Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – A 23-member delegation from the Papua provincial legislative council is protesting the installment of the controversial West Irian Jaya council.

Jakarta – Munir's wife, Suciwati, has won the support of international human rights groups in her struggle to bring those responsible for her husband's assassination to justice, and is

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Despite the recent Constitutional Court ruling, observers are doubtful about whether the direct elections for governors, regents and mayors will be free fr

A political activist facing a possible six-year jail sentence for burning a portrait of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono walked out of his trial in Bali on Thursday (24/3/05) in prote

On March 24-28, Sydney will host one of the most significant gatherings of left-wing leaders from Asia and the Pacific in some years.

Ioannis Gatsiounis, Kuala Lumpur – The last news to come from Malaysia and Indonesia was that the two countries were working hard diplomatically to resolve a border row in the Sulawesi

Nani Afrida, Banda Aceh – A Banda Aceh military court on Wednesday sentenced Capt. T.

Indonesia says it will provide evidence to Canberra that Australian-funded aid groups are helping separatists in Aceh and Papua.

Jakarta – The Constitutional Court's decision to allow minor political parties to nominate their own candidates in upcoming direct regional elections was a positive contribution towards

Dili – Foreign Minister Jose Ramos Horta strongly criticized the Vatican's representative in East Timor Thursday for what he said was "unwanted interference" in Dili's plans to demote r

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Labor exporters have accused Malaysian employers of fishing for cheap illegal workers from Indonesia, with Malaysian government authorities only issuing re

Ade Irawan, Jakarta – High cost has become a pressing issue in the operation of schools in Indonesia.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – Minister of Defense Juwono Sudarsono said on Wednesday he was proposing Rp 5 trillion (US$538 billion) in additional funds from the state budget to improve the

Jambi – Some 80 employees of financially strapped Berkah Husada Hospital been protesting this week over unpaid salaries for the past four months.

Oyos Saroso H.N., Bandarlampung – Karti is worried.

Canberra – Australia's treatment of East Timor over oil and gas revenues has been compared to the actions of the late disgraced businessman Christopher Skase.

Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara – Nine out of 12 corruption suspects from West Nusa Tenggara legislative council were arrested on Tuesday for their involvement in a case involving Rp 24 bil

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono says the US government and legislators now have a better understanding of the Indonesian Military (TNI) after his de

Wahyoe Boediwardhana, Denpasar – Indonesia and Malaysia began negotiations on Tuesday behind closed doors in Bali to seek a peaceful solution to the Ambalat border dispute.

Hera Diani, Jakarta – The reaction continued on Tuesday to the news that a woman led a mixed-gender Friday prayer service in New York last week, with Muslim scholars calling for more pu

Nani Afrida, Banda Aceh – Just days after the government extended the deadline for all foreigners to leave Aceh by March 26, an immigration official said on Tuesday some 1,175 foreigner

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta – Small political parties will now be allowed to propose candidates to run in the upcoming direct elections of provincial governors, r

Damar Harsanto, Jakarta – Jakarta residents may have to put aside their dream to be able to drink piped water directly from the tap, as was previously promised by the City-owned tap wat

The House of Representatives finally came to its senses on Monday and reached a wise compromise that provides more leeway for deliberation of the contentious issue of fuel subsidies wit

Greg Poulgrain – The Indonesian military is planning to increase troop numbers in restive Papua province by an additional 15,000 personnel from Kostrad, the Strategic Reserve Command.

Lisbon – Foreign Minister Diogo Freitas do Amaral says Lisbon's new Socialist government intends to increase its cooperation with Portuguese-speaking African countries and East Timor, w

The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) has asked the President to approve the establishment of a truth and reconciliation commission.

The Indonesian army will set up 22 new territorial commands in the next five years, from 2005-2009, said army chief of staff Lt General Djoko Santoso, in a meeting with Parliament's Com

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – Two retired military generals stated on Monday they had played no part in alleged corruption in the procurement of a total of 100 British Scorpion tanks in the 1

Hera Diani, Jakarta – Liberal Muslim scholars here welcomed on Monday the news of a woman leading a mixed-gender Friday prayer service in New York last week.

Theresia Sufa, Bogor – The gigantic and pungent Titan Arum or Corpse Flower (Amorphophallus titanum), which can reach up to three and a half meters in height, is slowly disappearing fro

An Indonesian plan to build two full-size nuclear reactors has outraged green groups and surprised analysts, who warned it would be a disaster-in-waiting for the volcanic island chain t

Jakarta – Indonesia is hoping the Experts Commission the UN has set up to reinvestigate the 1999 human rights violation cases in Timor Leste will not need to carry out its mandate or co

Jakarta – Paul Wolfowitz' candidacy for World Bank president has triggered criticism from rights activists in Indonesia, where he served as US ambassador during Suharto's dictatorship b

Jakarta – A number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) on Monday urged the government to start deliberating the draft law on witness protection and to set up a special agency to pr

Eva C.

Jakarta – A faction in the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), calling itself the Reform Group, has suggested the upcoming party congress form a presidium to provide transi

Hera Diani, Jakarta – The unprecedented direct presidential and legislative elections last year were widely praised as free and fair.

Jakarta – Dozens of residents of Kebon Kacang sub-district in Central Jakarta protested on Monday a road elevation project in the area, fearing that it would only worsen floods there.

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – The Dutch government has agreed to hand over to Indonesian authorities much awaited information and evidence in the poisoning death of rights campaigner Munir.

Kupang – The Government of East Timor still did not have enough funds to reimburse the Indonesian government, state owned enterprises, and private Indonesian citizens for assets left be

Timothy Mapes, Jakarta – As Indonesia embarks on a massive effort to rebuild swaths of Aceh province wiped out by the Dec.

Theresia Sufa, Bogor – The majority of 277 animal conservation areas across the country are left unprotected, threatening the sustainability of animals here, a noted ornithologist warns

Kalinga Seneviratne, Jakarta – From Medan to Jakarta, Yogakarta, Surabaya, Solo and Batam, all across this vast archipelago Indonesian konfrontasi, or confrontation volunteer militias,

The establishment of a Commission of Truth and Friendship (CTF) by the Indonesian and East Timorese governments has been severely criticised by a group of non-governmental organisations

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – House faction leaders ignored an invitation from the government to discuss the fuel price increases on Friday night, saying they were preparing for a

Jakarta – Activists assisting victims of last year's police shooting in Manggarai regency on Flores island have criticized the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) for "not

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – The Army plans to set up a new division of elite troops and station it in the country's westernmost province of Papua, where rebel groups have been fighting a l

[The following is an abridged translation of a selection of articles from Detik.com which were posted on its web site between March 15-18.

Those acquainted with politics looked on in amusement. The majority of those who had held their representatives in something like reverence stared in bemusement.