Ivy Susanti, Washington, DC – Indonesian House of Representatives lawmakers held talks with US senators here on Wednesday to seek support for a full resumption of military ties between the two countries when their delegates meet in a joint committee scheduled for next month.

The Indonesian government has confirmed it will raise fuel prices by at least 50 per cent as early as October. As fears subside that widespread social unrest will follow a price rise, concern is now shifting to whether a scheme to compensate the very poor will hit its target.

Jakarta – Efforts by former political prisoners to seek justice for their past suffering were dealt a setback on Wednesday by the Central Jakarta District Court, which said it could not hear the class action lawsuit.

Jakarta – Families of victims of the 1998/1999 student shootings urged the House of Representatives on Wednesday to push the government to issue a presidential decree establishing an ad hoc human rights tribunal to try the cases.

Max Lane – Over the last few weeks, the Indonesian rupiah has lost more than 10% of its value. It has "stabilised" at around 10,500 to the US dollar compared to 9500 before August. The stock market has also suffered similar declines, losing 17% of its value at one point.

Eva C. Komandjaja, Jakarta – With numerous corruption cases still hanging because of a lack of evidence or other "difficulties", the Attorney General was told on Tuesday to use his discretionary power to reduce or even drop charges against graft suspects willing to cooperate in investigations.

Hera Diani, Jakarta – Following a controversial fatwa by the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), which strongly recommends an end to liberalism, pluralism and secularism, Muslim moderates and conservatives are debating whether Islam recognizes freedom of thought.

A discussion here on Tuesday showed that Muslim scholars still strongly differed over this controversial issue.

Jakarta – A woman spends 12 hours a day sitting at a crossroads on Jl. Pramuka, East Jakarta, waiting for people to throw small change from their vehicles. "I came from Brebes four years ago, without knowing what I could do here," said Ngatem, who said that she could not read and had no skills to offer.

Bill Guerin, Jakarta – Despite extensive international-standard safety regulations governing Indonesia's air traffic sector, last week's disaster was the third major air tragedy in less than a year. There have been 14 air accidents so far this year and more than two dozen since early 2004.

Jakarta – The government has decided to again delay replacing Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto, despite repeated calls from the House of Representatives to speed up the replacement.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – An aggressive attempt by Muslim hard-liners to evict the Liberal Islam Network (JIL) from the Utan Kayu area in East Jakarta has received a major blow as local residents have begun to show support for the group there.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – General Elections Commission (KPU) member Mulyana W. Kusumah and acting secretary general of the commission Sussongko Suhardjo were declared guilty by a court on Monday of attempting to bribe a state auditor in a high profile case linked to alleged corruption during last year's general elections.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Skepticism prevails among human rights activists over the capability of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (KKR) in handling unresolved rights abuse cases because the law dealing with it is considered far from workable.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Labour Struggle National Front (FNPBI) is of the opinion that the government has yet to side with laborers, the Indonesian news agency Antara reported.

In a demonstration launched at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle here Monday, 150 FNPBI members rejected the low-wage policy and the elimination of subsidies for the people, including fuel subsidy.

The UK government's decision to invite Indonesia to an arms fair in London, despite ongoing concern about the country's human rights record, has been condemned by TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – The defense ministry is preparing a revision of the draft bill on intelligence, as the initial draft was criticized for being detrimental to human rights protection in the country.

John Roberts – Just a year after former general Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono won the Indonesian presidential election, skyrocketting global oil prices are compounding the country's economic difficulties and placing his administration under serious political strain.

M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – Following his death due to arsenic poisoning, human rights activist Munir won recognition as a martyr.

It was a posthumous salute that elevated him to saint-like stature, someone who was murdered allegedly by those who grew restless with his campaign to expose wrongs in society, namely state-sponsored violence.

Jakarta – A member of Muslim hard-line group Indonesian Mujahidin Council (MMI) along with senior figures from other religions declared on Saturday a national movement against terrorism.

Ant/Edj, Jakarta – The Indonesian National Front for Labour Struggle (FNPBI) believes that the government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Jusuf Kalla (SBY-Kalla) are pursuing economic polices that support foreign interests and which fail to side with the interests of workers.

Jakarta – About 100 students and youths staged a rally here on Sunday to demand the resignation of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's economic ministers from his cabinet.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – The Ministry of Defense said here on Friday it would propose a 7.56 percent increase to its budget next year to Rp 23.6 trillion (US$23.6 billion) from the current Rp 21.9 trillion.

The increased budget would partly be used to finance defense programs aimed at maintaining Indonesia's sovereignty and unity, it added.

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – It is still difficult to claim that Indonesia has a true bicameral legislature with its seemingly weak "senate", which has done nothing significant in nearly a year since it was first set up.

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – Closing budget talks in the House of Representatives to the public enables lawmakers to engage in corruption, it was concluded at a discussion held following reports of the alleged "sale" of government relief funds.

Sunariah, Jakarta – Former army chief of staff, General Ryamizard Ryacudu, has warned that there is a potential threat that could undermine the integrity of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) being posed by a number of neighbouring countries such as Australia, Singapore and Malaysia.

Urip Hudiono, Jakarta – Observing the recent improvement of investment to Indonesia, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has maintained its optimism about the country's economy, revising its full-year growth outlook slightly up to 5.7 percent, from an earlier estimate of 5.5 percent.

Singapore – The Indonesian rupiah firmed on Friday, outperforming its Asian peers as sentiment towards the currency continued to improve, but dealers said the currency needed more government action to stabilise it for the long term.

Ida Indawati Khouw and Suherdjoko, Leiden/Semarang – Pressure is mounting both at home and overseas for the government to ensure that justice is done in the Munir murder case.

David Isenberg – Officials in Washington are increasingly confident the United States will restore full military relations with Indonesia, despite past human rights violations by that country's military.

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – The Indonesian Military (TNI) wants to keep running its many rich cooperatives and foundations but is offering to give up its other businesses to the state.

Triono Wahyu Sudibyo, Semarang – Old, young and even the children of Semarang gathered to commemorate a year since the death of human rights activist Munir. Calling themselves the People Against State Violence (Masyarakat Anti Kekerasan Negara, Makna) they held a 'music performance'.

Jakarta – Several Muslim leaders claiming to represent Utan Kayu residents in East Jakarta told district officials late on Tuesday to evict the Liberal Islam Network (JIL) from the area before the beginning of Ramadhan in early October.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – About 500 people, mostly rights activists, staged a rally on Wednesday as part of a campaign to push the government to solve the murder of noted human rights defender Munir.

Jakarta – The government decided on Wednesday to revise a controversial ministerial decree on the establishment of houses of worship in a bid to curb interfaith violence in the nation with the world's largest population of Muslims.

Zakki P. Hakim, Jakarta – Providing more protection to farmers against surging imports and nurturing agriculture-based manufacturing were two of a raft of suggestions submitted to Indonesian negotiators ahead of the WTO's Sixth Ministerial Meeting in Hong Kong in December.

It was exactly one year ago that we were left in shock at the news of the death of Munir Thalib Said, one of the country's boldest and most consistent defenders of human rights.

Ismoko Widyaya, Jakarta – After demonstrating at the offices of the National Intelligence Agency (BIN), around 200 people from the Solidarity Alliance for Munir and Democracy (Aliansi Solidaritas Untuk Munir dan Demokrasi, Asumsi) moved on and 'assailed' the offices of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the State Palace on Jalan Medan Merdeka Utara in Central Jakarta on Wednesday

Melly Febrida, Jakarta – Hundreds of supporters have called on the government to solve the case of the murdered human rights activist Munir. The demand was conveyed during an action held at the offices of the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) on Jalan Pejaten Timur in Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta, on Wednesday September 7.

Jakarta – One year after leading human rights activist Munir was murdered onboard a flight from Jakarta to the Netherlands, the government has failed to properly investigate and prosecute those behind his death, the New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a statement on Tuesday.

New York – One year after a leading Indonesian human rights activist was murdered after boarding a flight from Jakarta to Europe, the Indonesian government has failed to properly investigate and prosecute those behind Munir Said Thalib's death, Human Rights Watch said today.

Our condolences go out to the families of those who died on Mandala Airlines flight RI 091. We also grieve for the residents on the ground in Medan who were killed when the Boeing 737-200 aircraft smashed down in the residential area of Padang Bulan, near Polonia airport.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – Muslim hard-liners have continued intimidating the Liberal Islam Network (JIL), an organization that promotes pluralism and liberalism in the country, after failing to realize their threat to attack its office in Utan Kayu, East Jakarta, last month.

Yuli Tri Suwarni, Bandung/Jakarta – The closure of churches in Bandung and surrounding areas over the past two years has caused concern among people of different faiths who consider the incidents a threat to religious harmony in the country.

Awan Wibowo Laksono Poesoro, Jakarta – Since the fall of Soeharto in 1998, the military has gradually pulled out of the political arena but has retained its presence in the economy.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – A leading non-governmental organization is set to file a class action lawsuit against 10 companies in connection with the August forest fires and choking haze in Riau.

Jakarta – Hundreds of Indonesian bus drivers, vendors and factory workers staged a noisy rally in Jakarta on Sunday to protest against the government's plan to increase fuel prices.

Bill Geurin, Jakarta – war on drugs has been ramped up as the tourist and clubbing season on the resort island of Bali reaches its peak.

Zakki P. Hakim, Jakarta – Amid lingering uncertainty over the economy, as evident from the volatile rupiah, the Central Statistic Agency (BPS) reported on Thursday that the country's exports continued to put in a strong showing during the first seven months of the year.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – A government-proposed bill on official secrets is prone to abuse by officials and could undermine human rights, an activist says.

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – Calls for President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to quickly shake up his Cabinet received more support on Thursday as senior politicians insisted that confidence in the economic team had dwindled.