Max Lane – There is an interesting parallel between the history of East Timor and of Indonesia in relation to how international public opinion changed towards the presidency of General Suharto.

Berni K. Moestafa, Jakarta – The surge in the number of political parties – now around 180 – may signal a thriving democracy but analysts warned on Friday new parties catered more to the political illiterate and failed to meet the people's diverse needs.

The youngest son of former Indonesian dictator Suharto has begun a 15-year prison term for masterminding the murder of a judge amid protests that his sentence failed to match the severity of his crimes.

An Indonesian court has jailed for 15 years the son of former dictator Soeharto for ordering the daylight shooting one year ago of a Supreme Court judge.

Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, 40, was also convicted of arms possession and of fleeing justice in a trial being closely watched by Indonesians as a test of the progress of democratic reform.

President Megawati Sukarnoputri opened a conference of Indonesia's largest Muslim organisation with a rare attack on the "narrow fanaticism" of more extremist Islamic groups.

Dadan Wijaksana, Jakarta – The Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA) said on Wednesday it had secured at least Rp 17.75 trillion (US$2.4 billion) in proceeds from a sale of loan assets with a face value of Rp 145 trillion.

Moch. N. Kurniawan and Novan Iman Santosa, Indramayu – Defying warnings from officials of an extended dry season, many farmers in Indramayu regency, West Java grow rice mostly because they have no other option.

Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – The Indonesian military and police may be forced to re-count and re-register their standard weapons after revelations that many such arms are being used in an increasing number of armed robberies in major cities.

Robert Go, Jakarta – Most wanted in Indonesia: More than half a million teachers willing to work long hours for little pay, no job security and little upward mobility.

Jakarta – The political reforms that Indonesia has introduced since 1998 have been duly noted by the United Nations, but these have done little to improve the country's international standing in human development progress.

John Edwards – Fifty-three people died after fire engulfed a karaoke bar in the Indonesia port city of Palembang on the island of Sumatra on the evening of July 7. As the fire swept through the five-storey Heppi Karaoke bar, people were trapped people inside because the building had just one stairwell and the only elevator had failed.

Leo Wahyudi S, Jakarta – Eki is only 10 years old, but he plays an important role in his family. Along with his brother, Edo, who is two years older, he is the family's breadwinner.

Pip Hinman – US military ties with Jakarta have been restricted since the 1990s because of the Indonesian military's (TNI) human rights abuses in East Timor. Now, Washington is using the "war on terrorism" as justification to renew ties. On July 18, the US Senate voted for a foreign aid bill which included US$400,000 for the Indonesian military.

Terrica Strudwick, Townsville – Indonesian trade union leader Dita Sari was one of 29 Third World women activists denied a visa to attend the annual International Women's Conference and the Network of Women Students Australia (NOWSA) conference held July 5-12 in Townsville.

Bambang Nurbianto and Ahmad Junaidi, Jakarta – Didi Purwanto, 32, knew the consequences of supporting Megawati Soekarnoputri, who was the main enemy of the New Order under former authoritarian president Soeharto. He even braved the attack against her party's headquarters, the then Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) on July 27, 1996.

Marianne Kearney, Jakarta – In a sign that the United States is renewing military ties with Indonesia, a Senate committee last week voted to restore a military assistance and training programme for the country's armed forces.

Max Lane, Jakarta – The Peoples Democratic Party (PRD) launched its new newspaper, Pembebasan (Liberation) at a public meeting held at the Jakarta Media Centre on July 11. Almost 400 people packed the auditorium for a lively discussion on the need for a political alternative to the parties of the political elite in Indonesia.

[Indonesia's President Megawati Sukarnoputri was once seen as the great hope for Indonesian democracy. Now, on the first anniversary of her presidency, Megawati's critics have accused her of cosying up to the military.

Max Lane, Jakarta – President Megawati Sukarnoputri's support within her Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) is falling as she increasingly associates with the political figures from the era of the Suharto dictatorship.

Derwin Pereira, Jakarta – Indonesia's legal system has taken a severe knock with a United Nations official describing it as one of the worst he has seen.

Berni K. Moestafa, Jakarta – Indonesia passed its first year under the rule of President Megawati Soekarnoputri relatively calmly, allowing the country a break from the restless years under her two predecessors.

Jakarta – Indonesia's justice minister lashed out on Tuesday at a UN investigator examining the country's judiciary for branding the legal system as among the worst he had seen.

Berni K. Moestafa, Jakarta – Corruption within the country's judiciary is glaring and well-organized, involving all players in the legal system, and is faced by justice seekers at every stage of court procedures, a survey reveals.

Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, Jakarta – The result of the UN fact-finding mission on how pathetic the country's administration of justice and the judiciary have become has not come as a surprise to the judges and the country's legal circles, who describe corruption as rampant in courtrooms.

Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri completed a year in power as newspapers in the world's fourth most populous nation gave her a less than flattering report card.

Debbie A. Lubis, Jakarta – Fourteen-year-old Santi plainly retold her life story at Monday's seminar organized by the International Labor Organization-International Program for the Elimination of Child Labor (ILO-IPEC).

Jakarta – Haze resulting from bush and forest fires continues to prevail in Riau and Central Kalimantan, as the effects of prolonged drought hit farmers in other parts of the country.

People in the Riau capital of Pekanbaru woke to thick fog on Monday for the seventh straight day. The clouds prevailed till the afternoon but flights were not affected.

Jakarta – Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Jacob Nuwa Wea now admits that labor militancy has reached such a fever pitch that it is discouraging investors and undermining the overall business climate.

Jakarta – Jakarta police said yesterday they were following up a report that a man said to be carrying US$12 million in bogus cheques and with possible links to the Al-Qaeda terrorist network had travelled to Indonesia before arriving in the US.

Darlis M, Palu – The forest damage in Lore Lindu National Park (TNLL), Central Sulawesi, has worsened, according to Indonesian Environment Katopassa Foundation deputy director Ir. Muh. Yamin.

Oyos Saroso H.N., Bandar Lampung – Following a violent clash with security personnel on Thursday, hundreds of striking workers from a PT Budi Dharma Godam Perkasa (BDGP)-owned oil palm plantation in North Lampung have threatened to take over the 2000-hectare plantation because of the management's failure to end a prolonged land dispute.

The number of street children here has increased in the past few years. They can be found at every intersection in the city. When the traffic lights turn red, they approach the cars and beg. Some motorists say they take pity on the children, but others say they are annoying.

Damar Harsanto, Jakarta – Ningsih, who is only 11 months old, cannot yet speak, but her eyes, which continually brim with tears, and her loud cry if her mother stops breastfeeding her, may indicate that life is too hard to bear.

Marianne Kearney, Jakarta – Indonesia's two leading Muslim groups – the Muhammadiyah and the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) – have vowed to distance themselves from local politicking and instead speak up for the country's moderate Muslims.

Jakarta – The armed forces Monday welcomed a move by the US Congress to reinstate military ties with Indonesia, but human rights groups are calling it an endorsement of an abusive and undemocratic institution.

Kurniawan Hari and Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – The decision by the United States Senate Appropriations Committee to endorse the allocation of US$400,000 for the training of the Indonesian Military (TNI) will boost relations between the armed forces of the two countries, according to one military observer.

Malcolm Maiden – Towards the end of 2000, Mark Carnegie, John Wylie and friends, including John Singleton's media group, STW, placed a large bet on the Indonesian television industry.

Yogita Tahilramani and Edith Hartanto, Mojokerto – Rising at dawn everyday, 60-year-old grandfather Hardjo prays long and hard before he prepares himself for work in the dry, rock-hard fields of Suru village, in the drought-ravaged district of Dawarblandong, Mojokerto regency, East Java.

Joanne Collins, Jakarta – A UN investigator examining Indonesia's judiciary said on Saturday the country's legal system was one of the worst he had seen and would take years to repair and raise to international standards.

Jakarta – Governor Sutiyoso tried to sidestep blame for his administration's handling of Jakarta's problems by blaming poor public discipline in his accountability speech.

Max Lane – Two recent developments in the political scene underline clearly how the reformasi sector of society has become disenfranchised from the political process.

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – The House of Representatives (DPR) ended its session on Friday with House Speaker Akbar Tandjung blaming the public for its legislative shortcomings.

The house managed to approve only three out of 22 bills targeted to be completed during the sitting that started on May 13, Akbar acknowledged.

Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – Indonesia's highest Islamic body is insisting that foster parents must be of the same faith as their adopted children to prevent forced religious conversions.

The demand, by the Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI), has delayed the passage of a much-awaited child protection Bill.

Jakarta – State Minister of Administrative Reforms Feisal Tamin has criticized the civil service, saying some 60 percent, or 3,000,000, of its five million staff are unproductive, unprofessional and corrupt.

Blontank Poer, Semarang – Calls for compensation are being voiced, nearly two decades after the construction project of a reservoir in the Central Java district of Kedungombo.

In the latest rally, 250 people paid a visit to the provincial legislative council on Thursday to demand reasonable compensation for land and houses cleared for the project.

The US has eased restrictions on military aid to Indonesia, much to the dismay of human rights activists and at least one US senator, who say the Indonesian Army has shown no signs of reforming.

Indonesia's armed forces will put mothballed equipment back into operation following a funding increase.

The armed forces – battling a separatist insurgency in Aceh province and religious unrest in Central Sulawesi and the Malukus – have complained that budget limitations have forced many ships and aircraft out of service.

Retno Sulistyowati, Jakarta – Eurico Gutteres, former commander of East-Timorese Pro-Integration Fighters, came to National Police headquarters (HQ) in Jakarta on Friday (19/7) to meet with Laskar Jihad commander Jafar Umar Thalib.

An Australian defence think-tank says there's a growing risk of Indonesia reverting violently to a military authoritarian government.

The Australian Strategic Policy Institute says that unlike the Suharto regime, such an Indonesian Government might be xenophobic and anti-Australian.

[A new report by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute says there's evidence that Al Qaeda members fleeing Afghanistan have moved to Indonesia and built links with Islamic groups. So what evidence is there of al-Qaeda presence in Indonesia?]

Presenter/Interviewer: Tom Fayle

Speakers: Dr Greg Fealy, of the Australian National University in Canberra.