Bernarda Rurit, Jakarta – TNI did not force the Acehnese to display the Red-and-White flag to celebrate Indonesian Independence Day on August 17, according to Indonesian Army spokespers

Marianne Kearney, Jakarta – The ethnically distinct and mostly conflict-free districts of central Aceh want Jakarta to let them break free from Aceh and establish a new province, prefer

Jakarta – The top United States military officer in the Pacific yesterday urged Indonesia to avoid bloodshed in Aceh, where there are increasing signs that the government is preparing t

Jakarta – More than 700 Achenese demanded independence from Indonesia during a demonstration in the provincial capital of Banda Aceh on Thursday, just two days before the anniversary of

Jakarta – The House of Representatives (DPR) has urged the Swiss-based Henry Dunant Center (HDC) to persuade the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) to end their armed struggle.

Jakarta – In a new role, General Anthony Zinni, the Bush administration's envoy to the Middle East, has met Indonesian officials in an effort to find a solution to the long-running but

Jakarta – US retired General Anthony Zinni on Thursday said he was optimistic peace could prevail in Indonesia's troubled Aceh province if Jakarta and separatists push for talks.

Ahmad Junaidi, Jakarta – Legislators at the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) renewed their calls on Wednesday for the government to give priority to dialog in solving the Aceh probl

Jakarta – An independent team of five prominent public figures is working to expedite a solution to the conflict in Aceh, advising the government not to impose a state of civil emergenc

Jakarta – A retired US general, who has been mediating between Jakarta and the rebels in Aceh, said on Thursday that the only way to achieve peace in the restive province was through ta

Marianne Kearney, Jakarta – Washington's Middle East envoy Anthony Zinni, now on a tour of Aceh, is pushing for peace talks to resolve the conflict between the Jakarta government and th

Medan – Hundreds of Acehnese refugees clashed with police and public order officers in the North Sumatra governor's office in Medan on Tuesday, a report said.

Retired US General Anthony Zinni held talks with the military chief of Indonesia's Aceh province as part of efforts to pave the way for more talks between Jakarta and separatist rebels.

Retired US General Anthony Zinni set out for Aceh's sensitive Pidie district, where Indonesian troops said they shot dead two alleged separatist rebels a day earlier.

Berni K.

Ahmad Junaidi, Jakarta – Several party factions at the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) criticized on Saturday President Megawati Soekarnoputri's use of the military in Aceh, urging

Sidney Jones – A war between independence fighters and the Indonesian military has claimed thousands of lives in Aceh in two major waves of violence.

Jakarta – President Megawati Soekarnoputri Thursday promised tougher action against rebels in Aceh as part of efforts to end various conflicts in the country, even as she claimed the th

Jakarta – The military and police in Aceh are anticipating a mass strike during the celebration of Independence Day on August 17 in the restive province.

Jakarta – Indonesia's military chief said on Tuesday the problems in rebellious Aceh province should be resolved through dialogue but that separatists must drop their call for an indepe

President Megawati Sukarnoputri's performance in dealing with rebellious Aceh province is worse than her two predecessors Abdurrahman Wahid and B.J.

Jakarta – The Indonesian military said its troops shot dead on Friday at least 13 men believed to be separatist rebels in troubled Aceh province, where thousands have died in more than

Lesley McCulloch – In the remote area of Aceh Tengah (central Aceh) there is a new and growing problem for the civilian population: the presence of Indonesian-backed militia.

Dan Murphy, Banda Aceh – It's pretty safe here, reassures a local driver, ushering his car past a group of Indonesian soldiers.

Lesley McCulloch, Banda Aceh – He speaks in barely a whisper, his mind frozen in the moments of horror when he thought he would die.

Edith Hartanto and Yogita Tahilramani, Lhokseumawe – Local community members have joined the Aceh administration in opposing the central government's plan to impose a state of emergency

Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Amien Rais says the government should not hesitate to take drastic measures against "troublemakers" in Aceh rebellious Aceh province.

Yogita Tahilramani and Edith Hartanto, Jakarta – Those living in strife-torn Aceh, particularly outside the provincial capital of Banda Aceh, have known fear all of their lives.

Arifin Asydhad, Jakarta – The Chairperson of the Achenese Women's Democratic Organisation (ORPAD), Reihan Diany, has been detained by the Aceh Besar district police since Sunday.

Jacqueline Koch – Jakarta has again raised the stakes for the resource-rich and restive province of Aceh, on the northern tip of Sumatra, where Indonesia faces an entrenched independenc

The Indonesian military says it has killed four separatist rebels in troubled Aceh province.

Edith Hartanto and Yogita Tahilramani, Banda Aceh – Thousands of refugees in Aceh will completely lose access to aid and food supplies due to blocked lines of transportation if, as expe

Banda Aceh/Jakarta – Acehnese expressed disbelief on Friday over the government's insistence on imposing a state of emergency in the restive province, stressing that all social layers i

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – The government is still pursuing its plan to impose a state of emergency in the restive province of Aceh, ignoring strong opposition from the provincial adminis

Jakarta – Most Indonesians and parliament would back the government if it imposed civil emergency status on the rebellious Aceh region, Indonesia's top security minister said on Thursda

The Indonesian military said it has killed 12 separatist rebels in troubled Aceh province.

Rachel Clarke – Indonesia's leaders are trying to work out what to do next with strife-torn Aceh.

Seven young women belonging to a pro-democracy group in rebellious Aceh province have been arrested for insulting President Megawati Sukarnoputri and Vice President Hamzah Haz.

Bangkok – The Aceh separatists' regional connection was bared after police in Thailand seized a major arms cache, including 68 AK-47 rifles, bound for the rebels in Indonesia's troubled

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – Despite public opposition to a state of emergency in Aceh, Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yud

Lesley McCulloch – The pursuit of a negotiated settlement to the conflict in Aceh has been viewed with skepticism by many for some time.

Jakarta – Over 60 per cent of Indonesians back the imposition of a civil emergency in the restive Aceh province, according to a nationwide survey.

Nani Farida and Muhammad Nafik, Banda Aceh/Jakarta – As most Acehnese have rejected the government's proposal that a state of civil emergency be imposed on the restive province, there i

Jane Perlez, Lhokseumawe – The silvery pipes that extract hundreds of millions of dollars in natural gas a year for Exxon Mobil glint in the tropical sun here, a glittering contrast to

Atika Shubertm Jakarta – In another sign of Indonesia's crackdown in the restive province of Aceh, Chief Security Minister Bambang Yudhoyono will investigate suggestions the region's pe

John Aglionby – The Indonesian government currently finds itself at a major crossroads over its policy towards Aceh, the province on the northern tip of Sumatra where separatists have b

Jakarta – Aceh councillors warned the central government on Wednesday against imposing either a civil emergency or martial law in the province, arguing that the move would only worsen t

The Indonesian Government is at a crossroads in its long running war with separatist rebels in its rebellious province of Aceh ...

Jakarta – A baby was shot and killed and its mother left fighting for her life in violence which claimed at least 10 lives in the war-ravaged Indonesian province of Aceh on Sunday and M

Jakarta – Indonesia's chief security minister, on a fact-finding mission to Aceh province, said the government wanted to end a separatist war there peacefully but at the same time he is