Alvin Darlanika Soedarjo, Jakarta – The Constitutional Court's ruling to let independent candidates run in regional elections has gained momentum with prominent citizens expressing thei

Agus Maryono and Yuli Tri Suwarni, Purwokerto/Bandung – Serious drought in the past month has forced residents in Banyumas regency, Central Java, to use unsanitary water for cooking, an

Jakarta – Politician and patron of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Taufiq Kiemas, said the central government's lack of authority had seen the Acehnese take down hu

Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono sent Wednesday his warm greetings to former president Soeharto through the latter's grandson Wiratama Hadi Ramanto Pratikto.

Urip Hudiono, Jakarta – The economy grew 6.3 percent in the second quarter compared to a year ago, the fastest level in two years, on continued increases in exports, consumption and inv

East Timor's former ruling party has abandoned plans for a court challenge to the legality of the Government sworn in last week, an official said.

Markus Makur, Timika – Soldiers and police officers have been ordered to take strict action against any groups or parties that erect Papua's Bintang Kejora flags during the commemoratio

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – Analysts have advised the government to issue a regulation in lieu of the law pending the revision of the 2004 law on regional administration to accommodate inde

Yuli Tri Suwarni, Bandung – The already cash-strapped defense ministry is set to lose another Rp 400 billion (US$43 million) from its budget because the government plans to use the mone

Jakarta – Six mixed youth organizations declared Tuesday the establishment of a cooperation body for Indonesia in an attempt to encourage people to work toward the country's prosperity.

Nani Afrida, Bener Meriah – The woman in the dirty clothes was once one of the wealthiest people in the village.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Two years after the signing of the Helsinki peace agreement, justice is not being properly upheld in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam province and prosperity remai

Samantha Brown, Jakarta – Indonesian state prosecutors have compiled an array of fresh evidence that implicates the powerful state intelligence agency in the murder of a rights activist

Jakarta – The AGO is confident the testimony of former Garuda Indonesia chairman Indra Setiawan will have a significant impact on its case involving the alleged murder of rights activis

Slamet Susanto, Yogyakarta – This year's Independence Day celebrations will see some 265 transsexuals from the Yogyakarta Transvestites Organization (IWAYO) take part in a number of act

Dili – East Timor's newly-appointed Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao on Tuesday accused the former ruling party of Fretilin of failing to halt ongoing outbreaks of violence in the tiny nati

Adisti Sukma Sawitri, Jakarta – Observers said political parties backing Fauzi Bowo and Prijanto could not demand much from the duo as they had not contributed to their victory in the J

Tony Hotland and Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – New rules governing independent candidates in regional elections would most likely be engineered in favor of established parties, analysts

[John Roosa, Pretext for Mass Murder: The September 30th Movement and Suharto's Coup d'Etat in Indonesia. 2007, University of Wisconsin Press, 329 pages.

Stephen Fitzpatrick, Dili – A furious United Nations chief in East Timor has rejected as "lies" a claim by the former ruling Fretilin party that his staff was responsible for triggering

Jakarta – A new chapter opened in the Munir murder case Friday after the National Police submitted files on two new suspects to the Jakarta provincial prosecutor's office.

John Mcbeth, Senior Writer – Even the commissioners themselves privately acknowledge that there is one thing missing from the hearings conducted by the Timor Leste-Indonesia Truth and F

East Timor's former ruling party chief will sit in parliament with the opposition despite insisting the country's new government is illegitimate and has no right to rule.

Jakarta – Independent candidates are likely to contest regional elections in 14 provinces, regencies and municipalities next year, giving a significant boost to the democracy movement.

Jakarta – Despite a national consensus that a democratic system of government is the best solution for Indonesia, an Islamist group says democracy is one of the main reasons why the cou

Iqbal Fadil, Jakarta – Suspicions by the Munir Fact Finding Team (TPF) that the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) was involved in the Munir case have been proven correct following the

Here is a strong warning as the 17th August anniversary approaches to anyone who tries to pull down the red-and-white flag already unfurled on the mast.

Indra Subagja, Jakarta – The lawyer representing Pollycarpus Budihari Priyanto, M.

Lisbon, Portugal – United Nations peacekeepers maintained a tense calm Monday in East Timor, which has been rattled by riots, rapes and arson since Aug.

Jakarta – More than 70,000 members of a hardline Muslim group held a rally in Indonesia that heard calls for a caliphate – or Islamic rule – to govern the world.

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – After being performed in eight cities in Java, Kalimantan and Sumatra, a play titled Nyai Ontosoroh will be staged for Jakartans at the Taman Ismail Marzuki ar

A protest prompted Miss Universe 2007, Riyo Mori, to cut her Bandung trip short Saturday.

Indra Subagja, Jakarta – Former Garuda executive director Indra Setiawan's attorney has confirmed that his client issued an instruction to Pollycarpus Budihari Priyanto to be on duty on

Tito Belo, Dili – Armed gangs assaulted women students in a Catholic convent in East Timor, including a 12-year-old, a priest said on Saturday, in a wave of ethnic and political violenc

Dili – Unidentified assailants opened fire on a UN convoy in East Timor amid ongoing violence following the appointment of resistance fighter Xanana Gusmao as prime minister, the United

Desy Nurhayati, Jakarta – The government should take effective measures to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS among street children as they are among the highest at-risk groups in Indonesia, g

Adisti Sukma Sawitri, Jakarta – Despite widespread perceptions that Wednesday's gubernatorial election was tainted by money politics and voter apathy, some observers say most Jakartans

Adianto P.

Indra Subagja, Jakarta – Little by little, the mystery surrounding the Munir case is being uncovered. Wira D.

Jakarta – The Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN) is demanding that the government sign the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People to ensure the

Jakarta – Most labor unions have failed to attract members due to skepticism among workers, a leading unionist has said.

Australia's Prime Minister John Howard is being asked to speak up for the human rights of Papua when he meets Indonesia's President in Sydney next month.

M.

Stephen Fitzpatrick, Dili – Disgraced former East Timorese interior minister Rogerio Lobato has fled the country aboard a chartered Lear jet after a more than 24-hour standoff on the ru

Rory Callinan, Dili – Pedro Belo hasn't slept in two days.

Michael Leach – President Jose Ramos Horta's appointment of Xanana Gusmao as Prime Minister has once again set off conflict in East Timor's streets.

Jakarta – Former House speaker Akbar Tandjung said independent candidates should obtain political support from at least three percent of voters before running in a local election.

Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – Instead of being praised for uncovering cheating at a number of schools during the 2007 national exams, 13 North Sumatra teachers have been discharged and 14 ot

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – A police officer pulls over a motorist and asks him to show his driver's license and his vehicle's documents.

Tim Costello – East Timor again appears engulfed in flames and violence, this time in the wake of a relatively free and fair election and the ascension of the revolutionary hero Xanana