Nani Farida, Banda Aceh – Maulidarrahmi and another 437 supposed former Free Aceh Movement (GAM) members appeared relieved as they were finally allowed to return home on Sunday after attending a five-month ideological "reeducation" course in the war-town province.

Sian Powell – A delegation of senior Australian diplomats last week toured an Indonesian region considered by the UN to be more dangerous than Baghdad.

Australian deputy ambassador in Indonesia Peter Rowe and several other diplomats made an official visit to West Timor, an impoverished half-island in eastern Indonesia.

Eva C. Komandjaja, Jakarta – Learning from the increase in the number HIV/AIDS cases, especially among teenagers, students have urged the government to provide sex education classes where they can also learn about the hazards of injecting drugs.

After decades of official supression, Indonesia's ethnic Chinese minority is now able to openly celebrate the Lunar New Year but discrimination remains for the rest of the time.

Ardimas Sasdi – Like a body blow to many people who are longing for peace and order after a great dearth of positive news, the government has announced a controversial plan to expand the authority and reach of the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) within the country.

Robert Go, Jakarta – Indonesia's Islamic leaders have declared a national war against corruption in politics.

Anti-graft activists have long been complaining that as many as 70 per cent of the country's MPs are "tainted" and do not deserve to be re-elected into office, and now the Muslim leaders have decided to lend their support to the anti-corruption campaign.

Ruslan Sangadji and Irvan NR, Palu – Local members of the National Mandate Party (PAN) here objected on Saturday to the central board's selection of politicians to top the party's list of legislative candidates representing Central Sulawesi, as the candidates are not native to the province.

Derwin Pereira, Jakarta – Islamic parties in Indonesia are facing a crisis of leadership.

Torn apart by personal ambition and ideological differences, they have not been able to unite behind a single presidential ticket to challenge President Megawati Sukarnoputri and the secular nationalist bloc in this year's elections.

Derwin Pereira, Jakarta – The old New Order appears to be on the rise again in Indonesia.

With just three months to go before the parliamentary elections, surveys show Golkar, the party of former president Suharto, has a very strong chance of winning.

Bambang Nurbianto, Jakarta – After four months of taking refuge at the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) compound, more than 200 evictees say they have nowhere else to go.

"We don't know how long we'll have to stay here. It appears that Komnas HAM is doing nothing for us," said Saifuddin, 50, who was evicted from Cengkareng Timur, West Jakarta.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta – Riau Governor Mohamad Rusli and Minister of Maritime and Fishery Rokhmin Dahuri competed on Friday for President Megawati Soekarnoputri's endorsement of their opposite stances over the sea sand export policy to Singapore.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati & Sandy Darmosumarto, Jakarta – An activist with a rights watchdog, which had reported in December that the national intelligence body was already beginning activities at the district level, questioned a potential overlapping of functions with the military's territorial commands.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Manpower and Transmigration Minister Jacob Nuwa Wea said on Friday that the number of unemployed people would increase by about 2.5 million to over 45 million this year.

Rendi A. Witular, Jakarta – The Jakarta Composite Index skyrocketed on Monday to the highest level in the nation's history, as new investors from the United States and Europe entered the market seeking to capitalize on the rising optimism.

Ian Timberlake, Jakarta – Thousands of former East Timorese refugees have been given homes of their own in Indonesian West Timor after more than four years of living in decrepit refugee camps and other temporary accommodation.

A'an Suryana, Jakarta – While highlighting improvements in the economy and national stability as its main platforms, the Golkar Party has vowed not to snub the increasingly louder anticorruption voices during the upcoming election campaign.

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta – Former State Logistics Agency (Bulog) head Beddu Amang began serving a four-year prison sentence for graft on Friday after the Supreme Court rejected his appeal.

Moch. N. Kurniawan, Jakarta – The Election Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) revealed on Friday its suspicion that thousands of legislative candidates had submitted fake diplomas to the General Elections Commission (KPU) among their required application documents.

Yemris Fointuna, Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara A senior Navy officer denied on Friday that a military exercise, held recently on Batek island that borders East Timor, was a display of military might aimed at instilling fear in the neighboring country.

Kurniawan Hari and Zakki Hakim, Jakarta – Thousands of people throughout the country took to the streets seeking the cancellation of utility price hikes on Thursday despite a decision by the government to delay the increase in telephone charges.

Jakarta – Former Indonesian military chief and presidential hopeful Wiranto has shrugged off a reported move by United States to bar him from entry over accusations of rights violations, media reported on Sunday.

Matthew Moore, Jakarta – The US State Department is to put several serving and former Indonesian military officers, including a leading presidential candidate, on a watch list of indicted war criminals, effectively barring them from entering the US.

Damar Harsanto, Jakarta – Four days after asking bus drivers to make the TransJakarta Busway project launch a perfect one, Governor Sutiyoso was shocked to discover 30 had gone on strike, demanding clarity in their employment contracts and extra allowances besides their basic salaries. "Strike?" he asked, almost speechless.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta – The Indonesian Museum of Records (Muri) will likely add to its collection thanks to President Megawati Soekarnoputri's generous plan to invite 5,300 people to celebrate her 57th birthday on January 23 at the Jababeka industrial estate in Cikarang, West Java.

Multa Fidrus, Tangerang Water utility customers in Tangerang regency are irate over skyrocketing bills that are at least 300 percent higher than the bills they received in December.

Sukiyatno, who lives in Kebon Besar subdistrict, Batu Ceper district, told The Jakarta Post on Friday that he was shocked to see his water bill this month.

Eva C. Komandjaja, Jakarta – The government will spend much of the budget allocated for research and development over the coming 20 years on developing new rice varieties and alternative energy resources.

M. Taufiqurrahman and Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – A police watchdog blamed the unfinished reform at Jakarta Police headquarters, which affects more than 500 middle-ranking personnel, for an increasing trend in working side jobs, both legal and illegal.

Jill Jolliffe, Dili – A headless skeleton discovered by workmen digging in the yard of East Timorese Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri is believed to be the remains of Nicolau Lobato, the charismatic resistance leader killed by the Indonesian army in 1978.

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – As most voters are unaware of the new electoral system, political parties are likely to encourage supporters to punch the logo of political parties on ballot papers instead of marking the names of legislative candidates, a political analyst says.

Robert Go, Jakarta – Indonesia's reform initiatives have failed and the country needs a strong leader "who can do better", said retired General Wiranto.

The Suharto-era armed forces commander has become a serious contender for presidential elections later this year.

Andrew Burrell, Jakarta – Sharing lunch with an indicted war criminal accused of overseeing the slaughter of 1500 people is hardly an everyday experience. Neither is it as difficult as it might seem.

Remember the People's Democratic Party (PRD), remember how radical these young people were in the struggling for democracy. Although they admit they are still weak in terms of building a mass base, to this day the PRD is still consistent in its mission of struggle. That is, for the sake of democracy, they are not afraid of death. That's how extreme they are.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has started investigating alleged gross abuses in the Papua province last year and in 2001 and plans to summon 75 local witnesses to give testimony.

Led by Komnas HAM chairman Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara, the commission's investigation teams have been in the province since January 12.

Banda Aceh – Four people suspected to be members of the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) were killed during separate exchanges of fire with the military in several districts of Aceh province, the military said on Saturday.

Dana Priest and Peter Slevin – The State Department has decided to put a half-dozen current and former Indonesian military officers, including a leading presidential candidate, on a watch list of indicted war criminals, effectively barring them from entering the United States, according to US government officials.

Gary LaMoshi, Denpasar – It was a merry Christmas and a happy new year for Bali. Tourists packed hotels to enjoy a peaceful tropical idyll during the festive season, giving Balinese reason to celebrate during their own Galungan and Kuningan holidays this month.

Kupang – The struggle of factions in East Timor to grab power in the government and political elite are viewed as having made the pro-integration group as the scapegoat.

Australia and East Timor are set to begin tough negotiations over marine boundaries this year, although Australia has refused to set a deadline. East Timor is contesting the boundaries set under a 1972 agreement between Australia and Indonesia, when East Timor was ruled by Portugal.

The Wamena District Court sentenced on Thursday two more civilians to 20 years in prison each for their roles in breaking into a military arsenal in Wamena last year and stealing rifles and ammunition.

Yemris Fointuna, Kupang – A senior Indonesian Military (TNI) commander in Kupang denied on Thursday recent reports in several local media that 78 armed pro-Indonesia militiamen have infiltrated Timor Leste (formerly East Timor) and were ready to stir up chaos there after UN troops have pulled out of the neighboring country in May.

Bill Guerin. Jakarta – One of the last remaining tasks for the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA) before it is wound up at the end of next month is selling Bank Permata, the country's 10th-largest bank.

Atambua – Indonesian immigration officers in Mota'ain, a town on the Indonesia-East Timor border, on Friday turned away a group of UN lawyers who intended to visit Atambua because the latter lacked the necessary visa.

Jakarta – The Indonesia Procurement Watch (IPW) has called on the public to monitor the procurement of goods and services in the General Election Commission (KPU) for the 2004 election.

Kel Dummett – For the many human rights organizations and individual activists around the world concerned about ongoing human rights violations in the province of Papua, the announcement (The Jakarta Post, January 10, 2003) that an ad hoc team with the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) will probe alleged gross violations of human rights in Papua, is great news.

Jerry Norton and Tomi Soetjipto, Jakarta – An Indonesian presidential candidate who once headed the country's armed forces said on Thursday that if elected he would move quickly to end an intensive military campaign against rebels in Aceh province.

Yemris Fointuna, Kupang – Pessure has been placed on the relevant authorities to investigate alleged irregularities in the use of Rp 53 billion (US$6.3 million) in aid for East Timorese refugees in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) province.

Dan Eaton, Jakarta – In a slum just a stone's throw from the gaudy mansions of Indonesia's elite, Rizal trades in human flesh and misery. Angry students, the urban poor, the rural poor, supporters, opposers, all can be arranged for a price.

Dili – Foreign Minister Josi Ramos Horta said Thursday he was "convinced" the United Nations would extend its engagement with East Timor beyond the end of its current mission.

Jakarta – East Timor has expressed concern after Indonesian troops fired on an uninhabited island whose ownership has not yet been determined, a senior East Timor foreign ministry official said.

Indonesia's President Megawati Sukarnoputri has controversial plans to expand the country's National Intelligence Agency. The agency intends to open offices at the provincial and municipal level and to build a new university devoted entirely to intelligence training. Officials defend the move as a way to prevent terrorist attacks in the sprawling Muslim country.