National

Authoritarian Southeast Asian governments have been dealt a blow by market forces, says MICHAEL VATIKIOTIS, but democracy will not flourish until people begin to organise locally.

There are plenty of capable Indonesians who can take over from Suharto, says the activist group PIJAR.

What should democracy activists do in these last days of the New Order? DANIEL LEV offers some pointers.

When speaking off the cuff, Suharto sees himself not as a modern president but as a Javanese king. Ben Abel talks with BEN ANDERSON.

We, more than one hundred Indonesian and non-Indonesian non-governmental organisations (NGOs) participating in the International NGO Forum on Indonesian Development (Infid), are deeply concerned about the ongoing economic turmoil in Indonesia which many fear may lead to political turmoil as well.

Indonesia has been brought to its knees by a small club of crony capitalists, says GOENAWAN MOHAMAD. The IMF deal offers hope because it will weaken their grip on the economy of 200 million other Indonesians.

GERRY VAN KLINKEN traces the spectacular financial events that paralysed the country's business and political elites.

In this snapshot of politics at the end of January, ARIEF BUDIMAN worries that the embryonic alliance between Amien Rais and Megawati remains vulnerable to government attack.

ANGELA ROMANO explores the 'envelope culture' among journalists

Why is it so hard to remember the evils of the past? ROB GOODFELLOW explores the pain, and the exhilaration, of memory.

CHRIS MANNING explains why the workers suffer but cannot protest.

LAINE BERMAN sheds a tear for the late great Indonesian comic.

Indonesia's crisis was caused by global 'market forces', transforming nation-states into commodities. MARK BEESON explains.

Indonesia’s transgendered community is raising its profile.

Challenge to political parody on Indonesian television.

The waria community in this East Javanese city are out in the open, but misunderstanding and prejudice are still widespread.

What will Indonesia look like in 2010?

The search for consensus is taking time

A Truth Commission could bring healing for a tragic past