M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – Following the Supreme Court acquittal of former East Timor governor Abilio Soares from human rights violations, the prospect that other suspected abusers would be brought to justice has dimmed, as the Attorney General's Office (AGO) said on Monday it would not contest the decision.

M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – The acquittal of former East Timor governor Abilio Soares of human rights abuse highlights the flawed Indonesian human rights court and could prompt the international community to set up a tribunal to right the wrongs in the judicial process, analysts say.

Jakarta – The acquittal of former East Timor governor Abilio Soares could further erode people's confidence in the country's commitment to justice, a senior Cabinet minister announced on Friday.

Agus Supriyanto, Jakarta – Eurico Guterres, the former commander of the Pro-Integration Youth (PPI)(1), visited the Cipinang Correctional Institution to look in on former East Timorese governor Abilio Soarez, prior to the call to evening prayers on Friday November 5.

The only Indonesian jailed for abuses during East Timor's violence-marred independence vote has been cleared on appeal in a move that has angered rights groups and embarrassed the Jakarta government.

Sarah Buckley – Five years after 1,000 people died as East Timor broke away from Indonesia, almost all those responsible for the violence are still walking free.

An Indonesian court's decision on Friday to acquit East Timor's former governor Abilio Soares means only one conviction brought by Jakarta now stands.

Mari Alkatiri – The talks in Dili last week between the governments of East Timor and Australia were aimed at finding a way to resolve our overlapping maritime boundary claims in the Timor Sea, which in turn would create the environment for the Greater Sunrise oil and gas field to be developed.

The Chief of Army has admitted more than 1300 troops who served in East Timor were given an anti-malarial drug with potentially devastating side effects.

It also has been revealed hundreds of our soldiers in Timor were used to test an unauthorised drug being developed by the US Army.

Nigel Wilson – East Timor is demanding the Australian Government pay more than $2.6 billion in compensation for oil produced from Timor Sea fields since 1999.

East Timor on Friday indicted eight Indonesian soldiers and two militiamen for allegedly killing two UN election workers and attacking independence supporters during the country's bloody break from Indonesian rule in 1999.

Tom Allard – East Timor is making a last-minute attempt to secure a $3 billion liquid natural gas processing plant and pipeline on its soil as negotiations over the Timor Gap oil and gas reserves resume in Dili.

Denpasar – The president of Timor Leste, Xanana Gusmao, rejected [the idea] he was not close to Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) and that this would be problematic for bilateral relations. On Saturday (23 October) in Legian, Bali, Xanana said that he was optimistic that the close relations they had established would continue in the future.

Luke McIlveen – Hundreds of Australian soldiers were used as guinea pigs by the army in tests of an anti-malaria drug which has psychotic side effects while they were serving in East Timor.

Dili – Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri, returning to East Timor from Jakarta Friday, said he had held successful talks with Indonesia's new president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

On the sidelines of his visit here to attend the inauguration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Jusuf Kalla, East Timorese Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri talked on Wednesday with The Jakarta Post's Veeramalla Anjaiah and Adianto P. Simamora. The following are excerpts of the interview.

East Timor believes that the Starbucks seal of approval will give its key coffee industry a fillip. The world's leading retailer of speciality coffee on October 10 launched its first single-origin coffee from East Timor at Starbucks branches around Australia and New Zealand, a company spokeswoman said.

Jakarta – There has been a jump in the number of East Timorese refugees returning home from Indonesia, where they have been living since East Timor's bloody breakaway in 1999, the UN refugee agency said Tuesday.

Dili – East Timor's future oil and gas revenues must have positive effects for the world's newest nation, which is taking measures to prevent the damage that similar oil bonanzas have inflicted on other states, Prime Minster Mari Alkatiri said Monday.

Bruce Loudon – At the time, the authorities dismissed it as a straightforward case of journalists tragically caught in the crossfire.

Dili – East Timor has launched an official website to promote tourism in the world's newest nation.

The new site www.turismotimorleste.com has versions in Portuguese and English and contains key facts on Timor's history and culture, as well as information on accommodation and specialist holidays including hiking, diving and bird watching.

Peter Sweeney – Australia has been called on to give a "fairer go" to East Timor over the oilfields issue. The Federal Government has been accused of "megaphone diplomacy" in its negotiations with its battling neighbour.

Karen Michelmore, Darwin – Most Australians believe an independent adjudicator should decide the location of Australia's maritime boundary with East Timor if negotiations fail, a national poll found today.

East Timor Foreign Minister Jose Ramos-Horta said Wednesday his country is to participate in the ASEAN Regional Forum for the first time in Laos next June.

The Australian Greens today challenged Labor to pledge to refer the dispute between Australia and East Timor over oil and gas reserves to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) if it wins government.

Greens Senator Bob Brown pointed to a Newspoll survey showing overwhelming support among Australians for the independent adjudicator to settle the matter.

East Timor Foreign Minister Jose Ramos-Horta on Wednesday extended the former Indonesian province's congratulations to Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on winning Indonesia's presidential election.

Nigel Wilson, Energy writer – Talks on a maritime boundary between Australia and East Timor concluded on schedule in Darwin yesterday after both sides agreed there was little chance of early agreement on key terms.

Bob Briton – Australia's Foreign Minister Alexander Downer is now in a hurry to conclude an agreement with the government of East Timor over the maritime boundary between the two countries.

New York (Antara) – The Indonesian government, under President Megawati Soekarnoputri, has taken legal action against the alleged perpetrators of human rights abuses in East Timor in 1999, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said here on Tuesday.

Nick Everett, Canberra – On September 20, 70 people demonstrated outside the foreign affairs department to demand the Australian government stop trying to steal East Timor's oil and gas resources. The protest coincided with the resumption of negotiations between Dili and Canberra on Timor Sea oil and gas revenue.

Businessman Ian Melrose today launched a new TV commercial to promote a fair deal for East Timor in negotiations over oil and gas reserves in the Timor Sea. The talks began in Canberra this week and will continue in Darwin next week.

New York – Presidential front-runner Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono could strengthen bilateral ties between Indonesia and Timor Leste, Timor Foreign Minister Jose Ramos Horta said here on Thursday.

Greens MLC Lee Rhiannon's motion to recognise the importance of the Timor Sea Boundary negotiations for the future of East Timor passed through the NSW Upper House today with unanimous support.

"The Greens are heartened to receive the full support of all parties on such a vital issue for East Timor." said Ms Rhiannon.

Former Australian peacekeepers in East Timor accused the federal government of stealing from the fledgling nation today as talks resumed over the carve-up of gas and oil reserves in the Timor Sea, five years to the day since the first peacekeepers arrived.

[The following statement was issued by the HAK Association, Haburas Foundation, Oxfam Australia, Alola Foundation, La'o Hamutuk (East Timor Institute for Reconstruction Monitoring and Analysis), East Timor Community Radio Association (ARKTL), the Mirror of the People (Labeh), Forum Tau Matan (FTM) and the East Timor Students Association.]

Reporter: Anne Barker

Mark Colvin: A few short years ago East Timor lost hundreds of thousands of people to death and deportation in the militia-led violence of 1999. But today there's a remarkable turnaround. Results from the first national census show a population heading for one million by next year - one of the fastest growing populations in the world.

East Timor's leaders will seek public support against moves to establish an international tribunal over alleged human rights violations during Indonesia's 24-year occupation, Foreign Minister Jose Ramos-Horta said Tuesday.

Last week was the fifth anniversary of the independence vote in East Timor and the Indonesian atrocities that followed. At the time of the killings there was an international uproar and some confidence that the perpetrators would be prosecuted. That confidence has now turned to dust. As promised, Indonesia put its own military on trial.

East Timor's foreign minister reaffirmed his opposition to an international rights tribunal Wednesday, telling parliament that the country's economic future depended on good relations with its former occupier.

Semarang – Some 25 former residents of East Timor descended upon the Central Java provincial administration on Monday, demanding that the Indonesian government pay the compensation promised to them after they fled East Timor in 1999.

The East Timorese relocated to Indonesia, mostly to areas in Central Java, after East Timor claimed independence in 1999.

Lisbon – East Timor's religious leader, Catholic Bishop Basilio do Nascimento, is optimistic over efforts, backed by Portugal, to re-introduce the use of Portuguese in his newly independent country.

Jonathan Head, East Timor – Five years ago the people of East Timor had their first opportunity to choose their own future and a staggering 98% of registered voters turned out to cast their ballots in favour of independence.

What do people have a right to expect five years after winning a Titanic struggle for independence?

A labor dispute in Timor-Leste (East Timor) is putting the World Bank's "dream [of] a world free of poverty" to the test.

The dispute challenges the Bank to apply to itself the standards the institution claims to promote, including a commitment to rule of law, poverty elimination, fundamental labor rights and sustainable development.

Dennis Shanahan – A gas revenue deal worth $5 billion for the infant nation of East Timor is expected to go ahead despite the election campaign clashing with scheduled negotiations next month.

The last federal cabinet meeting before the Coalition goes into election "caretaker" mode cleared the way yesterday for a deal on gas revenues from the Timor Sea.

Dili – Five years after his tiny nation voted in a UN referendum to end 24 years of Indonesian occupation, East Timor's president warned on Monday that the poverty-stricken country still faced major challenges.

Jakarta – Indonesian foreign affairs department spokesman Marty Natalegawa has said that the Indonesian government will not allow the United Nations Expert Commission to enter Indonesia as it would be highly inappropriate to authorize a third party institution to evaluate and monitor a legal process that still prevails in a sovereign country.

It's been five years since the referendum in East Timor which lead to its independence. On August 30 1999, the people voted overwhelmingly to break away from 25 years of repressive – even brutal rule by Indonesia. But the jubililation turned to terror as violence and bloodshed, organised by pro Jakarta militia left a trail of destruction during and after the ballot.

Janaki Kremmer, Sydney – Not so long ago, Australians were being feted for helping tiny East Timor, their northern neighbor, gain independence from Indonesia.

East Timor urged the United Nations not to be hasty in withdrawing its peacekeeping forces from the fledgling nation, after the world body said it was considering further cutting back the mission.

Nelson Santos, the secretary-general of East Timor's foreign ministry, said that security along the country's border with Indonesia had improved but remained fragile.

New York – Although East Timor continues to make progress towards self-sufficiency, it still requires international assistance for the foreseeable future, a senior United Nations official has told the Security Council.

New York – A number of countries have expressed concern about the trial of gross human rights violations in East Timor carried out in Indonesia and in East Timor by the Serious Crime Unit of the UN Mission for Support in East Timor (UNMISET).