M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – The government is drafting a regulation that would likely shackle local political parties in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam.

Mark Dodd and Nigel Wilson – East Timor's ruling Fretilin Party has threatened to withdraw from parliamentary elections unless they are held before the end of May, following confirmatio

East Timor Prime Minister Jose Ramos-Horta said he would not run for the presidency later this year unless there were no other candidates.

Dili – An estimated 8,000 to 10,000 East Timorese have rallied to the governing party, Fretilin, at the country's second city, Baucau, about 122 kilometres east of Dili.

Max Lane, Jakarta – Despite right-wing intimidation, the founding congress of the National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) successfully concluded on January 20.

Peter Boyle, Yogyakarta – Intimidation by armed right-wing thugs and police harassment failed to disperse the January 18-20 founding congress of Indonesia's new National Liberation Part

Max Lane, Jakarta – Around 200 pick-up trucks and cars comprised the long snake of a protest caravan making its way along Jakarta's main thoroughfare, Jalan Thamrin, after a rally outsi

Jakarta – While the next general elections are just two years away, political parties are still yet to agree on the minimum electoral threshold.

Yogyakarta – The founding congress of the National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) that took place on 18-20 January in Kaliurang, Yogyakarta, Central Java, succeeded in reaching a

Bagus Kurniawan, Sleman – The National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) Congress has been unable to start because the national police have failed to issue a permit.

Bagus Kurniawan, Sleman – The National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) plans to sue the national police for obstructing the issuance of a permit for their congress.

Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta – The Yogyakarta Anti-Communist Front (FAKI) has made good their threat to 'attack en masse' the National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) Congress sayin

A rally was held in Jakarta earlier this week to denounce the administration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta – Confronted by the threat of being broken up by the Anti-Communist Front (FAKI), the Congress of the National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) is truly

Mustaqim Adamrah and Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Newly formed Hanura Party has warned major political parties against blocking minority parties from contesting the 2009 general electi

Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta – Threats and intimidation still find fertile ground in Indonesia.

Max Lane, Jakarta – Almost nine years since the fall of the dictator Suharto, one word continues to dominate discussions of the widespread social discontent in Indonesia: "fragmentation

Mark Dodd – East Timorese President Xanana Gusmao will not recontest presidential elections scheduled for April but is expected to run for parliament.

Jakarta – The National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) has proposed five figures that would be suitable to be nominated as presidential candidates in the 2009 elections.

Jakarta – Indonesia's transition toward democratic consolidation lacks key reforming elements required for success, said chairman of the Institute for Review of Democracy and Welfare, F

Wasti Atmodjo, Sanur – The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) concluded its congress here Tuesday by releasing a final evaluation of the government's performance.

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Jakarta – The Islamic Reform Star Party officially dismissed House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Zaenal Ma'arif for polygamy Monday evening.

Denpasar – The number of political parties running candidates in the 2009 general election should be slashed so as not to confuse voters, a politician said Sunday.

Endy M. Bayuni, Jakarta – The people of Aceh have spoken.

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Nani Afrida, Banda Aceh – Former Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebel Irwandi Yusuf and running-mate Muhammad Nazar won a landslide victory in the first direct election for governor in Nanggr

Christine T.

Banda Aceh – A former Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebel won the first direct election for governor of Aceh province, the electoral commission announced on Friday, a step in a peace deal th

Jakarta – Former defense and security minister Gen. (ret) Wiranto on Thursday announced the formation of a new political party to contest the 2009 elections.

Nani Afrida and Ridwan Max Sijabat, Banda Aceh – As the ballot counting continues from last week's elections in Aceh, it is clear voters favored independent candidates with ties to the

Rafiqa Qurrata Ayun, Jakarta – Political parties are already starting to make preparations in the lead up to the 2009 general elections. New parties are also emerging.

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – The government has finalized a draft regulation to establish local political parties in Aceh, which will only allow candidates to run for national House of Repre

Ary Hermawan, Jakarta – Planned revisions of political laws should include amendments to regulations on campaign funding to prevent corruption in future elections, a leading graft watch

Aboeprijadi Santoso, Banda Aceh – The imminent victory of the Irwandi-Nazar ticket in the Aceh gubernatorial election is a GAM (Free Aceh Movement) victory despite the fact that the for

Nani Afrida and Ridwan Max Sijabat, Banda Aceh – Foreign monitors on Thursday reported to the local poll supervisory body (Panwaslih) a number of violations during Monday's landmark ele

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Tony Hotland, Jakarta – The imminent victory of former rebel candidates in the Aceh gubernatorial election is a signal of the popularity the movement in the resource-rich province and A

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – The central government brushed off worries Tuesday about the likely victory of a former rebel leader in the landmark Aceh gubernatorial election, saying whoever

Mark Forbes, Banda Aceh – Voters in Aceh have delivered a massive rebuff to Jakarta, overwhelmingly endorsing a radical rebel candidate as their first elected governor and demonstrating

Nani Afrida and Ati Nurbaiti, Banda Aceh – Former Free Aceh Movement (GAM) spokesman Irwandi Yusuf is leading with over 39 percent in unofficial results from the landmark gubernatorial

Jakarta – Elections in Indonesia's tsunami-devastated Aceh province have swept a former rebel leader to victory, unofficial results show as officials tot up the ballots.

Tanja Vestergaard – The elections constitute the culmination of the peace process initiated in 2005 between the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and the Indonesian government, following a drawn

Ian Timberlake, Banda Aceh – Former separatist rebels have no alternative but to follow the political path after laying down their weapons, a key candidate backed by ex-combatants has s

Robin McDowell, Banda Aceh – A former rebel leader appeared headed to easy victory Monday in the first elections in Aceh province since the government and the separatists signed a peace

Semarang – Muhammadiyah chairman Din Syamsuddin has said his organization has no connection with a new political party called the National Sun Party (PMB) which was established by its y

Achmad Sukarsono, Meunasah Bak'you – Teungku Sobirin lost his seven children and home to the tsunami that devastated Indonesia's Aceh province two years ago, but he believes there was a

Stephen Fitzpatrick, Jakarta – Aceh was like a wild horse in need of a brave jockey to tame it, the former rebel leader making a strong run for governor in the Indonesian province's fir

Dayah Tanoh – Before last year's peace deal, Cek Bi used to lie awake at night listening to gunfire rattling through her village.

Amy Chew, Banda Aceh – He was convicted of treason and imprisoned at the Keudah Prison in the provincial capital here in 2003.