for a legal challenge to the incorporation of Western New Guinea into Indonesia in the 1960s.

Jakarta – President Megawati Soekarnoputri has ordered the police to immediately arrest the fugitive son of former president Soeharto, Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, after linking him to a series of bomb attacks and the murder of a prominent judge.

Reuters in Jakarta – Indonesia's Megawati Sukarnoputri has set three conditions for running to replace embattled President Abdurrahman Wahid, including guarantees she won't be challenged before her term ends, a newspaper said on Monday.