Brian Toohey – The appointment of a new police chief in western Papua might seem of little interest to the British Foreign Office.

The Constitutional Court, established on the basis of the decision of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), is currently engaged in reviewing the legal contradictions that are affec

A leading Indonesia analyst says Jakarta has grossly mishandled the troubled province of Papua, and now seems to be stepping back to watch it disintegrate.

Tom Benedetti – A storm is quietly but rapidly gaining force in an overlooked corner of the world.

The Supreme Court's ruling yesterday to acquit Akbar Tandjung of all charges of corruption, thereby overturning two earlier lower court verdicts sentencing the House of Representatives

News about the possibility that the central government might impose a civil emergency in Papua province has caused strong reactions in several quarters.

Defying common sense, the South Jakarta District Court chose to denominate the damages in US currency rather than rupiah in its verdict on Tuesday.

The Wamena District Court sentenced on Thursday two more civilians to 20 years in prison each for their roles in breaking into a military arsenal in Wamena last year and stealing rifles

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – Indonesia may lose Papua and Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam due to the possibility of a foreign conspiracy aimed at destroying the Unitary Republic of Indon

Looking at the security and political situation that prevails as the year 2003 nears its end, we can say that the pattern of conflict that has been affecting the security situation in t

Doubts that the upcoming general election next year can bring significant changes for the better to this country's political landscape are growing as the General Elections Committee (KP

In the Indonesian province of Papua, the appointment of a new police chief has been greeted with protests.

Otto Syamsuddin Ishak, Sociologist, Jakarta – The government has prioritized the extension of martial law over an evaluation of achievements made in the last six months.

Jakarta – At least 12 people have been killed in clashes between security forces and separatist rebels in Indonesia's troubled Papua province, local media reported on Wednesday.

[The article below was published in a slightly abridged form in the Post's opinion pages.]

How to describe this urbane gentleman who so smoothly changed his image as Soeharto's loyal man to that of defender of democracy and development?

The steep decline in the number of bankruptcy lawsuits filed with the Commercial Court in Jakarta by no means indicates a strong recovery in the business sector but is simply further ev

Max Lane – Australia Professor William Liddle's article of October 6 in this newspaper appears to analyze the Megawati Soekarnoputri government's policies in a kind of reality vacuum.

Aboeprijadi Santoso, Radio Netherlands, Brussels – The public hearing on Aceh and Papua held by the European Parliament in Brussels on October 1 was a rare but important occasion.

Two extraordinary reports appeared in this newspaper, on its National page last week.

["The United Nations and the Indonesian Takeover of West Papua, 1962-1969: The anatomy of betrayal" by John Saltford. Review by Julian Evans.]

Tiarma Siboro and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – An expert warned on Monday of more troubles as a result of the government's failure to involve local participation in its plan to di

Jakarta – Foreign Affairs Minister Hassan Wirajuda has stated that the government is continuing to monitor the possibility of support from a number of countries in the Asia Pacific regi

The Jakarta Transportation Office's plan to have all private vehicles undergo periodic road worthiness tests starting next year has evoked strong reactions from the public, and has beco

The information disclosed by new media watchdog Aceh News Watch on Wednesday that most national newspapers and television stations had failed to practice the very basic media principles

Kirsten E. Schulze – The military operation against the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) has entered the fourth month of what increasingly looks like an indeterminate period.

At least three people have been killed and 45 injured in clashes between supporters and opponents of the setting up of Central Irian Jaya province in Timika since Saturday, when the pro

Max Lane – Indonesia is in a process of transition out of the period of dictatorship during the presidency of Gen. (ret) Soeharto.

Jakarta, Kompas – Even though Aceh problem has yet to be resolved, the Indonesian military (TNI) is now categorising the province of Papua as a trouble spot [because of efforts] to sepa

Greg Sheridan – Indonesia has no plans to ban foreign journalists from the troubled province of Aceh, according to Indonesia's Foreign Minister, Hasan Wirayudah.

Phar Kim Beng, Hong Kong – Aceh, like East Timor, has seen its share of separatist problems for the greater part of the past 30 years.

Ten days ago Indonesia launched a full-scale military invasion into the northern province of Aceh, just hours after talks broke down between the government and the Free Aceh movement.

Greg Sheridan – When in 1978 Dick Woolcott paid his last call as Australian ambassador in Jakarta on then Indonesian president Suharto, Suharto told him the real threat to Indonesian st

The launch this week of the biggest Indonesian military operation since the 1975 invasion of East Timor suggests an impending bloodbath in the contested northern province of Aceh.

Matthew Moore – Two things are certain about the newly resumed war in Aceh: a lot of innocent people will die and not many people will care, at least outside this province on Sumatra's

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – Papua Police named an alleged commander of the separatist Free Papua Movement (OPM) as a key suspect in last month's armed robbery at the Wamena military

Why has the government information campaign basically failed in Papua?

That Papua is one of the poorest provinces in Indonesia is beyond dispute, but what is less known to date is the deep disparity that exists there.

Jakarta – Suspected rebels trying to steal weapons during a night raid on a military post exchanged fire with government troops early yesterday, killing two soldiers in Indonesia's remo

Sem Karoba is a student leader and representative of the West Papua Presidium Council (West Papua's alternative to the Indonesian government) who is on his second visit to Ireland, lobb

Martin Flanagan – Human rights advocate John Rumbiak fled Papua a year ago.

Over the past week in Aceh, Indonesia has repeatedly violated the December 10 Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (COHA), arresting civil movement activists and carrying out military off

Jim Buckell – Pressure from the Indonesian Government has forced RMIT University to withdraw official support for a conference on West Papuan independence scheduled for later this month

Sidney Jones, Jakarta – Since President Soeharto resigned in May 1998, violence and conflict seem to have become part of Indonesian life.

Rachel S.

Liza Power – It's seven in the morning at Wamena's Trendy Hotel.

John Martinkus – In April, 1000 pro-independence demonstrators met Ralph Boyce when the United States ambassador to Indonesia arrived in Jayapura, the West Papuan capital.

While civil society groups have placed their hopes in creating a zone of peace in West Papua, thousands of members of Laskar Jihad have flooded into the province in the past year, amid

[The Indonesian government has had harsh colonial policy vis-a-vis the people of West Papua (formerly Irian Jaya).

Fitri Wulandari and Lela E. Madjiah, Jakarta – Indonesia is mobs burning alive criminals, would-be criminals and even the innocent – and taking great delight in doing so.