Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – An internal rift has forced the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) to drop its ambition to field gubernatorial candidates in the upcoming direct elections, a reliable sou

Nani Afrida, Banda Aceh – The Free Aceh Movement (GAM) formally announced the establishment of a new political party Tuesday and appointed two independent candidates to take part in the

M. Azis Tunny, Ambon – Despite its image as a conflict-torn city, Ambon's peaceful first direct election of its mayor last Monday suggests that its residents are politically mature.

Mark Forbes, Dili – East Timorese Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri's leadership has been overwhelmingly endorsed in raucous, joyous scenes at the ruling Fretilin party conference, after a c

Stephen Fitzpatrick, Dili – Mari Alkatiri was so confident he had stitched up the leadership of East Timor's ruling Fretilin party that by morning tea at the party's national congress y

M.

Tiarma Siboro and Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Aceh is set hold its first-ever gubernatorial elections sometime in August, with independent candidates expected to contest the polls, th

Jakarta – East Java Police chief Brig. Gen.

Denpasar – After losing a grueling and sometimes violent Star Reform Party (PBR) leadership battle here over the weekend, a morose faction leader Zaenal Ma'arif now plans to resign from

Aboeprijadi Santoso, Amsterdam – As the debate on the law on the Aceh administration enters a critical stage, the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) is preparing ground to establish a political p

Rendi Akhmad Witular, Jakarta – The government has asked the international Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM) to extend its presence in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam to help ensure upcoming local

Jakarta – Indonesia's vice president set an August target date for elections in Indonesia's tsunami-ravaged Aceh province.

Rini Kustiani, Jakarta – The Free Aceh Movement (GAM) believes that the national political parties do not want former GAM members to joint them.

Raden Rachmadi, Jakarta – The result of the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI) research in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam province on March 8-18 shows that most of the people there yearn for t

James Balowski, Jakarta – On March 16, left-wing Acehnese political activists publicly launched the Acehnese Peoples Party Preparatory Committee (KP-PRA), which they hope will provide t

Jakarta – If the general election was today, how would you cast your vote?

Nur Raihan Banda Aceh – Not long from now a local political party will enliven the political dynamics in Aceh.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – The Golkar Party, the biggest faction in the House of Representatives, has led the way in declaring its support for independent candidates to contest

Radzie, Banda Aceh – Civilian activist have launched the Acehnese Peoples Party Preparatory Committee (Komite Persiapan Partai Rakyat Aceh, KP PRA), which represents the precursor for t

Max Lane – The second congress of the Acehnese Peoples Democratic Resistance Front (FPDRA), held on February 23-26 in Aceh Besar, took a decision to form a new political party in Aceh.

Hyginus Hardoyo, Manokwari – Former Sorong regent Abraham Octovianus Atururi maintained his lead in the West Irian Jaya direct gubernatorial election Monday amid threats by an opponent

Hyginus Hardoyo, Manokwari, West Irian Jaya – Eligible voters in West Irian Jaya crowded polling stations Saturday, ignoring threats of violence if the gubernatorial election in the dis

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – Hundreds of residents angry with the results of the gubernatorial election in Papua on Friday attacked the General Elections Commission (KPUD) office in P

Tony Hotland and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – The government and the House of Representatives may allow independent candidates to contest local elections in Aceh, although the iss

The government's completed Aceh administration bill will allow the Acehnese to set up local political parties, as mandated in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the governmen

Depok – Dozens of people claiming to be supporters of former Depok mayor Badrul Kamal staged a protest Friday against the plan to inaugurate mayor-elect Nur Mahmudi Ismail and deputy ma

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – The Acehnese will not be getting local political parties in the near future, home affairs minister M. Ma'ruf announced Wednesday.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – Establishment of local political parties and the partition of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam into three provinces are expected to be main issues of contenti

Jakarta – The Reform Star Party (PBR) has ended its internal rift during a meeting mediated by Aksa Mahmud, a deputy speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) who is also a Go

Fabio Scarpello, Jakarta – A recently published Dutch-report has rekindled hopes of "correcting the course of history" in Papua, Indonesia's easternmost province and theatre of a strugg

Jakarta – The limited Cabinet shakeup announced by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Monday night appears to be a blessing in disguise for the fractured National Awakening Party (PK

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – Vice President Jusuf Kalla was not feeling well, according to his aides, but his face was wreathed in smiles as he boarded the Fokker F-28 presidentia

Jayapura – After a racial dispute delayed the process, the Papua General Election Commission (KPUD) officially named on Tuesday five candidates for Papua Governor.

Ridwan Max Sijabat and Tony Hotland, Jakarta – A political grouping, officially launched here on Thursday by dissatisfied elements of former president Megawati Soekarnoputri's party, is

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) is facing internal conflict following its patrons' decision to renew the party's support for the government.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) very likely elicited a big sigh of relief from President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as the Muslim-based party reconfirmed its s

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Concluding its two-day leadership meeting on Friday, the Golkar Party reaffirmed its position as the main supporter of the current administration as it see

Jakarta – The first ever direct gubernatorial election in West Irian Jaya, scheduled for Nov.

Jakarta – The Golkar Party is discussing whether to demand the corruption charges against former president and party leader Soeharto be dropped, or that the case should proceed to court

Manokwari, West Irian Jaya – The West Irian Council insisted on Monday that the province should be allowed to hold regional elections on Nov.

Ivy Susanti, Jakarta/Jayapura – The government plays down the controversial study by Dutch historian Prof.

The 1969 Act of Free Choice, intended to be an act of self-determination by the people of Indonesian-occupied West Papua, was doomed to failure from the outset suggests a Dutch governme

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – The government is drafting a bill on the Aceh administration, which may dash the hopes of former Aceh rebels to contest posts in the regional administration und

Max Lane – An eight-month election process for village councils has finished in East Timor.

Indramayu – An estimated 80,000 fishermen did not vote in the Indramayu regency election on Sept. 22, said Bachtiar of the Indramayu General Elections Commission on Monday.

Jakarta – Thousands of supporters of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) continued their protests on Sunday against a court ruling annulled the victory of Nur Nahmudi Ismail and his runn

Jakarta – Internal conflict within the National Mandate Party (PAN) has risen to new level with the resignation of co-founder and current legislator Fuad Bawazier.

Jakarta – The South Jakarta District Court ruled on Wednesday that last year's dismissal of chief welfare minister Alwi Shihab as the National Awakening Party (PKB) leader was legitimat

Abdul Khalik and Yuli Tri Suwarni, Jakarta/Bandung – Over 5,000 members of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and Nahdhatul Ulama (NU) gathered on Sunday in Depok, West Java, to protest

In simultaneous rallies in Depok and Jakarta, hundreds of supporters of Nur Mahmudi Ismail on Saturday staged protests over the West Java High Court verdict overturning election results