A dynamic new labour movement emerged in Indonesia in the 1990s, helping to bring down the brutal Suharto dictatorship in 1998. Through personal interviews with activists, La Botz draws valuable lessons for workers in the West seeking to build international labour solidarity. 'An inspiring story of struggle and achievement' (Noam Chomsky).

Cambridge (MA, US): South End Press, July 2001, 424 pp, ISBN 0-89608-642-9 (pbk) US$18, ISBN 0-89608-643-7 (cloth) US$40.

Violence and the state in Suharto's Indonesia

Benedict R O G Anderson (ed)

These essays investigate institutionalised violence in New Order Indonesia, and the ongoing legacy Suharto's dictatorship has conferred on the nation. Includes papers on East Timor, Aceh, Biak, police, the military, and other topics.

Cornell University Southeast Asia Program, March 2001, 230 pp, ISBN 087727729X (pbk) US$18.

Violence in Indonesia

Ingrid Wessel and Georgia Wimh(eds)

Papers from a Berlin conference July 2000, by Munir, Freek Colombijn, John Sidel, Robert Cribb, George Aditjondro, Benny Giay, Mary Somers Heidhues, Peter Carey, Nils Bubandt, and others.

Hamburg: Abera-Verl, 2001, 343pp, ISBN 3-934376-16-9.

Indonesia today: Challenges of history

Grayson J Lloyd and Shannon L Smith (eds)

Proceedings of the 2000 Indonesia Update Conference, Australian National University, October 2000. Howard Dick on economic fundamentals; Richard Chauvel on changing dynamics of regional resistance; Tim Lindsey on the creation of a 'criminal state'; Susan Blackburn on gender relations; Goenawan Mohamad on 'remembering of the left'; Robert Cribb's provocative thesis of 'Independence for Java'; and more. (Ron Witton).

Singapore: Institute of South East Asian Studies, 2001, 359 pp, ISBN 981-230-138-0 (soft) US$29.90.

Women and the colonial state

Elsbeth Locher-Scholten

These essays on gender and modernity in the Netherlands Indies 1900-1942 ask: How did women of different racial backgrounds relate to each other and to 'the colonial project'? How did the colonial state address women's issues? What gender constructions dominated the discourse? Essays on labour, servants, fashion, voting, and monogamy.

Amsterdam Univ Pr, September 2000, 251pp, ISBN 90 5356 403 9 (pbk) US$22.50.

Elections in Indonesia

Hans Antlov and Sven Cederroth (eds)

Describes the last New Order election and the first free election in the post-Suharto era. An important contribution to our understanding of the demise of the New Order and the directions taken by the emerging regime.

Curzon Press, April 2001, 288pp, ISBN 0700713522 (pbk) US$32.95.

The politics of economic liberalization in Indonesia

Andrew Rosser

Considers the politics of economic policy-making in Indonesia in a range of sectors including the capital market, intellectual property law, the banking industry, and the trade and investment sectors.

Curzon Press, August 2001, 256pp, ISBN 0700714766 (hbk) US$65.00.

Coast Lines

A new cross-cultural magazine produced by Pesisir Foundation, based in Tegal (Central Java) and Hobart (Australia). First edition includes Michael Bodden on Indonesian 'local colour' novels, Judith Steele poem on West Timor, Indonesian contributions about gender in literature, and more.

Contributions: Heather Curnow (coast_lines@yahoo.com) or Nurhidayat Poso (pesisir_budaya@yahoo.com). Subs: AU$30 four issues in Australia/ AU$40 overseas, contact Joanna Larke (jukungau@yahoo.com.au, tel Austr 03-6239 1907).

On line

Soldiers in business

Papers presented at an international conference held by the Bonn International Center for Conversion (BICC) in Jakarta, October 2000. Includes Lesley McCulloch's study of the economic activities of the Indonesian military. Other papers are on China, Nigeria, Thailand, Africa, theoretical issues, and more.

Bonn: BICC, www.bicc.de/budget/events/milbus/confpapers.html.

Indonesia at the cossroads: US weapons sales and military training

Frida Berrigan

The shape and quality of Indonesia's democracy will depend in large part on what role the United States chooses to play. Resumption of weapons sales and military training will not contribute to Indonesia's stability.

New York: The World Policy Institute, Arms Trade Resource Center, October 2001

www.worldpolicy.org/projects/arms/reports/indo092001.html.

Global corruption report 2001

Transparency International

The annual survey of corruption by this Berlin-based non-profit organisation includes a Southeast Asian section, and discusses the impact of corruption on a society. The 2001 Corruption Perceptions Index places Indonesia 88th out of 91 countries surveyed - the same as Uganda and better only than Nigeria and Bangladesh.

TI, 2001, www.globalcorruptionreport.org/

The war in Aceh

Human Rights Watch

Examines human rights violations committed by both the Indonesian security forces and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in this increasingly brutal war. Popular support for the insurgency has grown because Indonesia's post-Suharto governments have failed to punish perpetrators.

New York: Human Rights Watch, August 2001;

www.hrw.org/hrw/reports/2001/aceh/

Half-yearly update: Indonesia

World Bank

Amid slowing world trade and regional growth, the Megawati administration has inherited a fragile economy.

16 October 2001; http://lnweb18.worldbank.org/EAP/eap.nsf/Attachments/EAP+Update/$File/Indonesia_091701.pdf

The Progressive Response (PR)

Foreign Policy in Focus (FPIF)

A weekly service. FPIF, a 'think tank without walls', is an international network of analysts and activists dedicated to 'making the US a more responsible global leader and partner by advancing citizen movements and agendas.' It carries extensive progressive analysis of the US response to the 11 September 2001 attack on the World Trade Centre, and its impact on the Third World including Indonesia.

www.fpif.org/ (weekly)