Guido Guilart, Dili – The Indonesian military systematically forced dozens of East Timorese women to become sex slaves for officers during its 24-year occupation of the half-island, a f

Dadan Wijaksana, Jakarta – The debates on whether the government should continue the existing International Monetary Fund program in the country were brought back to life again on Monda

Tony Sitathan, Singapore – The giant Indonesian archipelago enjoys enormous potential fishery resources, as yet under-exploited by the legal fishing industry.

Which do we love more, peace or sovereignty? This question came up when Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono addressed the problem of Aceh last week.

New York – The United Nations Security Council has approved a one-year extension of the UN mission in East Timor, while diplomatic sources caution that the new nation could experience m

Two Indonesian soldiers and a boy aged six have been injured in Indonesia's Aceh province, hours after the government set terms for renewed peace talks with separatist rebels.

Jakarta – Indonesia said yesterday it was still willing to talk to Aceh separatists to try to save a fragile peace agreement, but demanded the rebels stop pushing for independence and s

First to Indonesia, where security has been stepped up across the country following yesterday's bomb attack at Jakarta's international airport.

Shefali Rekhi – Indonesia's plan to buy a floating nuclear power plant from Russia is raising concerns about pollution, terrorism and accidents.

New York – The UN Security Council is scheduled to meet Monday to discuss a one-year extension of the UN mission in East Timor, a recommendation by Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Jakarta – The Free Aceh Movement (GAM) threatened on Sunday to "teach colonial forces a lesson" if Jakarta resumed its military operation in Aceh, while the government meets to decide t

Jakarta – Indonesia's safety standards remain the worst in Southeast Asia, as it has the greatest number of workplace accidents, a report says.

For the first time, the East Timorese Government has begun taking control from the United Nations over its border with Indonesia.

Kathy Marks, Sydney – Eleven people were injured, one seriously, when a bomb exploded yesterday in a crowded terminal at the main airport in Jakarta, the Indonesian capital.

Yemris Fointuna, Kupang – More than 500 East Timorese people still taking refuge in West Timor held a protest recently in front of the East Nusa Tenggara provincial legislative council,

Jakarta/Banda Aceh – Vice President Hamzah Haz called on the government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) on Saturday to resume peace talks to save the peace agreement signed in December

Jakarta – The situation in Maluku is calm following the separatist South Maluku Republic (RMS)'s 53rd anniversary on Friday, which saw the arrest of more than 300 supporters of the outl

Jakarta – Two international human rights groups have strongly criticised a United Nations commission, saying it failed to demand justice for victims of atrocities in East Timor.

Bogor – Thirteen village chiefs in Jasinga district of Bogor regency have admitted to selling 88.42 tons of rice designated for poor families.

Jakarta – Indonesian troops and police have arrested about 60 people to quell attempts to mark a separatist anniversary on Friday in the eastern Maluku islands.

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – The opportunity for Indonesians to vote for candidates of their choice in the 2004 presidential election is under threat, as the two largest factions in the Ho

Jakarta – Eros Djarot announced on Friday a new name for his Bung Karno Nationalist Party (PNBK) during the party's two-day leadership meeting here.

Evi Mariani, Jakarta – Press Council vice chairman R.H. Siregar says loopholes in press law No.

Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, Jakarta – The police are losing their authority and many people do not respect them – as was evident in the escape of Islam Defenders Front (FPI) chairman Habib

Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – The Indonesian government said it had lost all faith in the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) after the rebel group "disrespectfully" postponed an emergency meeting that

Banda Aceh – The United States and other powers expressed "deep disappointment" on Friday at the scrapping of a crucial meeting aimed at saving the Aceh peace pact and put the blame on

Jakarta – A small pipe bomb exploded near the main United Nations building in Indonesia's capital yesterday, just a day after the trial of the leader of a radical Islamic group opened h

War-weary Acehnese urged the Indonesian government and separatist rebels to get serious about saving their fragile peace pact, after a crucial meeting was called off at the last minute.

The Catholic Institute for International Relations (CIIR) and TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign, have condemned the UN Commission on Human Rights for failing to ensure that the

The East Timor Action Network (ETAN) strongly criticized the UN Commission on Human Rights for turning its back on the East Timorese people and jeopardizing current and future UN missio

Samarinda, E Kalimantan – Some 400 workers of the Indonesian forestry company, PT Wana Rimba Kencana, staged a rally in front of the East Kalimantan governor's office here Friday to rej

Ambon – Police have found five flags of the separatist Republic of South Maluku (RMS) hoisted in different areas here.

Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – With less than a year left before Indonesia conducts unprecedented direct elections, the slow, messy preparations are already sparking concerns of possible irre

Jakarta – Some 2,000 workers of PT EDS Manufacturing Indonesia, a cable producer on Jl.

Police warned Indonesians to be on guard against future terror attacks despite a major roundup of Jemaah Islamiyah suspects and the seizure of arms and explosives.

Bill Guerin, Jakarta – Indonesian State Minister for State Enterprises Laksamana Sukardi plans a spinoff of two renegade state enterprises, PT Semen Padang and PT Semen Tonasa, from the

Jakarta – Minister of Finance Boediono expressed optimism on Thursday that the economy will grow by 4 percent this year, despite a downturn in the global economy.

Dili – A moral and spiritual "darkness" still haunts East Timor's Catholics, the bishop of Dili said at the Easter Vigil service.

Jakarta – Indonesia's increasing economic stability is not translating into higher growth, the World Bank said on Thursday.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta – Activists have urged the international community to ensure that justice is served against all perpetrators of the gross human rights violations in East

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – The military police unit of the Trikora Military Command overseeing Papua has arrested nine soldiers and seven civilians for their alleged involvement in

Moscow – Indonesia's armed forces commander, General Endriartono Sutarto, has disclosed that the Indonesian air force wants to have 48 Russian-made Sukhoi fighter planes to enable it to

In East Timor, continuing militia infilitration has put a spotlight on the United Nations failure to properly secure the border.

Slobodan Lekic, Jakarta – Frustrated by Washington's long running embargo over arms sales because of human rights concerns, Indonesia plans to buy dozens of high-performance fighter bom

Gary LaMoshi, Denpasar – One of the world's great mysteries, right up there with how Jiang Zemin's hair stayed black for all those years, is that amazing strength of the Indonesian rupi

Dili – The head of the United Nations' civil police department urged East Timor Thursday to rapidly draft and approve legislation for its police forces.

Gde Anugrah Arka, Bali – Made Suarsa's minibus is almost empty these days as he winds through the narrow streets of Denpasar, capital of one of the world's best-known travel destination

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta – Indonesia is seeking one of the 53 seats on the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) for 2003-2004, hoping that its own poor human rights trac

Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Security and Political Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono reiterated here on Wednesday that there is no place for separatist movements in the country –

Sarah Stephen – Ebrihim Sammaki fled Iran after the fall of the Shah, and fell in love with an Indonesian woman, Endong, while he was living in Indonesia.