Soldiers to quell violence in Aceh: Minister of Defense Matori

Soldiers to quell violence in Aceh: Minister of Defense Matori
Abdul Djalil said on Monday he had opted for the deployment of
soldiers rather than police officers to rid the strife-torn
province of Aceh of the campaign of violence launched by
separatist rebels. Matori said at a hearing with Commission I for
defense affairs of the House of Representatives that "It is
better to confront armed members of the movement in Aceh with
soldiers, not police officers".

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Gus Dur fined: Central Jakarta District Court fined former
president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid Rp 500 million on Monday
for damaging the reputation of the former secretary general of
the now defunct forestry and plantations ministry. The fine was
much less than demanded by the plaintiff, Soeripto, who had
earlier asked for Rp 3.75 billion in damages.

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PBSI gives second stringers: Organizers of the US$30,000 Hong
Kong Open badminton championships have invited four Indonesian
shuttlers to take part in the event and have promised to cover
all their expenses during the competition, which will run from
Wednesday through Sunday. The Badminton Association of Indonesia
(PBSI) has registered young shuttlers Ardiansyah and Sony Dwi
Kuncoro in the men's singles and Dewi Tira in the women's
singles. The fourth shuttler, Silvi Antarini, resigned due to
poor health.

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Recession: Hong Kong and Malaysia will join Singapore and Taiwan
in recession this year as a result of fallout from the terrorist
attacks in the United States, Dutch-based bank ABN Amro said
Monday. The Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New
York and the U.S.' military headquarters at the Pentagon in
Washington as well as an imminent U.S. recession have prompted a
"massive downgrade" for gross domestic product (GDP) growth in
Asia.

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Single digit inflation: Although year-on-year inflation has been
running at double digit rates since March, ending the year with
an inflation rate of below 10 percent was still possible on the
back of lower inflation expected for September and October, the
Central Bureau of Statistics. BPS said on Monday that the
consumer price index for September and October should be lower so
as to produce single digit inflation by the year's end.

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Boatpeople: The United Nations urged Australia on Monday not to
use force against 217 asylum seekers refusing to leave a navy
vessel off the Pacific island of Nauru. In a bid to crack down on
rising illegal immigration, Australia has started to intercept
boats carrying asylum seekers before they reach Australia and
take them to alternative destinations for their claims for asylum
to be processed.

Full report on Page 13

U.S. team in Pakistan: A U.S. military delegation was in Pakistan
on Monday to discuss plans for Washington's campaign against
Afghanistan's ruling Taliban and their "guest" Osama bin Laden.
The delegation, whose arrival had been kept secret, is to discuss
details of the military cooperation the United States is seeking
from the administration of Pakistan's military ruler Gen. Pervez
Musharraf.

Full report on Page 14