Simon Pitchforth – Indonesian policemen, noble upholders of the law, with their voluminous peaked caps and their epaulets the size of telephone directories.

The Supreme Audit Agency, for the fourth consecutive year, placed a disclaimer on the government's financial statement for the 2004 fiscal year, due mainly to inadequate internal contro

A recent study of 75 large export-oriented companies at four of Indonesia's largest seaports concluded that logistics services accounted for an average of 14 percent of total production

Bill Guerin, Jakarta – Despite extensive international-standard safety regulations governing Indonesia's air traffic sector, last week's disaster was the third major air tragedy in less

It was exactly one year ago that we were left in shock at the news of the death of Munir Thalib Said, one of the country's boldest and most consistent defenders of human rights.

Alan Ramsey – Stuart Rees is the director of Sydney University's Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies.

Our condolences go out to the families of those who died on Mandala Airlines flight RI 091.

The attacks and forced closures of churches throughout the country in the last four years have reached an alarming level for Indonesian Christians, both Protestant and Catholic.

M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – Shopping malls are booming.

Remember early January 1998 when the rupiah crashed through the 10,000-to-the-dollar barrier two days after then president Soeharto unveiled his draft 1998-1999 budget?

Ati Nurbaiti, Jakarta – A young East Timorese once inquired, "Do you people also experience atrocities?" I said, "What? Of course not." Where did she get such an idea?

Carmel Budiardjo, London – The historic agreement concluded this week between the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) has been widely welcomed, both in Indonesia and

Imanuddin Razak, Jakarta – The Aceh peace accord signed in the Finnish capital of Helsinki on Aug.

It was arguably the most important scheduled political speech since the President took office in October. It was not bad, but it was certainly far from inspiring.

The Aceh peace accord was signed in the Finnish capital of Helsinki on Monday, the culmination of six months of tough negotiations.

For Australians, August 15 is the date World War II finally ended. In years to come, it may also mark the day one of Asia's longest-running wars ended.

Indonesia as a nation reaches a milestone today with the celebration of 60 years of independence.

How often we are reminded. How quickly we forget.

John McBeth, Jakarta – Indonesian officials can be excused for feeling just a little outraged over the US House of Representatives passing legislation that implicitly questions the stat

No endeavor will succeed if it does not have the genuine support and blessings of the primary stakeholders in the process.

Aguswandi, Jakarta – A greater devolution of power to the regions in Indonesia than that accommodated by present autonomy law provisions should be an option in peace building.

A former Indonesian minister, who during his career in the government was deeply involved in handling rebellious provinces, has reportedly told President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono that P

Muhamad Ali, Hawaii – The fatwas (edicts) issued by the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) concerning intra and inter-religious issues in the country have generated concerns and criticisms

Israr Iskandar, Jakarta – Indonesian leaders were quite disturbed on hearing that two members of the US House of Representatives had questioned the status of Papua within the Unitary St

Jerry Norton, Jakarta – Optimistic talk that a decades-long simmering civil war in Indonesia's Aceh province is about to end. A peace pact brokered in Europe.

Fred Dove (Presenter): In the far corner of South East Asia the island of New Guinea is divided into West Papua and Papua New Guinea.

Michael Vatikiotis, Jakarta – Every city has a heart; Jakarta's is a concrete overpass called Semanggi – the Indonesian word for cloverleaf.

Last week's disclosure of indications of money laundering involving hundreds of billions of rupiah related to the personal accounts of 15 police officers is the biggest test yet of the

Jakarta is again pondering restricting the number of older cars in the city. It is also mulling the banning of motorcycles from main thoroughfares.

Carmel Budiardjo, London – It has been asserted in your columns this week (Local Elections and Papuan Politics, July 11, 2005) that because the majority of West Papuans participated in

Haris Azhar, Jakarta – The peace deal between the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) deserves a positive response because its main agenda is to restore the lost peac

"There will be peace." A bold statement indeed from Minister of Justice and Human Rights Hamid Awaluddin at the conclusion of the Aceh peace negotiations in Helsinki.

The formula agreed between Indonesian and separatist rebel negotiators to end nearly 30 years of conflict in Aceh maintains the momentum for peace that has been building since December'

Evelyn Rusli, Jakarta – The peace accord between the Indonesian government and Aceh separatists that was agreed upon Sunday will be difficult to implement, given a 30-year relationship

After decades of little serious effort to fight gambling, the new National Police chief's bold announcement that he planned to completely eradicate gambling nationwide came as a quite a

Damien Kingsbury, Melbourne – Representatives of the Government of Indonesia (GoI) and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) are again meeting in Helsinki for the fifth and probably last round o

Leaders should lead by example. And the thriftiness of a government plays an exemplary role in setting the pace of a nation's consumptive habits.

Hera Diani, Bogor – The Bojong waste treatment plant case, the 20 year-old unresolved Kedung Ombo land eviction case, land confiscation by military officers in Sidoarjo, East Java – the

The Constitutional Court's unanimous ruling last Thursday that Law No.

All of East Timor's fledgling dreams, and all of the threats to those dreams, are on display in The Australian today. First the good news.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has finally made up his mind to promote his long-time friend and a police officer with a good track record, Comr. Gen.

Christine Susanna Tjhin, Jakarta – Almost seven years after reform, the rule of law as one of the key pillars of democracy remains a fragile one.

Aguswandi, London – A young girl falls into a hole and enters a world of confusion and absurdity.

Nothing seems to have changed within our customs service.

In the past, journalists reporting on baffling cases had come to depend on the wisdom of rights activist Munir, who would discuss with them his suspicions or findings.

Indonesia is renowned as a nation with a long history rich in culture. That culture apparently has evolved to embrace corruption.

Tejo Pramono, Jakarta – The child malnutrition outbreak has now spread from West Nusa Tenggara, to West Sumatra, Lampung and now South East Sulawesi Provinces.

Irman G.

Aguswandi, London – Irresponsible statements from politicians in Jakarta is the last thing Acehnese need at this time, post-disaster.

That is, arguably, the most famous cellular phone number in the country – along with a few popular TV reality show and game show phone-in numbers, of course.