Luhur Hertanto, Jakarta – The Coordinating Minister for Politics, Legal and Security Affairs, Widodo AS, has revealed that the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) has agreed to including special a

The Indonesian government is considering splitting the province currently known as Papua into five new provinces, in what is seen by many to be another weapon in its fight against Papua

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – A brief commotion ended a five-hour hearing between the Attorney General's Office (AGO) and the House of Representatives on Thursday following a lawmaker's remar

Muninggar Sri Saraswati and Rendi A.

John Aglionby – It is almost eight weeks since the Boxing Day tsunami devastated much of the coast of Indonesia's Aceh province on the northern tip of Sumatra and it appears the world i

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Banda Aceh – Muzakir Sulaiman heads the Banda Aceh municipal manpower office but he cannot go to work.

Tom McCawley, Banda Aceh – In a crammed row of storefronts, only Joy Optikal, an eyeglasses shop, has reopened on a dusty street of the tsunami-battered city of Banda Aceh.

Jakarta – The most egregious case of timber smuggling ever discovered – valued at more than US$1 billion – was made public on Thursday by two non-governmental organizations (NGOs), who

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – The Indonesian Military (TNI) announced on Thursday that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had appointed three new military chiefs of staff, giving him four ca

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice signaled that the United States was ready to restore full military training ties with Indonesia that were downgraded 13 years ago.

Cutting beaurocratic red tape has been marked as a priority area by foreign investors interested in Indonesia.

Jakarta – For Moudy Lintuuran, expanding her rubber supply business was not easy.

Mark Forbes, Canberra – A Defence Department official deliberately cut the flow of military intelligence to troops in the field in East Timor.

Rusman, Nunukan, East Kalimantan – The Malaysia government's threat to crack down on Indonesian illegal workers has not only affected the illegals, but also Indonesian workers whose sta

Budi Hartadi, Surabaya – There are many ways to express opposition to fuel price increases.

Gunawan Mashar, Makassar – Planned fuel price hikes which are soon to be announced by the government continue to attract a response from the public.

Indonesian cleric Abu Bakar Bashir has rejected charges he was involved in terrorist plots including the 2002 Bali bombings and said President George W.

Washington – Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Thursday she is moving to reinstate US military training assistance for Indonesia, an important step toward restoring full milit

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – In the eyes of the business community, Jakarta is the most corrupt city and the customs service the most corrupt institution in the country, according to a surve

The reconstruction of Aceh moved into a new stage this week with the completion of military-style barracks to shelter victims of the December 26 tsunami.

Bekasi – The ongoing construction of Blue Oasis City complex in Karangkitri, Bekasi, has come up against protest from all sides.

Bandung – Environment activists and Bandung residents have filed a civil lawsuit on Wednesday against Bandung Mayor Dada Rosada over the development of the Punclut Tourist Resort.

Urip Hudiono, Jakarta – Despite pre-election jitters and a final-quarter slowdown, the economy in 2004 still managed to grow by 5.13 percent, continuing a steady four-year improvement,

Anton Muhajir, Denpasar – It was drizzling that Saturday, but Ketut Karja and his two friends were still working in their rice field in Legian, on the outskirts of north Kuta.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – Law No.

Jakarta – Discussion of the Draft Law on Defense and Security (RUU Hankam) which has been initiated up by Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono is a step backwards in efforts to reform the

Palu (Central Sulawesi) – A resident of the Alabibi subdistrict, Banggai Islands regency, Central Sulawesi province, has been arrested after he announced that he was a Muslim prophet.

Rendi A.

Jakarta – As many as 90 non governmental organizations (NGOs) and 80 individuals have challenged Law No.

Pekanbaru (Riau) – Fire has razed 14,000 hectares of forest in two regencies here over the past week, and causing smoke haze problems.

Environmental investigators say they have uncovered massive timber smuggling from Indonesia's Papua province to China in what they described as the world's largest logging racket involv

Jakarta – The House of Representatives (DPR) has rejected a government's plan to merge state-owned Bank Tabungan Negara (BTN) with a publicly-listed state bank.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) and dozens of its international counterparts are teaming up to take an active role in the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Aceh and North Su

Jakarta – Some 200 evicted squatters from Tanjung Duren, West Jakarta, staged a demonstration at the West Jakarta District Court on Tuesday to demand more compensation.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta – Indonesia's economy grew faster than projected last year, thanks to continued robust spending and signs of investment revival, Coordinating Minister for

Jakarta – The Coalition for Clean and Proper Elections (Koalisi LSM) demanded National Police chief Gen.

It's almost two months after the Indian Ocean Tsunami wiped out much of Banda Aceh in Indonesia.

Medan – The state government must do something to involve the Acehnese in its rebuilding and reconstruction programs, a group of activists said on Tuesday.

Laurence Ronan – This city of 400,000 is in shambles, a third of it completely wiped off the earth, another third under water and mud.

Sydney – Woodside Petroleum Ltd said the 5 billion AUD Greater Sunrise gas project in the Timor Sea is stalled but remains viable.

Jakarta – On the grounds that the investigation is yet to be completed, the detention of Government Watch coordinator Farid Faqih by police on charges of being involved in the theft of

Although the current number of casualties of dengue hemorrhagic fever is lower than last year's, the government has announced an extraordinary occurrence of dengue fever in 12 provinces

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – The Ministry of Defense is drafting a new law to replace the existing defense law aimed at upgrading coordination between the defense and security functions of t

Jakarta – Jakarta may still be dealing with its four main problems – garbage, flooding, a poor health system and traffic jams – for many years to come, due to a distinct lack of profess

Ben Moxham – The East Timorese newspaper Suara Timor Lorosae reported on February 7 that at least 53 people had died of starvation in the village of Hatabuiliko since October.

Mataram – One villager was killed and four others severely injured after gang fight between neighboring villagers in Bima regency, West Nusa Tenggara province on Sunday.

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – Human rights activists urged the government to provide better legislation for human rights protection in the country as it aims to ratify the International Bill

Eva C.

Jakarta – Gold mining firm PT Newmont Minahasa Raya (NMR) has demanded the police halt an investigation into the alleged pollution of Buyat Bay, North Sulawesi, after Jane Pangemanan re

Jakarta – City-owned market operator PD Pasar Jaya has raised the rental fees of at least 39 of 153 traditional markets in the capital since January, despite the traders' opposition.