Jakarta – Human rights activists paid tribute to one of their modern day heroes, the late Johanes Cornelis Princen, for his lifetime's work, by naming the library of the Indonesian Legal Aid Institution Foundation (YLBHI) after him on Friday.

The library was built in 1969 by Princen, a former Dutch soldier who deserted and changed his nationality to Indonesian.

Jakarta – The huge funds provided by the city administration for flood-rehabilitation projects appear open to misuse, as several city agencies allegedly marked up their post-flood expenditure.

Robert Go, Jakarta – From his small electronics kiosk in Jakarta's Glodok market, Mr Gunawan sells imported 21-inch Sony televisions for 4.1 million rupiah (S$780) each, but a similar set produced locally by Panasonic sells for nearly 4.4 million rupiah.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – The state has suffered more than Rp 137 trillion (US$13.3 billion) due to the manipulation of the Bank Indonesia Liquidity Support Fund (BLBI). Ironically, law enforcers have failed to properly address the issue. The fund misappropriation was first disclosed by the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) in May 1999.

Adi Mawardi, Surabaya – Ralph L. Boyce, the United States Ambassador to Indonesia, has promised that he will fight to get a reduction on the military embargo imposed by the United States on Indonesia after disorder broke out in East Timor following the 1999 referendum, according to Rear Admiral Sa'roni Kasnadi, Commander of the Eastern Fleet of the Indonesian Navy on Friday.

Jakarta – Four people were injured on Saturday in clashes that marred a joint Muslim-Christian peace rally in Indonesia's Ambon city, the scene of three-year-old sectarian violence.

Jakarta – Indonesian prosecutors have arrested and jailed former trade and industry minister Rahardi Ramelan for his alleged involvement in a US$3.8 million fraud case.

Mr Rahardi, who is also the former chairman of State Logistics Agency (Bulog), was a suspect in the case involving misuse of funds from the agency.

Agus Hidayat – Although Tommy Suharto may be facing the death penalty if convicted, the charges against him contain many weaknesses. A good opportunity for his defense team, perchance?

Lee Siew Hua, Washington – The United States appears frustrated with Indonesia for not being aggressive enough in its pursuit of Al-Qaeda sympathisers on its own soil.

Jakarta – Indonesia's inflation rate in February rose 1.5 percent from January and 15.13 percent from a year earlier, it was announced Friday.

The result was a setback to economic planners, who forecast an inflation rate of 9.0 percent in this year's budget.

Jakarta – Indonesia announced a rise in January exports Friday in what one analyst called a good sign for the country's economy.

The Central Bureau of Statistics said exports rose to 4.0 billion dollars from 3.992 billion in December while imports fell to 1.89 billion from 2.0 billion, producing a trade surplus of 2.11 billion dollars,

Like Bob Hasan, Tommy has built a palace at Cipinang jail. But many prisoners are unhappy about it.

Nusa Dua/Jakarta – The much-awaited ad hoc human rights trial is faced with another stumbling block as the government has asked the Supreme Court to delay indefinitely its first hearing pending the issuance of laws on witness protection, and rehabilitation and compensation for rights violation victims.

Blora – A major fire that is still raging at Pertamina's oil and gas exploration field in Cepu in Central Java has displaced more than 1,000 villagers.

The blaze broke out on Monday at an unfinished well and spread to other nearby wells and buildings at the site in Blora district, sending more than 4,000 residents of villages near the fire fleeing.

Jakarta – The commercial center and wholesale market in Kramat Jati in East Jakarta returns to normal on Wednesday afternoon after the two warring ethnic groups involved in a brawl that had lasted from Sunday night until Monday, decided to bury the hatchet and end the conflicts, reports said.

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – Activists from various non-governmental organizations (NGOs) renewed on Wednesday their demand for an independent constitutional commission in place of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) which they deemed incapable of amending the 1945 Constitution in accordance with democratic reforms.

Nusa Dua – Around 170 political parties have so far registered with the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights to contest the 2004 general election.

Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra said here on Wednesday that most of the parties registered for the last election in 1999 were on the list.

Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri yesterday launched an indirect diplomatic broadside at Australia over its stance on illegal immigrants.

Opening an international conference on people smuggling in Bali, co-hosted by Australia, Mrs Megawati condemned countries that did whatever they wanted to protect their national interests.

Nglinting Darmono, Yogyakarta – There's no such thing as a wholly "natural" disaster. The recent catastrophic floods in Jakarta and along the northern coast of Java, which claimed at least 200 lives, were no exception.

Jakarta – Jakarta is planning to discontinue scholarships to some 1,100 East Timorese students in Indonesia, a report said Wednesday.

Jakarta – Indonesian prosecutors said Wednesday that former president B.J. Habibie is not currently a suspect in a 3.8 million dollar fraud case allegedly involving one of his ministers.

They questioned Habibie on Monday and Tuesday about the alleged embezzlement of 40 billion rupiah (3.8 million dollars) in funds intended for the poor while he was president in 1999.

Max Lane – Normalinda, an activist from the Indonesian National League of Students for Democracy (LMND) and Fransiscus "Black" Farneubun, an activist from the Peoples Democratic Party (PRD), were each sentenced to three months in prison by a Bandung court on February 7.

Robert Go, Jakarta – Indonesia's grand scheme to rev up its economy by revitalising four key industries has been branded unrealistic by businessmen and analysts.

Oktovianus Pinontoan, Ambon – At least one person was shot on Monday in the capital of Maluku province, Ambon, in the first spate of serious violence in the province since the Malino peace accord was signed earlier this month by members of the local warring factions.

Jakarta – A political stalemate and lack of legal certainty are hampering efforts to reform and restructure Indonesia's banks, Moody's Investors Service warned Monday.

The global ratings agency said the banks' financial strength ratings have seen a modest recovery due to recapitalisation, intensive restructuring, upgrading programmes and tighter regulation.

Robert Go, Jakarta – Hackers forced the temporary closure of the website of Indonesia's highest legislative assembly yesterday after plastering it with sarcastic messages alleging its members were corrupt and out of touch with the crises facing the country.

Jakarta – Former president Soeharto's youngest son Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra had threatened the late Supreme Justice M. Syafiuddin Kartasasmita, according to witness' testimony on Monday.

Tiny East Timor, which becomes the world's newest nation on May 20, held its first trilateral talks with giant neighbours Indonesia and Australia and said peace was its priority.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Nusa Dua, Bali – Indonesia and East Timor ended bilateral talks on Monday, signing two agreements on direct postal service links and technical arrangements to facilitate the movement of people and goods between the enclave of Oecussi and other parts of East Timor.

Ahmad Junaidi, Jakarta – The city administration announced on Monday that more than 60 percent or 68 of 109 private developers in West Jakarta had not fulfilled their obligation to set aside spaces for public and social facilities.

Jakarta – Civil servants who are absent for 12 days consecutively without notice must be fired, according to State Minister of Administrative Reforms Feisal Tamin.

Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – Singapore's 'authoritarianism' is at the root of a dispute with Indonesia over how to deal with alleged terrorists, says Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda.

Robert Go, Jakarta – Gourmet coffee is coming home to Java as cafe culture takes hold of Indonesia's yuppies – even in the midst of an economic crisis. The Coffee Bean opened in one of Jakarta's glitziest malls last month.

Kurniawan Hari and I Wayan Juniartha, Jakarta/Denpasar – Health clinics, hospital or physicians are supposed to serve all patients, including those already infected with Human Immune Deficiency Virus (HIV) or full-blown Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), Minister of Health Achmad Sujudi said on Saturday.

Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – Minister of Industry and Trade Rini M. Soewandi urged the nation to focus on revitalizing four industries – textiles, electronics, footwear, pulp and paper – as part of efforts to rejuvenate the country's waning manufacturing sector.

Jakarta – Senior human rights activist Haji Johannes Cornelis Princen who died early on Friday after suffering a stroke, was eventually laid to rest at Pondok Kelapa cemetery in East Jakarta late Friday afternoon. He was 76.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – Former president Soeharto's youngest son Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra continues to enjoy special treatment even though he is now behind bars at Cipinang Penitentiary in East Jakarta.

Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – Islamic organisations are making their mark on Indonesia's economy with growing operations in the retail, manufacturing and banking sectors. By applying their own brand of 'Islamic management', these groups believe they can be financially self-sufficient to achieve their religious cause.

Rendi A. Witular, Jakarta – The City Population Agency started a week of free services on Thursday for flood victims seeking identity cards (KTP), birth certificates and family cards. However, the service has proven ineffective and has failed to meet public expectations.

Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, Jakarta – The West Java administration has decided to suspend all industrial logging for the next three years in an attempt to re-green its barren forest areas, which have contributed to environmental deterioration and natural disasters such as floods and landslides over the last few years.

Bambang Nurbianto, Jakarta – The floods that have plagued Jakarta for the past three weeks have claimed more than 30 lives and forced more than 380,000 people to take refuge. However, the magnitude of the recent disaster was not reflected in a hearing between the government and the House of Representatives on Wednesday.

Kuala Lumpur – Indonesia's Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda said here yesterday that his countrymen were laughing at what they saw as overblown fears of Islamic terrorism in the nation with the world's largest Muslim population.

Yemris Fointuna and R.K. Nugroho, Kupang/Jayapura – A score of activists conferred Wednesday 55 coffins to the 55-member of the East Nusa Tenggara provincial legislative council in their protest of the legislature's 2002 budget totaling Rp 12 billion.

Batam – Two men were killed in rioting involving 100 members of the Barisan Brigade youth organization at a major taxi stand in Batamindo Industrial Estate at Mukakuning on Batamisland on Tuesday night.

The victims were identified as Gomgom Nadapdap, 35, a food vendor, and Gotma Sihombing, 24, a taxi middle man.

Yogyakarta – At least two people have been killed and several others wounded when two separate groups of people dressed in Ninja garb attacked rivals linked to major political parties in Yogyakarta province.

Jakarta – A powerful politician has expressed fears a privatisation programme will turn Indonesia into a "nation of coolies."

Jakarta – The Indonesian government has decided to delay the privatisation of mining concerns PT Tambang Timah and PT Aneka Tambang due to weak commodity prices, State Enterprises Minister Laksamana Sukardi said Tuesday.

Jakarta – City Governor Sutiyoso probably feels a bit reluctant to deplore any further the development of villas in mountainous Puncak resort, Bogor, which were believed to have contributed to the recent floods in the city, after he was "caught red handed" owning a villa himself.

Jakarta – Dozens of parents of pupils at Al Azhar school in Kemang, South Jakarta, demonstrated on Tuesday against the laying off of 11 teachers, along with some remaining school teachers who have also gone on strike.

The teachers were laid off for demanding a salary hike, according to Eni, one of the protesters.

Agus Maryono, Purwokerto – Thousands of fishermen in Central Java are slated to meet President Megawati Soekarnoputri later this week to demand her intervention in revoking two separate fishing taxes, which were brought into effect two months ago.