Salim Osman, Jakarta – Aceh governor Abdullah Puteh used funds earmarked for salaries of civil servants to buy a Russian-made helicopter two years ago, Indonesia's anti-corruption court was told yesterday.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – As thousands of Acehnese were killed in the most devastating natural disaster in the country's history, Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh went on trial on Monday on corruption charges in Jakarta.

The oil-rich Indonesian province of Aceh was one of the few places hit by both southern Asia's massive earthquake and the tsunamis it caused – a double blow that killed thousands and wreaked so much devastation that separatists fighting a decades-long insurgency called a temporary ceasefire.

The massive tsunami that hit Aceh province has brought a temporary halt to fighting between rebels and government troops in the region, and could spur efforts to settle the decades-long conflict, analysts say.

Tim Johnston – For the people of the northern province of Aceh, Sunday's earthquake brought a two-fold disaster. First they were hit by tremors that brought down buildings and damaged roads. Then came the tsunamis.

Jakarta – Tectonic earthquake followed by tsunami that swept through Aceh and North Sumatra is the greatest disaster hit Indonesia for the last decade. Recently, Aceh is still in paralyzed condition. The electricity and telephones break down caused difficulty to access information to the impacted areas.

In Indonesia's Aceh province the government's figures have passed five thousand but some officials believe that number could well double. The provincial capital, Banda Aceh, has been destroyed.

Presenter/Interviewer: Peter Cave

Speakers: Tim Palmer, Indonesia correspondent

In the wake of the devastating earthquake off the coast of Sumatra and the ensuing humanitarian crisis, Tapol calls for the region of Aceh to be opened up to international aid agencies.

Banda Aceh – Indonesian troops killed 18 separatist rebels in a single day in the latest clashes in restive Aceh province, the military said on Saturday.

The rebels were killed in four separate clashes on Friday, Aceh military spokesman Ari Mulya Asnawi said.

Jakarta – The head of the Aceh desk at the ministry of politics, legal and security affairs, Police Inspector General Demak Lubis, says that the operation to restore security in Aceh is going well.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – Claiming that security threats will remain high in 2005, the Indonesian Military (TNI) is planning to send personnel to conflict-prone areas to engage in what it calls a "non-physical civic missions" (hearts and minds missions).

Banda Aceh – At least two separatist rebels were killed and another 30 taken into custody in Indonesia's conflict-hit Aceh province in the past two days, the military said on Thursday.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – After claiming to have successfully cracked down on the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), the military is now planning to intensify intelligence operations against rebels in the troubled province.

Nani Afrida, Banda Aceh – Dailami, 31, could not hide the sadness on his face during the conclusion of the third phase of the rehabilitation program for former Aceh Freedom Movement (GAM) members.

Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – The Indonesian Military (TNI) has dishonorably discharged eight soldiers for insubordination during their tour of duty in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam.

Nani Afrida, Central Aceh – Musirah, 50, remembered the day her village fought against the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), when hundreds of armed insurgents besieged the village on June 6, 2001.

The guerrillas had previously attacked and burned down other villages in the districts of Batu, Timang Gajah, Bandar and Syiah Utama.

Nani Afrida, Banda Aceh – "Are you Acehnese? Then you must be GAM." This sort of intimidating remark is frequently uttered by soldiers when conducting checking motorists and passers-by for identity cards and weapons. Local resident Muhammad, 32, has had enough of it.

Nala Edwin, Jakarta – The People's Lawyers Union (Serikat Pengacara Rakyat, SPR) has launched a class action against President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of 9.02 trillion rupiah for failing to repeal the state of emergency in Aceh and instead extending it through government regulation Number 2/2004.

At least ten suspected rebels have been killed in gunbattles this week in Indonesia's restive province of Aceh, the army said Wednesday.

Nine rebels were gunned down by government troops in three separate clashes on Monday, said Ary Mulya Asnawi, an army spokesman in North Aceh's capital Lhokseumawe. He added that three soldiers were wounded.

Jakarta – In one of the Indonesia's highest profile anti-corruption arrests to date, prosecutors on Tuesday detained the governor of Aceh province for allegedly embezzling US$1.3 million of state funds.

Nani Afrida, Banda Aceh – Amid stepped-up security measures imposed by the civil emergency administration, conditions in strife-torn Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam remained relatively calm on the 28th anniversary of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) on Saturday.

Banda Aceh – Officials threatened to "shoot on sight" rebels caught raising separatist flags in Aceh province to mark the anniversary of their movement today. But the rebels remained defiant.

Nani Afrida and Tiarma Siboro, Banda Aceh/Jakarta – Anticipating possible skirmishes during the 28th anniversary of the Aceh Free Movement (GAM) on December 4, the civil emergency administration on Friday banned the populace from engaging in any activities related to the occasion.

Banda Aceh – In the lead up to the anniversary of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) security forces in Aceh have forbidden people from joining in the celebrations. If any civilians or GAM members are seen raising the Red Crescent Moon flag, GAM's symbol, they will be shot on sight. Journalists have who cover such activities will not be tolerated.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – A Working Group for Aceh called for a revision of the special autonomy for the troubled province, arguing that it had failed to address the roots of the problems.

James Balowski, Jakarta – The new government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has barely been in office one month but has already broken a key election promises – to seek a peaceful solution to the prolonged conflict in Indonesia's northern-most province of Aceh.

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – An intensive peace process should follow the visit of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, or else local people will lose trust in the new administration, observers say.

Admitting to hailing from Demak, this woman was charged with being the commander of Inong Balee and sentenced to 18 years in prison by a special tribunal. The drama began on the side of the road in Lamno, Aceh Jaya, in early March.

Jakarta – A conflict over palm oil business interests is suspected to have been the trigger behind the armed clash between TNI (armed forces) troops and the Mobile Brigade (Brimob) in the village of Seuneubok Bace in East Aceh on Thursday November 25.

Arin Widiyanti, Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is to be sued by 4.1 million Acehnese people on the grounds that his broke his campaign promise by extending the civil emergency in Aceh. The suit is be registered with the Central Jakarta State Court by the People's Lawyers Union (Serikat Pengacara Rakyat, SPR).

Imran MA, Jakarta – As many as 25 TNI (armed forces) officers from the Karma Bhakti Infantry Battalion, Rifle Company B in East Aceh have been found to have violated the code of discipline. They have been in detention at the Iskandar Muda military headquarters in Lhokseumawe since Friday November 26.

Banda Aceh – Indonesia's President yesterday pitched his proposal for an amnesty for separatist rebels to bring peace to Aceh during a one-day trip to the oil- and gas-rich region, his first since taking office.

Imran MA, Lhokseumawe – The body of a Mobile Brigade (Brimob) officer from a Brimob post in the village of Seuneubok Aceh in the Idi Rayeuk sub-district of East Aceh who was killed in an attack by TNI (armed forces) troops from the Karma Bhakti Infantry Battalion 111, Rifle Company B, in East Aceh on Friday November 26, has been returned to his home in Palembang South Sumatra.

Nani Afrida, Banda Aceh – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono told the Acehnese on Friday that special autonomy was the best way to resolve the Aceh conflict, signaling that there would be no policy changes in dealing with the secessionist movement there.

Nur Raihan, Banda Aceh – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono says that the extension of the civil emergency in Aceh is necessary if only to maintain continuity and to provide space for a just and dignified resolution to the Aceh problem.

Sian Powell, Jakarta – Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono made a flying visit to the blood-soaked province of Aceh yesterday, demonstrating his resolve to come to grips with a conflict that has claimed as many as 13,000 lives since 1976.

Banda Aceh – The civil state of emergency authority in Aceh has decided to open five regencies for foreigners wishing to enter Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD) province.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who has vowed to end the decades-long conflict in Aceh province, made his first visit there against a backdrop of continued violence.

Jakarta – A number of noted Acehnese figures urged the government on Wednesday to reopen dialog with the Free Aceh Movement to help settle the prolonged conflict amicably.

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – Activists from the People's Solidarity Movement for Aceh (Gerakan Rakyat Untuk Aceh, SEGERA) held a demonstrated at the offices of the ministry of political, legal and security affairs on Wednesday November 24. They were protesting the extension of the state of civil emergency in Aceh and calling on the government to review the decision.

Banda Aceh, Jakarta – Citing better security conditions in Aceh after six months under a state of civil emergency, the provincial authorities have decided to lift its travel ban on foreigners in three regencies.

Aceh police chief Insp. Gen. Bahrumsyah Kasman has been appointed head of the Aceh Civil Emergency replacing Governor Abdullah Puteh, who has to answer a summons by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) over corruption charges. The Jakarta Post's Nani Farida talked with Bahrumsyah for two hours about the weaknesses of the previous civil emergency and his future plans.

Blontank Poer, Nusakambangan, Central Java – It rained at dawn on Idul Fitri and 188 inmates at the Permisan penitentiary on Nusakambangan island were forced to crowd into the mosque to perform their Ied prayers.

After the prayers, 31 of them, aged from 25 to 40, hugged each other, some shedding tears. It was their first time to observe Idul Fitri without their families.

Hopes that an end was in sight to nearly three decades of conflict in the Indonesian province of Aceh are fading. There was more violence over the weekend, just after the Indonesian president had announced a six month extension of the civil emergency in the province.

Jakarta – Soldiers shot and killed eight suspected rebels in Indonesia's Aceh province, the military said Monday, in the worst violence in the rebellious region for weeks.

The killings occurred during a gunbattle Sunday in the northern village of Krueng Aji, military spokesman Ari Mulya Asnawi said. Troops recovered four assault rifles and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono issued a regulation on Thursday to extend the state of civil emergency in Aceh for another six months. Criticism loomed even before the decision was taken, with many questioning the new government's commitment to a more comprehensive solution to the long-standing problems in the natural resource-rich province.

Nani Afrida, Banda Aceh – The acting civil emergency administrator in Aceh has asked the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to verify reports of malfeasance in the use of Rp 6 trillion (US$6.8 billion) in state funds allocated for the first six months of the state of civil emergency in the province.

Jakarta – Non-government organisations (NGOs) say that the policy decision by the administration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to extend the state of civil emergency in Aceh is disappointing.

Fedhly Averouss Bey, Jakarta – The extension of the civil emergency in Aceh will not resolve the problems in the province. On the contrary it is an a-historical policy.

Tiarma Siboro and Nani Afrida, Jakarta/Banda Aceh – Acehnese responded coldly to the government's decision on Thursday to extend the state of civil emergency in the province, complaining that they were not involved in the process that led to the decision.