Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – Leading human rights, democracy and antigraft activists, political analysts and lawyers joined forces Tuesday to condemn moves to clear former president Soeharto's name without due process of law.

Laurent Lozano, Washington – "We did have an opportunity to talk extensively about some of the challenges in our immediate region," Howard said after the talks, adding that he highlighted the importance of Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, in counter-terrorism.

Sidoarjo – Residents of Sidoarjo have begun planting banana trees in the numerous large potholes that dot the village's main road, Antara news agency reported Tuesday.

Endy M. Bayuni, Jakarta – You have to be either Javanese or a really desperate person, or both, to believe that this year's eighth anniversary of the downfall of Soeharto and his regime is worth commemorating differently from previous years.

Mark Forbes, Jakarta – Indonesia has praised Australia's new stance against Papuan asylum seekers, indicating a thaw in the diplomatic freeze imposed by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono after a boatload of 42 Papuans were granted asylum.

Jakarta – For many well-heeled Indonesians in jail for graft or other crimes, penitentiaries are not so different from hotels.

Both places have rooms – at different prices depending on how much one pays – daily meals, and some even come with televisions and Internet connections.

Bandung – Dozens of students went on a march in Bandung on Monday, urging the government to not to drop its graft case against former president Soeharto.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – Two years after an official report on the May 1998 riots was submitted to the Attorney General's Office implicating top members of the security forces in wrongdoing, no one has been prosecuted by the state. Meanwhile, the AGO and the body that investigated the riots continue to blame each other for the halt to the investigations.

Ambon – The country is losing around Rp 45 trillion (about US$5 billion) a year because of widespread illegal logging, Forestry Minister MS Kaban says.

Kaban reiterated his pledge that the government aimed to stop all illegal logging activity in the country by end of the year.

M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – The House of Representatives and the government began deliberating the long-overdue Freedom of Information Bill on Monday, with the government already showing signs it wants to water down the legislation.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's cornerstone policy of combating top-level corruption was badly dented after the Attorney General's Office dropped graft charges against former dictator Suharto in view of his poor health.

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – The government's decision to drop graft charges against former president Soeharto has been slammed by anticorruption and human rights groups, which say the ailing former strongman could still be tried in absentia.

Andi Hajramurni, Makassar – Peace has returned to Makassar following protests triggered by a housemaid's death at the hands of her Chinese-Indonesian employer, but there's still an uneasy feeling in the air.

Abdul Khalik, Nusa Dua – Indonesia and Malaysia on Saturday signed a long-discussed memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the protection of Indonesian migrant workers, especially domestic workers, in Malaysia. The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the Developing Eight (D-8) Summit in Nusa Dua, Bali.

Jakarta – Representatives from the business sector and labor unions agreed Friday to jointly find the best ways to improve the business climate by holding an official national bipartite meeting in June.

Relations between the two parties had been tense since violence broke at out recent labor union rallies rejecting planned revisions to the 2003 Labor Law.

Urip Hudiono, Jakarta – The government is setting aside at least Rp 3 trillion (some US$300 million) in funds from this year's state budget to help kick off financing for infrastructure development around the country, in partnership with private investors.

Damien Kingsbury – The recent Indonesian ban on academic contact with Deakin University over the West Papua issue is the latest shot in a wider political battle. But that battle is not with Deakin, or even Australia. The real battle is within Jakarta.

The House of Representatives is scheduled to deliberate a number of important bills, including the long-awaited Freedom of Information Bill. This bill was first proposed in November 2001 by the previous members of the House, but languished in the legislature until last July when it was revived. Many observers wonder why it has taken so long for the bill to be passed into law.

M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – Eight years after bringing down an authoritarian regime, the once thriving student movement is now in disarray.

No longer having a common enemy to unite their struggle, the movement is now deeply fragmented and can no longer produce a coherent platform. It is capable only of launching random attacks on the establishment.

Irwan Firdaus, Jakarta – Indonesian authorities on Saturday ordered the immediate evacuation of thousands of people who for weeks have refused to heed the ominous rumblings of Mount Merapi and the burning lava oozing from its mouth.

Jakarta – For 14 years, Murad Aidit lived in a penal colony on the jungle-covered Indonesian island of Buru with 12,000 other suspected communist sympathizers.

[In the Time of Madness: Indonesia on the Edge of Chaos by Richard Lloyd Parry. Reviewed by Scott B MacDonald.]

Wearing colorful traditional costumes, around 500 activists demonstrated outside the House of Representatives on Thursday, demanding lawmakers abandon their deliberation of the pornography bill.

Windoro Adi – "We are grateful that the government has finally acknowledged our fallen son a hero of reformasi. They did not die in vain", said Hiratetty, the mother of Elang Mulia Lesmana at a press conference at the Trisakti University campus on Monday May 8.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – At a ceremony to mark World Labor Day (May 1) at Jakarta International Container Terminal (JICT), Tanjung Priok port, Indonesian Seafarers Association (KPI) chairman Hanafi Rustandi took the microphone and shouted loudly: "Stop speaking and down your tools." The noise stopped abruptly. All activities at the port were halted.

Jakarta – There are only a few post-graduate students having dinner at around 7 p.m., in a cafeteria in a state university in Depok, some one hour south of Jakarta.

Eric Talmadge, Jakarta – Corruption charges against ailing former Indonesian dictator Suharto have been dropped, and he is a "free man," Indonesia's attorney general announced Friday. "Now Suharto is no longer a defendant, he is a free man," said Attorney General Abdul Rahman Saleh.

Jakarta – With growing support from politicians to halt the prosecution of former president Soeharto, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) says it is up to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to decide on the case.

Oyos Saroso H.N., Bandarlampung – Lampung province is no longer just a transit point for human trafficking, but has become a supplier of women for the sex trade in Batam, Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong, according to an activist.

Jakarta – The National Commission on Violence Against Women is seeking a revision of the Criminal Code Procedures (Kuhap) to make them more gender-sensitive.

Theresia Sufa, Bogor – Bogor train station and several shops inside the station became easy targets Thursday morning when commuters, who were waiting for the economy train to Jakarta, turned nasty upon hearing news of further delays.

Jambi – Up to 3,464 out of about 16,499 elementary school classrooms throughout Jambi are so badly damaged they are unable to be used, an official said.

Andi Hajramurni, Makassar – The South Sulawesi capital of Makassar is returning to normal despite rallies staged by students following the death of a domestic helper allegedly after being tortured by her Chinese-Indonesian employer.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Allowing the outsourcing of jobs would lead to a form of "modern slavery" and only create more insecurity among white-collar workers, the country's labor unions say.

Jakarta – Hundreds of students are threatening to launch a sweeping operation against Chinese-Indonesians in Makassar, South Sulawesi, within 48 hours if the police fail to investigate the death of a maid after she was allegedly tortured by her Chinese-Indonesian employer.

The National Police appealed Wednesday to villagers in Lawangan to give up a man accused of masterminding the 2005 beheadings of three Christian schoolgirls in Poso, Central Sulawesi.

"How can we do an investigation if the citizens prevent us from doing our job," National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Anton Bachrul Alam said.

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – Activists in Jakarta welcomed Indonesia's election to the newly established United Nations Human Rights Council on Wednesday and called for the government to further improve rights protection in the country.

Pangkalpinang, Bangka Belitung – Dozens of residents of Riau Silip village, Bangka regency, attacked people and equipment Tuesday over a land dispute.

B. Herry-Priyono, Jakarta – On Sunday night, April 30, I was still stranded in Aceh (Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam) when I turned on one of the television channels and heard a chilling warning to shoot on spot any protesters committing violence and vandalism.

Without justifying the destructive behavior exhibited in last week's labor protests, many people think the protesters' demands were reasonable. How can the workers build stronger political bargaining power to fight for their rights and how can the government and employers accommodate them? The Jakarta Post asked some people about this issue.

Jakarta – Associations representing a number of labor-intensive industries, hard hit by the recent labor unrest and intimidation of their workers, are demanding tougher law enforcement measures against illegal actions by unions that have the potential to damage the country's economy.

One business association says it is planning to sue the labor unions involved.

Jakarta – For the mothers of two Trisakti University students who were killed on May 12, 1998, there is no justice, because those who ordered officers to open fire on their children remain free.

Max Lane – Scores of activists and young writers, as well as family members, were at the Karet Bivak cemetery in central Jakarta on April 30. Many were crying, tearful. The loss was felt greatly, a burden. But they rallied their spirits to also sing songs of struggle to farewell the man who they had just laid to rest: Pramoedya Ananta Toer.

Indra Subagja, Jakarta – There are many ways to oppose the Draft Anti-Pornography and Porno-action Law (RUU APP). Aside from demonstrations, opposition to the law can also flow from comics. There is a picture of a person bathing, there is also one of a person kissing. Hmmm...

Multa Fidrus, Tangerang – Lilies Lindawati is keeping to a pledge to settle the score with those who publicly humiliated her by branding her a prostitute.

Jakarta – A student organization has reported Vice President Jusuf Kalla to police for inciting violence at the May 3 labor rally.

The Muslim Students Association said Kalla breached Article 335 of the Criminal Code on improper conduct. "Jusuf Kalla made irresponsible statements, which urged the workers on," the association's chairman, Didi K. Safari, said.

Hera Diani, Jakarta – Indonesia may have progressed in controlling corruption during the past two years, but it should continue its efforts or risk lagging behind other countries, an expert warns.

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) notes that the Government of Indonesia is bidding for membership within the United Nations Human Rights Council. Elections are to be held on May 9, 2006. Indonesia has made a voluntary pledge and commitments to human rights as part of its bid, but the AHRC considers that the country needs to take specific action beyond its words.

Panca Nugraha, Mataram – Eggs flew through the air Saturday as tens of angry students in Mataram protested what they called slow progress in handling corruption cases at the West Nusa Tenggara provincial council.

The students, who were from the anticorruption movement, demanded the province prosecutor's office and high court take serious action on corruption cases.

Eric Talmadge, Jakarta – Indonesia's vice president visited ailing former dictator Suharto in a hospital Monday and said he should not face trial for crimes allegedly committed during his rule.

Suharto, 84, underwent colon surgery on Sunday to stem intestinal bleeding and doctors said that he would remain hospitalized at least for five more days.