Camelia Pasandaran – In the wake of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's calls for a crackdown on the nation's "judicial mafia," new evidence has emerged that allegedly shows staff from the respected Constitutional Court colluded with the General Elections Commission to manipulate the results of legislative elections.

Pandaya, Jakarta – The hurly-burly among the 200-plus House of Representatives members seeking an inquiry into the Rp 6.7 trillion (US$700,000) Bank Century bailout is putting their sincerity in defending the public interest in great doubt.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Wednesday that he would not bow to public pressure and order the National Police and Attorney General's Office to halt the prosecution of two antigraft officials.

Nivell Rayda – Former members of the Team of Eight said on Wednesday that they were confident that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono would accept the fact-finding team's recommendation to halt criminal investigations into two leaders of the country's anticorruption body.

Niken Prathivi, Jakarta – For Rp 25,000 (US$26) each, hundreds of people staged a rally at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle and area near the Presidential Palace on Wednesday to support the National Police.

Rallies supporting the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) have been a constant fixture of protest schedules for weeks now, following the arrest of deputies Chandra M Hamzah and Bibit Samad Rianto, however on Thursday people took to the streets to support the National Police and Attorney General's Office.

Indonesia still faces a key risk of new militant attacks as Islamic radicals have set up new cells in recent years and some bomb experts remain at large, the head of the country's antiterrorism unit said on Thursday.

Attempts to shed light on the controversial bailout of a private bank got a minor boost Tuesday after legislators asked a plenary session to set up a special inquiry committee.

Gary LaMoshi, Denpasar (Bali) – The honeymoon ended for Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono less than a month into his second term. Since his inauguration on October 20, there hasn't been much good news for SBY, as Yudhoyono is universally known here, and the downward spiral is accelerating.

Emmy Fitri – Farmer Kamsari Turahim, from Santing, Indramayu in West Java, said he could no longer rely on the traditional patterns of rice cultivation because the rain was now much less predictable and the dry seasons lasted longer than ever.

Fabio Scarpello, Jakarta – Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is widely expected to use his strong electoral mandate to push reforms in his second term to attract foreign investment. But the re-elected leader's first 100-day plan is already raising concerns that much-needed liberalization measures may be slow in coming.

Jakarta – Despite some progress in coping with the impacts of the global financial crisis, labor and social trends in the country this fiscal year will likely remain gloomy, the International Labour Organization (ILO) has warned.

Mustaqim Adamrah, Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono blamed Tuesday the state utility firm PT PLN monopoly for the power shortages across the archipelago.

"It is wrong if PLN is not able (to meet the huge power demand)," the President said at the State Palace before a meeting to discuss the national power shortages.

Hans David Tampubolon, Jakarta – Several regional branches of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), the country's highest self-proclaimed Islamic authority, say the doomsday-themed Hollywood movie 2012 must be banned because it runs counter to their beliefs.

Jakarta – Experts urged the government to consider human rights when making policies to avoid rights violations, and to establish better social conditions in the country.

Hans David Tampubolon, Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono should heed the recommendations of his fact-finding team into the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) debacle, scholars and activists said Tuesday.

Despite a damning report from the presidential team established to investigate Indonesia's Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) scandal, an unrepentant Comr. Gen. Susno Duadji returned to his job on Wednesday as chief detective at the National Police.

Farouk Arnaz – Businessman Ary Muladi on Tuesday was interrogated by Indonesia's National Police, a day after he was questioned at length by investigators from the Corruption Eradication Commission.

Both the anti-graft commission, known as the KPK, and the police are racing to obtain evidence in the massive corruption scandal that has rocked the nation.

The local rent-a-mob tradition continued on Wednesday during a demonstration allegedly in support of the National Police and Attorney General's Office in Central Jakarta.

Around 700 protesters gathered outside the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle at 12:30 p.m. before marching to the Presidential Palace, causing traffic jams.

The fact-finding team presented 31 pages of recommendations to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Tuesday as part of their investigation into the scandal facing the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) after the arrest of two of its deputies. The team, known as the Team of Eight, suggested that the president conduct institutional reform across law enforcement agencies.

Nani Afrida, Jakarta – During the year ending September 2009, more than 1 million people have joined the state workers' insurance firm PT Jamsostek's list of non-active members as the impact of the global economic downturn has triggered job losses and dismissals.

Nivell Rayda – Indonesia's efforts to eradicate corruption have started to bear fruit, after the country moved to 111th spot in a worldwide study conducted by Transparency International, which was released on Tuesday.

Kinanti Pinta Karana – Key Golkar Party member and media magnate Surya Paloh was rumored on Tuesday to be considering jumping the political fence and joining the Hanura Party, possibly taking his supporters with him.

An Open Letter to the Attorney General of Indonesia by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)

Mr. Hendarman Supandji
Attorney General
Kejaksaan Agung RI
Jl. Sultan Hasanuddin No. 1
Jakarta Selatan
INDONESIA

Tel: + 62 21 7221337, 7397602
Fax: + 62 21 7250213

Dear Mr. Supandji,

Nivell Rayda – Although President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's fact-finding team lacks legal authority, the National Police and the Attorney General's Office should follow whatever recommendations it comes up with today, including dropping the case against the two suspended anticorruption commission leaders, activists and experts said on Sunday.

Markus Junianto Sihaloho & Febriamy Hutapea – A number of activists and politicians on Sunday dialed up the pressure on President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to publicly disclose the recommendations of the his special investigation team's probe into the alleged attempt by the National Police and Attorney General's Office to discredit the Corruption Eradication Commission.

Tom Allard, Jakarta – Indonesia is planning to deport Sri Lankan asylum seekers at Merak, including "Alex", the English-speaking spokesman for the group that has spent more than a month at the Javanese port refusing to leave their vessel.

Budi Otmansyah & Fidelis E Satriastanti – Police in Riau's Pelalawan district arrested two foreign journalists and a Belgian Greenpeace activist on Monday, saying that they had not provided authorities with the proper paperwork.

Eras Poke – Cases of women being abused in East Nusa Tenggara continued to rise, the head of the province's women's empowerment bureau said on Monday.

Yovita Mitak said that 1,580 cases were reported across the province from 2005 to this year, which was part of a worrying national trend.

Nurfika Osman – Linda Amalia Sari, state minister for women's empowerment and child protection, acknowledged on Monday that the Law on Marriage and nuptials under Islamic law discriminated against women, but that legislative reforms would require broad discussion given the potential to create conflict.

Indonesia's censors have formed a special team to decide whether to allow the politically sensitive Australian movie about the Balibo Five to be shown in the country.

The Indonesian government has declared Robert Connolly's Balibo "offensive" and the Indonesian military has urged the country's censorship board, the LSF, to ban it.

Irawaty Wardany, Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono must take action to end the polemics surrounding the Bank Century scandal if he wants to restore domestic and international's trust in his administration, experts say.

Febriamy Hutapea – Dozen of activists warned the House of Representatives on Monday to abandon political bargaining and push through a motion to launch an investigation into the PT Bank Century bailout scandal.

Dessy Sagita – Allowing students who fail national exams to retake the tests will not resolve the problem of rampant cheating, a noted education expert said on Monday.

Around 300 residents of Kampar, Pelalawan, in Riau, went to the Greenpeace home base on Sunday, demanding it not leave the area despite its closure by local policemen.

Pariaman, West Sumatra – The magnitude 7.9 earthquake and subsequent landslides that devastated West Sumatra on Sept. 30 inflicted estimated losses of Rp 21.58 trillion ($2.3 billion), an official said on Saturday.

Nurfika Osman – The Indonesian Broadcasting Commission's letters to all television stations warning them to censor offensive material during court broadcasts has been criticized as unconstitutional by media organizations.

Nivell Rayda – Public pressure has been building for the Corruption Eradication Commission to take over police investigations into the collapse and bailout of PT Bank Century.

On Friday, at least 20 bank depositors visited the headquarters of the commission, known as the KPK, to demand the transfer of the police investigations to the KPK.

Farouk Arnaz, Muninggar Sri Saraswati & Nivell Rayda – The Attorney General Office and the National Police appeared set to defy public opinion and that of a presidential fact-finding team, by forging ahead with efforts to indict suspended Corruption Eradication Commission deputy chairmen Bibit Samad Rianto and Chandra M Hamzah.

Markus Junianto Sihaloho & Muninggar Sri Saraswati – Local and international pressure mounted on President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Friday as the palace-appointed Team of Eight wrapped up its investigation and prepared final recommendations over the Corruption Eradication Commission scandal that has riveted the nation.

Jakarta – Greenpeace activists from Indonesia will file a report with police against PT Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper (RAPP) for illegally clearing forest in a peatland area in Cape Kampar.

Rizal Harahap, Pekanbaru – Citing visa violations, authorities will deport 11 foreign Greenpeace activists who were involved in the sealing off of heavy machinery owned by PT Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper (RAPP).

Irawaty Wardany, Jakarta – Human rights monitor Imparsial has urged the government to thoroughly review its counterterrorism policy, arguing the current "repressive" approach will not prove effective in eliminating the threat.

Ni Komang Erviani, Denpasar – An education official testified Tuesday that he had asked the family of slain journalist Anak Agung Bagus Narendra Prabangsa to pull a story over which the latter was believed to have been murdered.

Rendi A. Witular and Ika Krismantari, Jakarta – A mid-ranking police officer has revealed efforts by the force to fabricate criminal charges against Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) deputy chairmen Bibit Samad Rianto and Chandra M. Hamzah.

Nivell Rayda – Several lawyers visited the Corruption Eradication Commission headquarters on Friday, urging it to take over the ongoing police investigation into businessman Anggodo Widjojo, who is believed to be at the core of efforts to undermine the antigraft body.

Fidelis E Satriastanti & Budi Otmansyah – Eleven foreign nationals will be deported and 21 Indonesians have been charged by police following a Greenpeace action at a large pulp and paper concession in Riau that resulted in a giant Finnish paper company halting the purchase of pulp from the concessionaire.

Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-155-2009

Dear friends,

Jakarta – Hundreds of people who called themselves The People's Movement for Education, Politics, Law, and Human Rights (Gempita), Friday afternoon, gathered outside the Corruption Eradication Comission (KPK) building. They urged the KPK to immediately reform and rid themselves of corruptors.

Hera Diani – The heat was excruciating as the first batch of hajj pilgrims entered the transit dormitory in East Jakarta a day before their flight to Saudi Arabia on Oct. 23. But the pilgrims, mostly of retirement age, welcomed the heat, joking that it would prepare them for the harsh desert climate in Mecca.