Indonesia

Indonesia rejects US lawmakers' call to release Papua activists

Indonesia rejects US lawmakers' call to release Papua activists Jakarta  - Indonesia rejected a demand by a group of US congressmen for the "immediate and unconditional" release of two Papuans convicted for raising a separatist flag four years ago, a presidential spokesman said Tuesday.

Dino Patti Djalal said the foreign ministry will respond through its embassy in the United States.

"The president will not reply to the letter sent by US Congress members but the Foreign Affairs Ministry will do so through the Indonesian ambassador in Washington," Djalal told reporters.

13 Villagers from Air Batu in Indonesia free from Bird Flu

A small plane crash kills its pilot in Indonesia's Papua

A small plane crash kills its pilot in Indonesia's PapuaJakarta - A light plane crashed in Indonesia's easternmost province of Papua, killing its pilot, media reports said Sunday.

The plane, piloted by a US national identified only as Dave with no passenger on board, was en route from Wamena to Ndundu, the state-run Antara news agency reported.

The Pilatus Porter airplane belonging to Associated Mission Aviation went down in a mountainous area in Wamena district on Saturday.

One dead in rioting in Indonesia's Papua province

Jakarta, IndonesiaJakarta - One person died from gunshot wounds Saturday after Indonesian police opened fire in an attempt to stop rioting in the country's easternmost province of Papua, media reports said.

MetroTV reported the riot broke out after police officers removed an outlawed Free Papua Movement separatist flag, raised by a group of people at the end of rally in Wamena district town of Papua's Jayawijaya regency to mark an international day of indigenous' rights.

6.0-magnitude earthquake strikes Indonesia's West Sumatra

Indonesia EarthquakeJakarta - An undersea earthquake registering 6.0 on the Richter scale struck the western coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra Friday afternoon, but there were no reports of injuries or damage, the Indonesian seismologist agency said.

The quake struck at 1:37 pm (0637 GMT) and was centred in the Indian Ocean, 140 kilometres south-east of Mentawai island, off the western coast of Sumatra, Indonesia's National Meteorology and Geophysics Agency said.

While it occurred only 10 kilometres beneath the seabed, the quake did not trigger a tsunami, the agency said.

13 People Hospitalized With Bird Flu Symptoms

A village in Indonesia could be under grip of bird flu. According to officials, 13 People Hospitalized With Bird Flu Symptoms13 people from a village in North Sumatra were admitted in hospital this week after complaints of fever. Bird flu surveillance team from Indonesia's health ministry visited Air Batu village to analyze possible symptoms of bird flu. Blood samples of the patients have been sent for the test of bird flu.

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