After blaming the press, human rights groups and anyone who expresses a critical view on the military operation in Aceh as obstacles to the failure of the government to speedily elimina

Andi Hajramurni, Makassar – As Indonesia's priceless rainforests continue to disappear at alarming rates, 15 provinces signed an agreement in the South Sulawesi town of Malino to replan

Commentary by Sayidiman Suryohadiprojo, Jakarta – It seems that Americans are wondering why more and more Muslims in Indonesia are getting annoyed with the US, including "moderate" Musl

Rendi A. Witular, Jakarta – Minister of Finance Boediono warned bankers on Friday to remain prudent as the economy would continue to face uncertainties next year.

Eight separatist rebels including a local leader have been killed in fresh clashes in Indonesia's war-torn Aceh province, the military said.

Faced with the serious threats posed by other political parties in the 2004 general elections, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) has closed ranks in a move to consolid

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – Despite high public distrust toward political parties, abstention will not be that significant in the 2004 general elections, political analysts say.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta – The government has prepared the necessary documents to have the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) separatist group and its leaders placed on the United Nations's

Jakarta – In a press statement issued by the Indonesian Human Rights Monitor (Imparsial), which was presented by Imparsial program director Rachland Nashidik on Friday September 13, [th

Jill Jolliffe, Dili – A bid by East Timor's President Xanana Gusmao to further his campaign for reconciliation with Indonesia came apart yesterday when Jakarta's former foreign minister

Gary LaMoshi, Denpasar – It has been an exciting two years in the relationship between the United States, the world's only remaining superpower, and Indonesia, the nation with the world

Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, Jakarta – The prosecution of those alleged to have taken part in the massacre of at least 33 people by the Indonesian Military in Tanjung Priok in 1984 would be

Jakarta - The forced relocation of a population, as has occurred in Aceh, can be viewed as a crime against humanity.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – The government has already conceded that its 2003 reforestation target is unlikely to be met, even before the program has been launched.

James Balowski, Jakarta – As many as 100 women have been raped since martial law was declared in Indonesia's northern-most province of Aceh on May 19.

Dr Laurence Sullivan is a British lawyer who's been working on Indonesia's current Special Autonomy Law for the restive, but resource-rich province of Papua.

Vannessa Hearman, Melbourne – Rachland Nashidik, who visited Australia at the invitation of Indonesian Solidarity, is program director of Imparsial, a human-rights monitoring organisati

Sari P. Setiogi and M.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – A seven-member team from the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has begun to investigate allegations of human rights abuses in the province

Jakarta – Indonesia said on Wednesday it might ban foreign tourists from visiting restive Papua, where four people have been killed and dozens wounded in recent clashes over government

Jakarta – It is hoped that society will be on its guard against the possibility that Regional Representative Assemblies (DPD) will not become an platform for "old" politicians to make a

Jakarta – Coal mining company PT Kaltim Prima Coal (KPC) declared force majeure on overdue shipments to a number of its customers in response to a worker strike that has entered its sec

Max Lane, Jakarta – On August 28, the Party of United Peoples Opposition (POPOR) submitted the necessary documentation to the Indonesian authorities to be registered as a legal politica

The Islamic militant who masterminded the Bali bombings was sentenced to death by firing squad after an Indonesian court found him guilty of an "extraordinary crime against humanity."

Apriadi Gunawan, Tanjung Balai, North Sumatra – Smuggling has persisted in a seemingly unchecked manner at perhaps 15 small seaports in North Sumatra province despite the presence of se

Jakarta – Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra said on Tuesday the revised antiterrorism law would not allow intelligence officers to arrest or investigate suspects

Jakarta – The government has acknowledged that one of the intentions of the revisions or amendments to Law Number 15/2003 on the Elimination of Criminal Acts of Terrorism is to give a r

Pip Hinman & Vannessa Hearman – The Kopassus chief, Commander Major General Sriyanto, invited to Australia to cement a military deal with Canberra, will shortly be tried for human r

Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, Jakarta – Camping on the rubble of their old houses on Jl.

Rather than point her finger at endemic corruption and poor law enforcement, President Megawati Sukarnoputri says rampant illegal logging in Indonesia is due to rising international dem

M.

Jakarta – Indonesian prosecutors yesterday charged two retired army generals in the massacre of more than 30 Muslim protesters two decades ago during the rule of former president Suhart

A controversial new policy abolishing visa-free entry for citizens of 39 countries and reducing the length of a tourist visa from 60 to 30 days will come into force on December 1, the g

Baradan Kuppusamy, Kuala Lumpur – The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is sending a delegation to Kuala Lumpur to discuss the fate of some 2,500 Acehnese asylum see

Banda Aceh – Indonesia's military accused separatist rebels on Tuesday of gunning down a woman and her two daughters at their home in war-torn Aceh province.

Dean Yates, Hebuba – Against the backdrop of mist-shrouded mountains and a new brick church, tribesmen in Indonesia's restive Papua province grabbed their bows and began firing arrows i

Dean Yates, Wamena – It was a typical Sunday in a village not far from the highland town of Wamena in Indonesia's restive Papua province.

Jakarta – Foreign Affairs Minister Hassan Wirajuda has stated that the government is continuing to monitor the possibility of support from a number of countries in the Asia Pacific regi

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – A National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) team is scheduled to arrive here on Monday to investigate reports of human rights abuses in the trouble

Tiarma Siboro and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – An expert warned on Monday of more troubles as a result of the government's failure to involve local participation in its plan to di

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – Members of the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission I for security affairs rejected on Monday a resolution to officially hold President Megawati Soekarnop

R.

Jakarta (Agencies) – Indonesia has begun freezing the assets of militants whom the United States identified last week as suspected members of the al Qaeda-linked Jamaah Islamiah Muslim

Matthew More, Jakarta – The head of Indonesia's largest Muslim organisation has questioned the existence of Jemaah Islamiah in Indonesia.

Robert Go – Decentralisation has resulted in dubious enterprises in Kutai Kartanegara and strange regulations in various parts of the archipelago.

Zakki Hakim, Jakarta – "When kancil is released, common people like me will suffer the most," said Sukim, 35, a Bajaj (three-wheeled motorized vehicle) driver in Rawamangun, East Jakart

Dili – Ali Alatas, the former Indonesian foreign minister who negotiated East Timor's 1999 independence plebiscite, arrived in Dili Monday for a visit, expressing "lament" at the violen

Public radio in the early 1960s aired patriotic songs every one hour or so. The lyrics of one song were "Liberate Irian, Liberate Irian" (Seize Irian, Seize Irian).

Dili – A top East Timorese commander said Monday it was time to put the country's troubled past behind it and endorse an offer from Indonesia, its former occupier, of joint military tra

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – Assets remain a thorny issue in Indonesia and East Timor relations, as neither of the countries is willing to back down from its stanc