Bagus Kurniawan, Yogyakarta – Dozens of students from the Indonesian Youth Front for Struggle (Front Perjuangan Pemuda Indonesia, FPPI) held an action supporting the Asia Africa Conference on Thursday April 21 but called on the conference not to become just a reunion or stage for nostalgia.

Indra Shalihinl, Jakarta – Don't try to hold a demonstration during the Asia Africa Conference because Jakarta must look beautiful. And because conference delegates wanted to pass by, anti-conference demonstrators who had just arrived at the Hotel Indonesia roundabout in Central Jakarta were immediately removed by police and escorted to a less visible area.

Anyone planning to exercise their democratic rights by staging rallies along Jakarta's main roads during the Asian-African Summit should think again as the police have orders to send them packing straightaway.

Rita A. Widiadana, Tanjung Benoa, Bali – While Indonesia was listed this year by Transparency International as the sixth most corrupt country in the world, efforts to fight against corruption here are heading in the right direction.

Jakarta – Human rights activists who's names have been proposed by a number of non-government organisations (NGOs) to sit on the Commission of Truth and Reconciliation are concerned about the selection process at the People's Representative Assembly (DPR). Based on experience, the DPR prioritises political considerations in the selection of public officials.

I Wayan Juniartha, Denpasar – The All-Bali Theater Festival at the island's arts center in late April promises to provoke thought on the roles that women play in a traditionally patriarchal society, which is insensitive toward gender issues.

Jakarta – After eight years in the garment industry, Supena is savvy enough to know that one must keep abreast of the latest trends to stay in business. That includes the use of imported textiles, regardless of the legality of the practice.

Jakarta – The State Intelligence Agency (BIN) is hindering the investigation into the murder of rights activist Munir, and the President and the National Police need to help, the government fact-finding team says.

Dian Intannia, Jakarta – Around 30 student activists, rural workers and urban-poor activists from the United People's Alliance (Aliansi Rakyat Bersatu, ARB) are demanding that the government apply the concept of national industrialisation.

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – Environmentalists testified on Tuesday before the Constitutional Court about the devastating effects of open-pit mining in protected forests as they attempted to have a controversial law permitting that practice annulled.

Max Lane, Sydney – Indonesian left-wing publisher Joesoef Isak attended the Third Asia Pacific International Solidarity Conference (APISC) in Sydney over the Easter weekend.

Indonesia's ex-dictator Suharto, who has escaped trial on massive graft charges because he was deemed too ill to follow proceedings, has made a rare public appearance and appeared quite healthy, a local newspaper said.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – More than three million school-aged children in the country work in numerous sectors to help support their family.

According to the recent national labor survey conducted by the Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration, of the 4.5 child workers, more than three million work voluntarily for economic reasons, while 1.5 million are forced to work.

Riyadi Suparno, Tanjung Benoa (Bali) – Australian and Indonesian businesspeople are of the view that investment opportunities in Indonesia are abundant – especially in the infrastructure sector – but that equally risks are still high, and to some extent this keeps them at bay – unless the returns are attractive.

James Crafti, Canberra – "Over the years our relations have experienced many twists and turns, highs and lows ... Prime Minister Howard and I are heralding a new era of Indonesia-Australia bilateral relations ... the security, prosperity and stability of Indonesia and Australia are interconnected."

Jakarta – Activists have called on the government to reconsider its plan to construct a nuclear power plant given the possible hazardous effects of such technology and the need for public transparency concerning the project.

They also demanded that the government review its own efforts to conserve energy and use alternative sources other than nuclear.

Samarinda (East Kalimantan) – The East Kalimantan Manpower Office estimated that some 5,000 timber workers in the province would lose their jobs following the government's recent decision to restrict logging.

In the last three months, four timber companies have stopped production.

Astrid Felicia Lim, Jakarta – The People's Representative Assembly (DPR) is disappointed over the military's domination of Echelon I level positions in the Department of Defense. They believe that the large number of government officials from the military is a step backward for the ministry.

Indonesian authorities have given the go ahead to build the country's first nuclear power plant on the densely-populated island of Java with the aim of producing electricity by 2016, an official said.

"The project will be tendered in 2008 for start of construction in 2010 and production in 2016," Atomic and Nuclear Energy Agency spokesman Deddy Harsono told AFP.

Paris – The immediate nutritional needs of areas in Aceh hit by the December tsunami have been met, but more than a third of children under the age of five are showing signs of stunted growth linked to chronic poverty, a UNICEF report says.

M. Azis Tunny and Yemris Fointuna, Wawasa/Kupang – Hunger and malaria have claimed 22 lives in Wawasa hamlet in Amarsekaru village, Gorom island district in East Seram regency, Maluku in the last three months, officials say.

According to the Maluku provincial health agency, starvation weakens the residents and makes them less resistant to malaria.

Vincent Lingga, Jakarta – Is the government so strapped for cash that it failed to pay Pertamina Rp 23 trillion (US$2.42 billion) in fuel subsidies for the first quarter? "No, we are by no means facing a liquidity crisis. In fact, the state budget thus far has booked a surplus of some Rp 10 trillion," asserted State Treasury Director General Mulia P Nasution last week.

Tens of thousands of Muslim Indonesians held a peaceful anti-Israel protest and rallied outside the US embassy in what police said appeared to be the largest demonstration the city has seen in years.

Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – After seven hours of questioning, four foreigners participating in a trauma counseling workshop in Medan will soon be deported for visa violations. Syarief O. Ahimsa, the chief of Medan Polonia Immigration Office, said on Friday that they would be deported on Saturday through Polonia Airport.

Jakarta – The City Police said that protest demonstrations by students or community groups may be as harmful as terror bombings to the security during the Asian-African Summit (AAS), which will be held in Jakarta and Bandung next week.

[The first court hearing of a class action by representatives of millions of victims of 1965 took place in a Jakarta district court on 13 April. Because of the absence of the five defendants, with the exception of one who Was represented by an attorney, the case was postponed until 23 April.

Muhammad Nafik and Blontank Poer, Surakarta – Former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid looks set to retain power as chief patron of the National Awakening Party (PKB) he founded six years ago after the 1988 downfall of strongman Soeharto.

Rendi A. Witular, Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono vowed on Friday to raise the wages of civil servants and military and police personnel as part of efforts to boost their professionalism and reduce corruption within the bureaucracy.

Tony Hotland and Rendi A. Witular, Jakarta – The decision to pay bribe money to an audit office official was a collective decision made by top General Elections Commission officials (KPU), corruption suspect Mulyana W. Kusumah says.

Hera Diani, Jakarta – Muslim clerics continue to be one of the major stumbling blocks in gender equality in Indonesia, the world's biggest Muslim country, hence moderate Muslim leaders need to do more to change the conservative mind-set.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – Minister of Defense Juwono Sudarsono wanted civilians, not military officers, to produce defense policies that would help reform the Indonesian Military (TNI), he says.

The illegal logging trade in Indonesia is estimated to be costing the government about four billion Australian dollars a year in lost tax revenues. Over the past few weeks authorities have had some success in cracking down on the trade, but environmental groups say putting a stop to illegal logging in the long term is a major test for Indonesia's new President.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – The Ministry of Defense announced on Thursday a major reshuffle that has seen Indonesian Military (TNI) spokesman Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin take up the key post of secretary-general.

Rendi A. Witular, Jakarta – The Indonesian military (TNI) will not seek financial compensation in return for the relinquishment of its businesses to the state, but has asked the government to improve the welfare of soldiers.

Jakarta - Indonesian non-government human rights organizations have asked the government to cooperate with the United Nations' Commission of Experts.

Jakarta – Patience, they say, is a virtue. And that's probably more true for former members (and their families) of the outlawed Indonesian Communist Party (PKI), than anyone else.

Jakarta – The Army has started its investigation into officers allegedly involved in illegal logging in Papua province.

Army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Djoko Santoso said on Wednesday a middle-ranking military officer, Capt. Kaspar, had been named a suspect, while two other officers were currently undergoing interrogation by a joint military-police investigation team.

Puji Santoso, Rokan Hilir – Protesters vandalized and set on fire three government cars on Tuesday evening during a violent protest to demand that the capital of Rokan Hilir regency, on Riau Island be moved to the town of Ujung Tanjung from Bagan Siapi-api.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati and Rendi A. Witular, Jakarta – The government is now in the process of quantifying all enterprises belonging the Indonesian Military (TNI) to obtain accurate data before it moved to take them over.

[Excerpt from report by Indonesian newspaper Media Indonesia web site on 14 April.]

Jakarta – KSAD (Chief of Army Staff) Lt-Gen Djoko Santoso said that the army was readying seven additional battalions to restore stability in conflict areas, namely Aceh, Poso and Papua [Irian Jaya].

Aguswandi, London – Do the Acehnese hate foreigners? Do they want the many foreign aid workers laboring to help them to leave their villages? Are the Acehnese, you may ask, fanatical Muslims?

After cataclysmic tsunami, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions which have left more than 224,000 Indonesians dead or missing across Sumatra and surrounding islands, a flood of SMS warnings abound that the country's capital Jakarta is next.

Indonesia's powerful military has volunteered to close up shop on its huge business empire – three years earlier than the law requires. The armed forces commander, General Endriatono Sutarto, made the decision with the apparent agreement of the heads of the army, navy and air force.

The first of many, or just one of the few. That is the question on many lips after the conviction of Abdullah Puteh on corruption charges.

Jakarta – When Amisah, 47, and her husband opened their business at Senen Market in Central Jakarta in 1976, their income steadily increased until it reached as high as Rp 75,000 (US$8.3) per day in the 1980s.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – In a bid to boost professionalism, the Indonesian Military (TNI) has decided divest its vast business interests within the next two years, TNI Commander Gen. Endriartono said.

Matthew Moore, Jakarta – In Indonesia's highest profile graft case, the new anti-corruption court has jailed the governor of Aceh for 10 years for improperly "enriching himself" by more than $500,000.

Zakki P. Hakim and Riyadi Suparno, Jakarta – High costs in the Indonesian economy remain the main barrier to attract foreign investment, including investors from Switzerland, according to visiting Swiss Minister of Economic Affairs Joseph Deiss.

Canberra – The Indonesian and Australian air forces have launched their first joint military exercise since relations between the two countries plummeted over Jakarta-sponsored violence in East Timor nearly six years ago, the government said Wednesday.

Hera Diani and Suherdjoko, Semarang – The younger generation of the National Mandate Party (PAN) expressed disappointment on Monday over the election of Soetrisno Bachir as the party's leader, saying the process was undemocratic and only accommodated the party's elite instead of the grassroots.