Abdul Khalik and Ruslan Sangadji, Jakarta/Palu – Prosecutors and judges in conflict areas have been provided police protection following Wednesday's murder of prosecutor Ferry Silalahi

Jakarta – President Megawati Sukarnoputri has complained about Cabinet ministers who quit to challenge her in the coming presidential election.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – State Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief A.M.

Jakarta – An intelligence coordinating meeting which was held yesterday has yet to officially recommend that the director of the International Crisis Group (IGC) Sydney Jones be expelle

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – Illegal logging cases investigated by police in the first quarter of 2004 almost doubled compared to the same period of 2003, police said on Thursday.

Jakarta – National Intelligence Agency (BIN) Chief Hendropriyono here Thursday accused the director of the International Crisis Group (ICG) in Indonesia, Sidney Jones, of having harmed

Jakarta – A case involving the International Crisis Group's director, American Sidney Jones, has nothing to do with freedom of expression but is simply an administrative matter, foreign

Stevie Emilia, Shanghai – Current instability and the upcoming presidential elections in Indonesia constitute the main hindrance to the national target of halving the poverty rate, econ

Jakarta – Indonesia's police commander joined in the government's criticism of the International Crisis Group yesterday, threatening the think-tank with legal action if it issues 'state

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – Rights activists warned on Thursday against cracking down on non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that were critical of government policies, as the m

Andi Hajramurni, Makassar – A police code of ethics committee dishonorably discharged an officer on Thursday for his role in a brutal attack on the Makassar-based Indonesian Muslim Univ

Ambon – Maluku's provincial capital of Ambon was tense again on Thursday following a traffic accident and bomb explosions in Pardais Tengah at around 7.51 pm.

Roger Mitton, Washington – The possibility that Golkar candidate Wiranto may become the next president of Indonesia is causing concern in the United States.

Richard Ackland – "After all we've done for them," moaned Alexander Downer, the Foreign Minister, on Four Corners a couple of Mondays ago.

Jakarta – Indonesia's state-owned oil and gas company, PT Pertamina, is broke and it has asked for a government bailout, as excessive costs have put the company's operating cash flow, a

Dadan Wijaksana, Jakarta – The rupiah continued to falter on Thursday and ended at a fresh 19-month low, showing no sign of a rebound at a time when other currencies in the region start

Rachel Harvey, Jakarta – As Indonesians prepare for their first direct presidential election on 5 July, the latest opinion polls suggest a retired general is the frontrunner.

Jakarta – Indonesian presidential candidate Wiranto is expected to travel to Singapore on Friday on his first trip abroad since a human rights tribunal in East Timor issued an arrest wa

Derwin Pereira – The political star of retired general Wiranto appears to be getting brighter.

Nani Afrida, Banda Aceh – "Free Aceh Sumatra!," shouted several guerrilla rebels of the Aceh Free Movement (GAM), during a ceremony for the release of 155 hostages, including RCTI camer

Jakarta – President Megawati Sukarnoputri has given police the go-ahead to investigate allegations of a multimillion-dollar graft case involving the governor of the war-torn province of

Yuli Tri Suwarni, Bandung – Aceh military operation commander Maj. Gen.

Hasrul, Kendari – The Southeast Sulawesi General Elections Commission (KPUD) has rejected several campaign teams proposed to back presidential candidates as they include civil servants,

Jakarta – Five political parties in Indonesia are ready to declare their support for National Mandate Party (PAN) presidential candidate Amien Rais, PAN secretary-general Yasin Kara sai

Jakarta – Indonesia's General Elections Commission (KPU) has asserted that it is by no means underestimating the existence of the Election Monitoring Committee (Panwaslu), and that it h

Jakarta – A number of political parties are ready to declare their support for National Mandate Party (PAN) presidential candidate Amien Rais, PAN secretary general, Yasin Kara said Thu

Ambon – Two bomb explosions shook Ambon, Maluku's provincial capital, on Wednesday striking fear into the hearts of the local population.

Damar Harsanto, Jakarta – The city administration was slammed on Wednesday for what critics said was its harsh treatment of sidewalk vendors, while at the same time turning a blind eye

A.

Shefali Rekhi – Indonesia's economy might be improving, but this has not translated into a "feel good" factor among the people on the ground.

Matthew Moore, Jakarta – The researcher regarded as the leading expert on the South-East Asian terrorist group Jemaah Islamiah has been stopped from working in Indonesia and has been to

The Jakarta-based director of an international analysts' group says Indonesian authorities have threatened to expel her because of her reports on the country.

Jon Lamb – Solidarity protests took place across Australia on May 20, the second anniversary of East Timor's independence.

Jakarta – Golkar Party presidential candidate Wiranto met with US ambassador Ralph L Boyce at the latter's residence on Jalan Suropati, Central Jakarta, here on Thursday.

Jakarta – Revered Indonesian author Pramoedya Ananta Toer, 79, won the Norwegian Authors' Union award for his contribution to world literature and his continuous struggle for the right

Jakarta – Six suspected separatist rebels were killed in Indonesia's Aceh province Thursday, as Amnesty International said the continuing military campaign there had caused "a marked de

Pip Hinman – Jakarta's decision to lift martial law in Aceh, in favour of an "emergency status", won't change the lives of ordinary Acehnese for the better, according to a leader of the

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – Despite earlier assurances that the governor of Nanggroe Aceh Darrussalam would remain in charge of the civil emergency administration, a presidential

Jakarta – The United States government will support whoever will be elected as Indonesia's next president, US ambassador to Indonesia Ralph Boyce said after meeting Indonesian President

Bill Guerin, Jakarta – "It's all over for Cemex, and as far as we're concerned they can go back to Mexico," said Titi Nazif Lubuk, deputy leader of the West Sumatra legislative assembly

Andrew Burrell – Sprawling across the entire 21st floor of one of Jakarta's ritziest office towers, the campaign headquarters of presidential contender Wiranto is filled with solemn loy

Jill Jolliffe, Darwin – Officially it was a day of celebration, but there was an undertone of pessimism at ceremonies in Dili last Thursday marking East Timor's second independence anni

Wahyoe Boediwardhana, Denpasar – Around 300 former refugees of Balinese descent stayed overnight in tents at Niti Mandala square in front of the Bali governor's office on Tuesday, deman

Jakarta – Indonesia's former president Abdurrahman Wahid is suing the General Election Commission for US$110 million (S$189 million) after it disqualified him from the July presidential

Indonesia's presidential candidates are gearing up for the official start of campaigning next week. Five pairs of candidates will contest the July 5th election.

Jakarta – Indonesian presidential candidate Wiranto, who has been charged with condoning atrocities in East Timor in 1999, hopes to meet East Timor's President Xanana Gusmao this weeken

Dennis Shanahan – Australia has pressured the leadership of the fledgling state of East Timor, warning it that more public attacks over oil rights could severely damage the relationship

[The following is abridged from a statement issued on May 20 by the Movement Against the Occupation of the Timor Sea (MKOTT).]

Dear Australian people,

Sister Susan Connelly This anniversary is tinged with a lot of embarrassment for us as Australians.

An advocacy group pleaded Wednesday for the release of dozens of women it said were arrested by government forces and falsely accused of treason in the war-torn province of Aceh.