Sabam Siagian, Jakarta – Everywhere, including in democratic countries, gaps are always noticeable between strong and clear statements delivered by their leaders and concrete actions im

Sabam Siagian, Jakarta – On Good Friday, March 29, Army chief of staff Gen.

Enter the most controversial number, 10 years after the law on political parties lamely stated that parties "may" field 30 percent of women among their legislative candidates.

Acts of violence are creating an image for the nation that is quite different from that presented in hospitality advertisements to woo foreign tourists.

Yohanes Sulaiman – The proposed criminal law that is currently being discussed in the parliament is, to put it bluntly, a disaster in the making.

Wiretapping corruption suspects is one of several powers that the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) possesses when carrying out its duties.

Prabowo is "somebody who is perhaps the greatest violator of human rights in contemporary times among the Indonesian military."

Phelim Kine – Denial and blame the messenger.

Phelim Kine – The worst fears of the Shia Muslim community in Sampang in Indonesia's East Java came to pass on Aug. 20, 2012.

Ary Hermawan, Jakarta – In the next few weeks, Indonesia's liberal-minded middle class will possibly get what they have always wanted: the end of the Islam Defenders Front (FPI).

The nation's commitment to honest and transparent law enforcement has again been put to the test by recent allegations of human rights abuses committed by members of the National Police

Tom Clarke – If you thought the debate over East Timor's oil and gas resources had been put to bed, think again.

Last week's ambush in two remote Papua areas that killed eight Indonesian Military (TNI) soldiers and four civilians is a strong reminder to the nation that peace remains elusive in the

Mimin Dwi Hartono, Jakarta – Violence returned to Papua as 12 people were shot dead on Feb. 21, eight of them soldiers.

Salim Osman – A few days before Chinese New Year was observed in Indonesia on Feb.

Al Araf and Anton Aliabbas, Jakarta – Late last month, National Police chief Gen. Timur Pradopo and Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Adm.

Aboeprijadi Santoso, Amsterdam – The Year of the Snake has begun with what seems to be bad omens for two leading Indonesian political parties.

On February 6, 2013, Timor-Leste's Parliament gave general approval to the proposed 2013 State Budget. Forty MPs from the Coalition voted in favor, and 25 from Fretilin abstained.

Mimin Dwi Hartono, Jakarta – Draft national security bills have been deliberated by the House of Representatives for a long time.

Amid all the controversy on illegal wives and polygamy is the silent hope among some women – the hope for a spouse, one way or the other.

Edio Guterres and Ivo Mateus Goncalves, Dili – The euphoria of the Christmas and New Year period has settled in Timor Leste as the country enters a new era.

Herman Wainggai – It is likely that most US citizens who consider themselves informed about global events are aware of the genocides in Rwanda, Bosnia and East Timor, yet it's likely th

Brooke Nolan – At the launch of the Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate project in 2010, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono announced that the agribusinesses involved would "feed

Jason South – It was a beautiful moment, amid despicable terror.

Lindsay Murdoch – Wailing in grief, Lucia Pina stood over the body of her murdered 17-year-old nephew and threw her hands in the air.

Although flooding in the capital city is a regular occurrence every rainy season, many were caught by surprise on Thursday.

Rape is never a joke": This phrase has spread like wildfire across social media sites since the news broke on a candidate justice joking about rape at the honorable House of Representat

Just ahead of the landmark 100th day in office, Jakarta Governor Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has proven how difficult it is to manage the metropolitan city, particularly its traffic, which for

Nick Sheridan – It's the hungry season in East Timor, that time of year when food from last year's crops has run out and the next harvest is yet to be reaped.

Jess Melvin, Melbourne – Since Monday (Jan.

Endy Bayuni, Jakarta – People who argue that approving a smaller number of political parties to field candidates in the next election is good for democracy ought to have their heads exa

Julia Suryakusuma, Jakarta – What makes a guy horny? In Aceh, it's women straddling motorbikes!

Fitri Bintang Timur, Singapore – In his speech to welcome the New Year, Lhokseumawe Mayor Suaidi Yahya announced his plan to enact a regional ordinance (qanun) that will prohibit women

Zely Ariane – The recent strike movement in Indonesia gave new proof of the potential power and strategic role of the working class movement.

Pitan Daslani – In present-day Indonesia, market monopolies are strictly forbidden.

Peter Yeo – I was standing outside a Timorese refugee camp on the day Carlos Caceres pulled me aside with a frightening message – "The militias know who I am and where they can find me.

Since 2007, when President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono launched the new deal for Papua, the government has initiated numerous measures to improve the welfare of people in the natural resou

Cillian Nolan – The UN peacekeeping mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) is now in the final stages of its long-planned withdrawal.

Pitan Daslani – The past week has seen an extraordinary escalation in Indonesia's political temperature leading up to the 2014 presidential election.

Nathanael G.

Tom Clarke – Various solidarity gatherings will be held around the world this weekend to mark the 51st anniversary of the first raising of West Papuan "morning star" flag – an act that

Pitan Daslani – Shortly after retired military generals were reported to be preparing for a "Star Wars" in the 2014 presidential election, former chief of State Intelligence Agency (BIN

Ati Nurbaiti, Baucau/Ermera/Dili – The UN mission in Timor Leste is closing down next month and at least 1,000 local staffers are seeking other means of income.

John McBeth – When I picked up a newspaper the other morning and read that Golkar was considering former finance minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati as a running mate for its presidential ca

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – The occupational social security programs will certainly raise further problems and worsen the labor situation if they are implemented under the current em

In July, the national human rights body issued its report after four years of investigations – that the witch hunt and widespread abuse and killings in the 1960s entailed a gross violat

Ati Nurbaiti, Jakarta – The Santa Cruz cemetery in Dili was full of people on Nov. 1. In preparation for Nov.

Mark Fenn, Singapore – This has been a big year for Timor Leste, with one of the world's smallest and most impoverished countries passing a series of important milestones.

Samsul Maarif, Yogyakarta – Indonesia is a country where religious education is taught to school students probably in the most extensive way in the world.

Foreign direct investment in Indonesia continued to grow in the third quarter, rising more than 22 percent, year-on-year, to Rp 56.6 trillion ($5.9 billion).