Annabel Stafford, Canberra – Films or books praising East Timorese people who used violence in their fight for independence could be banned under proposed censorship laws before Federal

Alvin Darlanika Soedarjo, Jakarta – An independent NGO, the Papua Working Group in Jakarta, said a revision of the Papua Special Autonomy Law was insignificant and that the Papuan admin

Jakarta – Indonesia urged the international community to respect a joint truth commission tasked at gathering the facts surrounding Indonesia's military rampage ahead of East Timor's 19

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – Standing as an independent candidate in a local election is the fastest path to power for those wishing to reform the country's bureaucracy, analysts told activi

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – The recent verdict of the Constitutional Court allowing independent candidates to contend local elections will pose no threat to political parties, politic

Mustaqim Adamrah, Jakarta – The youth wing of Muhammadiyah, one of the country's largest Muslim organizations, said Thursday it was not taking part in the campaign of either of the gove

Jakarta – An organization of journalists urged the local media Tuesday to be impartial in its coverage of the Jakarta gubernatorial election.

Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – Housewife Siti Hawah, a resident of Cipinang Melayu, East Jakarta, concedes the environment is important.

Adianto P.

Jakarta – The death toll from devastating floods and landslides on Indonesia's eastern Sulawesi island has risen to 107, as aid distribution to survivors gained pace Friday, an official

Jakarta – The Supreme Court refused the appeal of a man convicted in a December 2006 shooting near the operational area of Freeport McMoran in Timika, Papua, that left three employees d

Jakarta – City spatial planners must listen to the voices of the urban poor in order to tackle poverty in the city, a study revealed Tuesday.

Urip Hudiono, Jakarta – Although the chances of another crisis crippling Indonesia's economy may be slimmer now due to the improvements made to the banking sector and monetary policy, c

Denpasar – Australia and Indonesia have agreed to launch a feasibility study on a free trade pact, their leaders said Friday after meeting on the Indonesian resort island of Bali.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has told UN officials not to testify before a panel investigating the 1999 killings in East Timor because it could recommend amnesty for serious crimes.

Adisti Sukma Sawitri, Jakarta – Any Jakarta resident who has spent some time on the streets over the last three days knows that the gubernatorial candidates are the source – rather than

Jakarta – An Indonesian court jailed 17 Christians for up to 14 years on Thursday under anti-terrorism laws for the murder of two Muslims.

The Attorney General's Office (AGO) is so confident it has proof that former Garuda Indonesia pilot Pollycarpus Budihari Priyanto was involved in the murder of rights activist Munir Sai

Alvin Darlanika Soedarjo, Jakarta – The government has been urged to stop deforestation in order to protect the rapidly decreasing orangutan population on the island of Kalimantan.

New York – United Nations officials will boycott a commission set up jointly by Indonesia and Timor-Leste to foster reconciliation after the latter's bloody struggle for independence, u

East Timor's President Jose Ramos-Horta on Thursday asked visiting Australian Prime Minister John Howard to keep Australian peacekeepers in the young nation until the end of 2008.

Jakarta – An anti-debt group is demanding the government stop adding debt to fund the state budget because they said most of the agreed loan commitments have not yet been disbursed.

Merauke – The number of women dying in childbirth has risen in the past two years. In 2005, the rate was 464 per 1000,000 births which rose to 499 in 2006.

Protesters in East Timor have staged a demonstration against Prime Minister John Howard as he left Dili, accusing Australia of interfering in East Timor's political affairs.

Jakarta – The House of Representatives has come out in support of Monday's ruling by the Constitutional Court on independent candidates in regional elections.

James Balowski, Jakarta – A furor has erupted over the recent formation of the GAM party in Indonesia's northernmost province of Aceh.

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – Monday's ruling by the Constitutional Court to allow independent candidates to run in local elections came as a shock to the country's major political parties, w

Jakarta – The Free Papua Movement (OPM) is no more than an ideology, with only about six percent of the population of Papua remaining active members of the separatist movement, a milita

Jakarta – Three flood victims have accused the city administration in court of failing to anticipate and mitigate the February floods and neglecting to assisting victims in the aftermat

[Max Lane spoke to the Socialist Party of Timor's (PST) secretary-general, Avelino da Silva Coelho, in the wake of East Timor's June 30 parliamentary elections, in which the PST receive

Some strange things emerged from the two massive labor demonstrations against American sportswear giant Nike the last two Mondays.

Mustaqim Adamrah, Jakarta – Thousands of workers from two local shoe manufacturing companies staged a rally Monday to extend their demands for American sportswear giant Nike Inc.

Rizal Sukma, Jakarta – The decision by the Constitutional Court last week to scrap two undemocratic clauses in Indonesia's Criminal Code should indeed be celebrated.

HS Dillon, Jakarta – Despite evident shortcomings, one of the outstanding features of post-Soeharto reform has been the devolution of considerable authority to the regions.

Kanis Dursin and Alia, Jakarta – With more than 20 plays under her belt, you would think senior director Ratna Sarumpaet would have no problem finding investors for her film, particular

Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam governor Irwandi Jusuf agree the establishment of a local political party should have legal grounding.

Ben Terrall – In a June 8 "web memo," The Heritage Foundation called Indonesia "a large, vibrant democracy and a key piece of the geostrategic puzzle in Asia." The right wing Washington

Nana Rukmana, Jakarta/Cirebon – In a split decision the Anti-Corruption Court sentenced former maritime affairs and fisheries minister Rokhmin Dahuri to seven years prison for corruptio

Mark Dodd – A District Court judge in Dili has overturned a presidential decree offering amnesty to East Timor army rebel Major Alfredo Reinado.

Alvin Darlanika Soedarjo and Ary Hermawan, Jakarta/Sanur – Several human rights NGOs have criticized the fourth session of the joint Indonesia and Timor Leste Commission of Truth and Fr

Adisti Sukma Sawitri, Jakarta – Following pressure from pro-democracy groups, failed independent candidates and student groups, the Constitutional Court has decided to allow independent

Desy Nurhayati, Jakarta – As part of its effort to alleviate poverty, the government has launched a new program that is expected to be more successful than previous poverty eradication

Urip Hudiono, Jakarta – Government officials will just have to put up with their cramped offices and bring their own pens into work next year as the government plans to divert money awa

Triono Wahyu Sudibyo, Semarang – Muria community representatives met with members of the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) on July 24 to ask them to oppose the planned construction

Dili – Rival parties in East Timor have failed to agree on the formation of a new government, the president said Tuesday (July 24th), raising the prospect of political deadlock in the t

Jakarta – A lawmaker, a government minister and a political expert called for a restructuring of the political system during a weekend seminar, saying the present system has numerous lo

Jakarta – The official campaign period for Jakarta's first-ever direct gubernatorial election kicked off on Sunday.

Andi Haswidi, Jakarta – As corporate social responsibility (CSR) becomes mandatory in the new law on corporations, analysts warn the implementation of the legislation could be abused by

Udin – At least 200 victims of the Aceh conflict from the Fraternal Solidarity for Victims of Human Rights Violations (SPKP HAM) demonstrated at the Aceh Regional House of Representativ

Vincent Lingga, Jakarta – In early July 1997, when the Thai baht crashed and lost more than 50 percent of its value against the dollar immediately after the Bank of Thailand floated the