John Aglionby – This Thursday, December 1, marks the 44th anniversary of the West Papuan people's declaration of independence from their Dutch colonial masters.

Tony Hotland and Blontank Poer, Jakarta/Surakarta – Apparently exhausted over pressure to bring the country's former authoritarian leader Soeharto to court over corruption allegations,

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Jakarta – Creating internal conflicts within radical groups through infiltration is one of the strategies being pursued by the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) to fight terrorism, BIN di

Medan/Jakarta – The Indonesian Military (TNI) has warned former Aceh combatants against celebrating the anniversary of their organization, saying it would not be in accordance with the

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) is facing internal conflict following its patrons' decision to renew the party's support for the government.

Jakarta – As the forestry-based industry has yet to perform efficiently, the government should review its policy to increase next year's natural forest logging quota, an environmental o

Richard Lloyd Parry – The British and American governments and international arms makers should pay compensation for their part in Indonesia's brutal 24-year occupation of East Timor, a

John Aglionby, Jakarta – The East Timorese president, Xanana Gusmao, yesterday presented to parliament the long-awaited report of the nation's Reception, Truth and Reconciliation Commis

Guido Guilliart, Dili – East Timor's president on Tuesday rejected recommendations made by a national commission to address human rights abuses carried out during Indonesia's 24 yearlon

Meidyatama Suryodiningrat, Jakarta – The decision by the US administration to resume arms sale and military financing to Indonesia is a foreign policy trophy for President Susilo Bamban

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) very likely elicited a big sigh of relief from President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as the Muslim-based party reconfirmed its s

Blontank Poer, Surakarta – The national celebration of Teacher Day turned sour on Sunday after a poetry-reading that was critical of the poor state of national education irked Vice Pres

Dili – East Timorese police exchanged gunfire Monday with infiltrators who appeared to be pro-Indonesia militiamen, leaving one policeman wounded, an officer said.

Yemris Fointuna, Kupang – Former members of the pro-Jakarta militias that rampaged through East Timor in 1999 are forming an organization to protect the rights and privileges they feel

Antony Barnett – British military equipment is being used by the Indonesian authorities against civilians in remote parts of the country.

Emmy F, Kupang – Feeling as if the government is treating him as a stepchild, former pro-Jakarta militia have reassembling their forces by forming the Ex-East Timor Forum for Struggle.

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Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Vice President Jusuf Kalla has again proved himself to be a more than competent mediator, bringing together officials from Papua and the central government

The United States' decision to restore military ties with Indonesia does more than draw a line under past human rights abuses in East Timor.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Concluding its two-day leadership meeting on Friday, the Golkar Party reaffirmed its position as the main supporter of the current administration as it see

Dean Yates and Tomi Soetjipto, Jakarta – Indonesia will take tough action in its newly declared war on militant ideas that could include shutting an Islamic school co-founded by hardlin

Jakarta – The first ever direct gubernatorial election in West Irian Jaya, scheduled for Nov.

Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – An international aid agency helping tsunami victims in Aceh has temporarily shut down operations after a group of youths ransacked its Medan office on Wednesday

[Tom Hyland Last Flight Out of Dili. By David Scott Pluto Press, $34.95.]

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Malang, East Java – The Indonesian Army is to establish one Army Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) division in Papua.

Tiarma Siboro and Tony Hotland, Jakarta – Military analysts cautiously responded to the United States' decision to resume lethal arms sales to Indonesia, warning that Jakarta may become

Jakarta – The Golkar Party is discussing whether to demand the corruption charges against former president and party leader Soeharto be dropped, or that the case should proceed to court

Hera Diani, Jakarta – Entrenched cultural traditions as well as the religious teachings of certain religions here say it is causes dishonor if women publicly reveal things that will dis

Importing rice, like raising fuel prices, is always politically controversial.

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – To step up the fight against terrorism, the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) has demanded that intelligence units be empowered to be able to arrest and interrogat

Jakarta/Semarang – The amount of money obtained by local terror groups, including Azahari's network, is substantial with a staggering US$75,000 channeled to the terror groups in the cou

Jakarta – The government has been urged to open the way for broadest possible dialogue with various elements in Papuan society, such as the traditional communities, students, youth, NGO

Mark Forbes in Denpasar and agencies – The US has restored military ties with Indonesia, lifting a 13-year ban imposed due to human rights violations, stating the relationship was of th

The United States has lifted its six year military embargo on Indonesia.

Malang – Lieutenant General Hadi Waluyo, Chief of the Indonesian Army Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad), has stated that the number of Army weapons was sufficient.

Glenn Kessler – Acting swiftly with new congressional authority, the Bush administration said yesterday that it has restored military ties with Indonesia, formally ending the last of th

Multa Fidrus and Abdul Khalik, Tangerang/Jakarta – Although the road access to Sang Timur Catholic school in Karang Tengah, Tangerang regency, has again been blockaded by protesting loc

Nani Afrida, Banda Aceh – Antigraft activists have criticized members of the Aceh and Nias Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Agency (BRR) as "overpaid and underachieving".

Jon Lamb – On October 15, a band of angry villagers and former pro-integration militia from East Timor crossed the border from the Indonesian province of West Timor into the East Timore

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono hailed Washington's decision to resume some military aid as marking a new chapter in relations, but other officials and politicians were mo

Telly Nathalia and Dean Yates, Jakarta – Indonesia has welcomed the resumption of military relations with the United States while human rights groups expressed concern and said monitori

Chris Brummitt, Jakarta – Indonesia welcomed a US decision to lift a six-year arms embargo to help the mostly Muslim nation fight terrorism, but human rights groups said Wednesday it be

Ilyas, Langsa – Because the normative and other rights employees have not been accommodated by the leadership board of the Langsa City branch of the All Indonesia Workers Union (SPSI),

Manokwari, West Irian Jaya – The West Irian Council insisted on Monday that the province should be allowed to hold regional elections on Nov.

Max Lane – The Indonesian government's policy, announced last month, of giving a A$40 handout to people on an income of less than $25 per month as compensation for rises in fuel prices

New Delhi – India and Indonesia, Asia's largest democracies, agreed Wednesday to forge closer defense and economic ties and cooperate in fighting terrorism, Indonesia's president said.

Doug Lorimer – The Australia West Papua Association (AWPA) has called on the Australian government to follow the Dutch government's example and commission a study into Australia's invol

Urip Hudiono, Jakarta – Indonesia's economy has continued growing at a slower rate, official figures from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) show, as high oil prices and rising interes