Bill Guerin, Jakarta – Less than two weeks after the US Agency for International Development (USAID) announced a $20 million program of assistance to help improve Indonesia's legal syst

Jakarta – The Indonesian military says it is readying its troops in case a peace agreement with rebels in Aceh province collapses.

Jakarta – The leaders of the House of Representatives are divided on whether or not the body's official seal of approval is needed for the peace agreement between the government and the

Jakarta – Despite the ongoing controversy surrounding the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI)'s edicts against secularism, pluralism and liberalism, the Indonesian Council for Islamic Propag

Muhamad Ali, Hawaii – The fatwas (edicts) issued by the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) concerning intra and inter-religious issues in the country have generated concerns and criticisms

Israr Iskandar, Jakarta – Indonesian leaders were quite disturbed on hearing that two members of the US House of Representatives had questioned the status of Papua within the Unitary St

Abdul Khalik and Yuli Tri Suwarni, Jakarta/Bandung – Over 5,000 members of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and Nahdhatul Ulama (NU) gathered on Sunday in Depok, West Java, to protest

Urip Hudiono, Jakarta – Continuing high global oil prices have put Indonesia's fiscal stability teetering on a tightrope as the oil-producing country fails to benefit from the situation

AK-41, Bandung – The All-Java Aceh Social Forum in Bandung has succeeded in reaching an agreement to support the signing of the Helsinki peace agreement.

Nani Afrida, Banda Aceh – There is a saying in Aceh, meunyo ka dimeusurapai uroe lageum dipiyoh dimeusu budee, meaning that weapons should stop firing when the rapai drum is beaten.

Eva C.

Jerry Norton, Jakarta – Optimistic talk that a decades-long simmering civil war in Indonesia's Aceh province is about to end. A peace pact brokered in Europe.

In simultaneous rallies in Depok and Jakarta, hundreds of supporters of Nur Mahmudi Ismail on Saturday staged protests over the West Java High Court verdict overturning election results

Michelle Janowitz – With many companies engaged in an endless quest to secure successful low-cost solutions for running their business, outsourcing has inevitably developed into one of

Jakarta – Budianto and Sugito, two victims of mystery shooting incidents in Poso on Thursday (04/08), were key witnesses in several terrorism case in the conflict area.

Fearing escalating tension in Depok following the court ruling that overturned the result of the June 26 mayoral election, the Jakarta Police called on Depok residents to stay calm, whi

Tiarma Siboro and ID Nugroho, Jakarta/Surabaya – Top members of the Papuan Tribal Council (DAP) met with Vice President Jusuf Kalla on Friday and asked the government to immediately hol

Jakarta – After seven long hours, the members of the Islamic Liberal Network (JIL) felt relieved, at least for the day.

Jakarta – The highest Islamic authority in Indonesia has been criticised by the world's largest Muslim organisation over its controversial edicts against "liberal Islamic thought," a re

Jakarta/Bandung/Surabaya – More criticism has been levied against the controversial edicts issued by the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), this time from the world's largest Muslim organi

Lhokseumawe – According to Iskandar Muda Military chief Maj. Gen. Supiadin AS, the Indonesian Military (TNI) has withdrawn its troops from the forests and villages of Aceh.

Jambi/Yogyakarta – Nurhayati looks worried and seems reluctant to go to school. The 11-year-old sixth grader has reason to worry.

Michael Vatikiotis, Jakarta – Every city has a heart; Jakarta's is a concrete overpass called Semanggi – the Indonesian word for cloverleaf.

Figures from various religions, including Muslim scholars Dawam Rahardjo and Syafii Anwar, and priest Anand Krishna, attended the event on Thursday.

Jakarta – Indonesia may need three to four years to become a net oil exporter again, with new oil refinery projects expected to shore up domestic fuel supplies, said Finance Minister Ju

Jakarta – A senior US defense official on Wednesday expressed optimism that Washington would restore full military cooperation with Indonesia, citing the country's moves towards democra

Kuta – The truth commission looking into Jakarta's bloody handling of East Timor's push for independence has a tough job ahead of it, the chairman of the newly established body said Fri

Fred Dove (Presenter): In the far corner of South East Asia the island of New Guinea is divided into West Papua and Papua New Guinea.

Indonesia and East Timor have formally opened a truth commission to look into Jakarta's bloody handling of Timor's independence vote in 1999.

Jakarta – A United States Congressman assured Indonesia on Thursday of his country's support for the territorial integrity of this country, which has been plagued by secessionist moveme

Alisa P, Jakarta – The demilitarisation phase covered under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement will proceed over a period

Ruslan Sangadji, Poso – Another wave of terror hit the city of Poso in Central Sulawesi when two men were shot dead by unidentified people on Wednesday night and early Thursday morning.

AK-7 & AK-26, Lhokseumawe – Speaking in Lhokseumawe on Friday August 5, the commander of the Iskandar Muda territorial military command, Major General Supiadin AS, said that there a

Yuswardi A.Suud, Banda Aceh – After being withdrawn from the forests and mountains of Aceh, TNI (armed forces) troops will be placed in posts on the outskirts of the forests and only al

Jakarta – In an apparent attempt to calm the public, the government says it will refrain from paying too much attention to a move to question Indonesia's sovereignty over Papua.

Jakarta – Foreign countries still recognise Papua as part of Indonesia, said Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda in response to the US Lower House's recent bill questioning the

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – Human rights activists have urged the government to release all Aceh civilians accused of involvement in the separatist group there after a peace deal

AK-25, Jakarta – The defense department is still pursuing its plan for budget increases for the security operation in Aceh.

Niken Widya Yunita, Jakarta – The position of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) faction, which has persisted in opposing negotiations between the Indonesian government

Miswar, Banda Aceh – August 15 will be a historical moment for the Acehnese people, because on that day the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and th

Hera Diani, Jakarta – Some 50 members of hard-line Muslim groups gathered outside the Central Jakarta District Court on Wednesday, while dozens of others clad in white robes packed a co

Last week's disclosure of indications of money laundering involving hundreds of billions of rupiah related to the personal accounts of 15 police officers is the biggest test yet of the

Ng Boon Yian, Singapore – Years after being battered by the financial crisis, the Indonesian banking sector seems to have picked itself up again, luring more foreign investors to take u

Jakarta – Fuel imports undertaken by state oil and gas company PT Pertamina have exceeded annual consumption by more than 50 percent, an official said on Thursday.

Jakarta – The government is now focused on formulating a dispute settlement mechanism, if violence arises after the peace deal with the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) has been signed.

Manado – The Manado District Court ruled in favor of mining company PT Newmont Minahasa Raya in a defamation case against an environmentalist on Tuesday.

Ruslan Sangadji, Palu – Three non-governmental groups slammed the Central Sulawesi provincial administration on Tuesday for extending the security operation in Poso, saying the operatio

Jakarta – A number of non-government organisations (NGOs) have declared their opposition to the formation of the Indonesia-East Timor Truth and Friendship Commission (KPP).

Dili – East Timorese Foreign Minister Jose Ramos Horta has said he is convinced that none of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) members would accept the presence of an Internati

Jakarta – The ongoing increases in global oil prices and a volatile rupiah exchange rate have become major obstacles for the government to meet its 2005 state budget targets, according