Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf resigns
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf announced his resignation Monday, ending an eight-year tenure that opponents said was hampering the



country's labored return to democracy. An emotional Musharraf said he wanted to spare the nation from a perilous impeachment battle and that he was satisfied that all he had done "was for the people and for the country."

"I hope the nation and the people will forgive my mistakes," Musharraf said in a televised address, much of which was devoted to defending his record and refuting criticisms.

Musharraf said he will turn in his resignation to the National Assembly speaker on Monday but it was not immediately clear whether it would become effective the same day. The chairman of Pakistan's Senate, Mohammedmian Soomro, will take over as acting president when Musharraf steps down, Law Minister Farooq Naek said.

It also was not clear whether Musharraf, a stalwart U.S. ally, would stay in Pakistan.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said leaders of the ruling coalition would discuss later Monday whether to prosecute Musharraf in court on charges that that were being planned for the impeachment process.

Musharraf's political foes celebrated.

"It is a victory of democratic forces," Information Minister Sherry Rehman said. "Today the shadow of dictatorship, that has prevailed for long over this country, that chapter has been closed."

Musharraf dominated Pakistan for years after seizing power in a 1999 military coup, making the country a key strategic ally of the U.S. by supporting the war on terror. But his popularity at home sank over the years.

Many Pakistanis blame the rising militant violence in their country on Musharraf's alliance with the U.S. His reputation suffered blows in 2007 when he ousted dozens of judges and imposed emergency rule. His rivals won February parliamentary elections and have since sought his ouster, announcing impeachment plans earlier this month.

Musharraf, who has been largely sidelined since his rivals came to power, had resisted the mounting calls to quit, even after the coalition finalized impeachment charges against him and threatened to send a motion to Parliament later this week.

The charges were expected to include violating the constitution and gross misconduct, likely in connection with the ouster of the judges and the declaration of emergency rule.

In announcing he would quit after all, Musharraf mentioned the many problems facing Pakistan, including its sinking economy. He said his opponents were wrong to blame him for the mounting difficulties. "I pray the government stops this down-sliding and take the country out of this crisis," he said.

Allies and rivals of the president said talks had been under way to get him to step down by possibly granting him legal immunity from future prosecution. The second biggest party in the government has said he should be tried for treason, which carries a maximum punishment of death.

Who will ultimately succeed Musharraf is an open question. There has been speculation that both Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari, the leaders of the two main parties are interested in the role.

But the ruling coalition has sought to strip the presidency of many of its powers. Sharif spokesman Saiqul Farooq recently dismissed the idea that his boss wants the job because the presidency would likely be reduced to a ceremonial position.

Qureshi would not say whether Musharraf might be granted a "safe exit" — speculation has focused on whether he might go into exile in Saudi Arabia or Turkey — or dragged through the courts.

"That is a decision that has to be taken by the democratic leadership," Qureshi, who is from the main ruling Pakistan People's Party, told Dawn News television. The leaders would assess the speech and the political situation, he said.

With Musharraf's utility fading, Western concerns appeared less with his ultimate fate than about how the clamor was affecting the halting efforts of the new civilian government against terrorism and the gathering economic woes.

A U.S. Embassy spokesman declined to comment after Musharraf's speech, referring calls to Washington. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Sunday the Pakistani president's future was an internal issue.

While Musharraf was a "good ally" who "kept his word" on ending military rule when he stepped down as army chief last year, whether he should resign "is a matter for Pakistan to determine," she said.

More>>

Nation celebrates Independence Day

Indonesia marked the 63rd anniversary of its independence Sunday in a festive mood, thanks to various pieces of good news that, for a short while at least, eclipsed the lingering problems of poverty and unemployment.

About 225 million people around the country spent the national day with their heads held high after the top badminton players followed what is now tradition, and won a gold medal at the Olympic Games.

About six million civil servants and servicemen, plus millions of retirees, had another reason to celebrate the day on Sunday: Just two days earlier, the government promised them a 15-percent pay rise.

More than 5,800 prison inmates discovered a literal meaning of Independence Day as they were released early on Sunday, thanks to the remission awarded them.

Meanwhile, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono could not help but take this year's anniversary of independence personally. He presided over the ceremony at Merdeka Palace for the first time as a grandfather. His daughter-in-law Anissa Pohan gave birth to a baby girl at 6:21 in the morning. The baby was named Dirgahayu, which means "long life" in Sanskrit.

The ceremony at Merdeka Palace was as solemn as ever, despite the absence of some former presidents invited to the event.

The country's fourth president Megawati Soekarnoputri opted to observe the national day with members of her Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) at its headquarters in South Jakarta. In the absence of Megawati, the family of the late founding president Sukarno was represented by his children Guruh Soekarnoputra and Rachmawati Soekarnoputri.

The third president BJ Habibie was reportedly in Germany, his second home base.

No family members of the late second president Soeharto were seen in attendance.

It was surprising, however, that former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid was present, despite his ongoing feud with Yudhoyono's government. Gus Dur was accompanied by his wife Sinta Nuriyah and daughter Inayah.

"This is to respect the state," Gus Dur said of his attendance.

He branded the government a "cheat" for recognizing as legitimate the faction of his party, the National Awakening Party (PKB), led by House of Representatives deputy speaker Muhaimin Iskandar.

Gus Dur, who helped found the PKB in 1998, has accused the government of siding with Muhaimin, his nephew, in a move to block his own bid for the presidency in 2009.

Gus Dur was among those notable for their absence from the ceremony last year.

Other prominent ceremony attendees Sunday were Nada Luthfiyyah, a victim of the 2004 tsunami in Aceh, and her pen friend Maggie Hamilton from Michigan. The two girls were among the President's special guests.

Yudhoyono also led the flag-lowering ceremony in the afternoon, which had a couple of minor disruptions. Commander of the ceremony Col. Bambang Suswanto dropped his sword, while the flag bearers seemed to lower the flag a tad too fast, so it reached the bottom of the pole before the national anthem had ended.

Generally, there were no security issues reported, except for a minor incident in the Aceh regency of Bireuen, where unidentified people lowered eight flags before the independence celebration.

"We are hunting down the perpetrators. Their act is unacceptable," Aceh Police chief Insp. Gen. Rismawan was quoted as saying by Antara.

The incident took place at a high school and occurred just after 20 national flags in the village of Ulee Gle in the same regency were reportedly stolen.

Aceh was plagued by four decades of rebellion, which ended in August 2005 following a peace agreement between the government and the rebel group.

More>>

Another corruption case begins to unfold
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) said Monday it had searched the office of Forestry



Minister Malam Sambat Kaban for material evidence in connection with a new graft case. The Friday raid was also related to a bribery scandal over a mangrove forest conversion in Banyuasin, South Sumatra, in which Kaban was implicated, KPK deputy chairman M. Jasin said.

But Jasin declined to provide information about the new corruption case, nor did he say whether it involved Kaban.

The search drew a protest from the minister, who said the KPK had seized documents that were not related to the Banyuasin forest conversion.

The minister demanded the KPK publicly reveal the documents it had confiscated.

"The search was not only to find evidence on the mangrove forest conversion case, but was also part of our investigation into another case," Jasin said.

He said the KPK could continue its search at the Forestry Ministry to seize further evidence if preliminary investigations indicated that was necessary.

"We don't just carry out a search without authority. Our searches are always based on Article 12 of the KPK law," Jasin said in response to Kaban's protest.

Article 12 of the KPK law gives the commission the right to arrest and detain someone, conduct searches and seize evidence in any corruption case it is investigating. The law also stipulates that the search procedure refers to the 1981 law on criminal procedure.

"We have already carried out hundreds of searches and none of them was found to be a violation. Why is this one being made an issue?" Jasin said.

During Friday's raid, KPK investigators broke into the offices of the Forestry Ministry secretary-general and members of the general affairs, finance and planning divisions.

The KPK had previously said the search was an extension of an investigation into alleged bribery related to the conversion of a mangrove forest for the construction of the Tanjung Api-Api seaport in Banyuasin.

The case has implicated two members of the House of Representatives' Commission IV overseeing forestry, agriculture and fisheries: Yusuf Emir Faisal of the National Awakening Party (PKB) and Sarjan Taher of the Democratic Party (PD).

In the South Sumatra administration master plan, the Tanjung Api-Api mangrove forest is a protected area. The construction of the Tanjung Api-Api seaport is scheduled to finish by July next year.

Kaban has said the forest conversion was legitimate under the law.

Yusuf, the husband of famous singer Hetty Koes Endang, admitted he accepted money in relation to the Banyuasin conversion project, but said he had handed the money over to the PKB in accordance with party regulations.

According to Yusuf's lawyer Sela Salomo, his client received Rp 800 million (US$87,500) from an unknown party, Rp 300 million of which he handed over to then PKB treasurer Aries Djuanedi.

The remaining Rp 500 million was given to deputy party chairman Muamir Muin Syam, Sela said.

Yusuf is the sixth lawmaker to be declared a suspect in the case this year. The KPK earlier arrested Saleh Djasit and Hamka Yandhu of the Golkar Party, Al Amin Nasution of the United Development Party (PPP) and Sarjan and Bulyan Royan of the Reform Star Party (PBR) in separate corruption cases.

Kaban recently defied two KPK summonses for questioning as a witness in the embezzlement of Rp 100 billion from the central bank.

More>>

SBY lcomes baby girl into family
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono received a special gift for Independence Day with the birth of his first grandchild.

Yudhoyono's daughter-in-law Annisa Larasati Pohan gave birth to her baby girl by Caesarean section at the Pondok Indah hospital, South Jakarta, at 6.21 a.m. on Sunday.

"Thank God, my family has been blessed with our first grandchild this morning, a baby girl from our first son, Agus Harimurti, and our daughter-in-law Annisa Pohan," Yudhoyono told a news briefing at the presidential office after presiding over a state ceremony to mark the country's 63rd anniversary of independence.

The President was accompanied by First Lady Ani Yudhoyono and their youngest son Edi Baskoro.

"We are certainly very grateful. We expect this gift will boost my spirits in continuing my duty to lead this country until the end of my term next year," he said.

Annisa is the daughter of former Bank Indonesia deputy governor Aulia Pohan.

Yudhoyono and his wife accompanied their daughter-in-law during the delivery before going to the palace for the state ceremony.

Doctors handling the delivery were quick to confirm the Caesarean section was necessary for medical reasons, rejecting speculation it was manipulated so the child would be born on Independence Day.

"It would have posed medical dangers to the mother if the birth was delayed," said Yanwar Hadiyanto, head of the hospital's service department.

He said a medical checkup several months ago indicated the baby would be born by the middle of this month.

"We decided to go ahead with a Caesarean section purely because of medical considerations so as to reduce any risk to the mother.

More>>

KPK investigates fresh BI graft case
The anti-graft commission could be getting closer to satisfying public curiosity about whether money talks at the House of Representatives, with the commission gathering evidence in relation to a new central bank scandal.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has confirmed it questioned Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) lawmaker Agus Condro, who admitted to receiving Rp 500 million (US$54,900) in cash following the election of Miranda S. Goeltom as BI senior deputy governor in 2004.

KPK deputy chairman Mochammad Yasin said Monday the anti-graft body would immediately follow up on Agus' confession.

"It's going to be our preliminary evidence in a new case. It has nothing to do with the cases of HY and AZA, which we are investigating now," he said.

His statement referred to two Golkar Party politicians, Hamka Yandhu and Anthony Zeidra Abidin, who have been named suspects in the 2003 distribution of Rp 31.5 billion in BI funds to 52 members -- from all factions -- of the former House Commission IX on financial affairs.

Also implicated in the scandal are State Minister for Development Planning Paskah Suzetta and Forestry Minister Malam Sambat Kaban, who, according to Hamka, received Rp 1 billion and Rp 300 million of the money, respectively. Paskah and Kaban were both members of the commission.

Agus was among the commission members mentioned by Hamka during his testimony in court earlier this month.

Jasin said Agus, currently a member of House Commission II on domestic affairs and regional autonomy, voluntarily went to the KPK last week to testify that he and four of his colleagues had each received Rp 500 million in connection with the House's election of a new BI senior deputy governor in June 2004 to replace Anwar Nasution.

Candidates for the position examined by members of then Commission IX were Budi Rochadi, Hartadi A. Sarwono and Miranda S. Goeltom. The lawmakers voted for Miranda.

Vote-buying allegations were rife at the time, but commission chief Emir Moeis played down the accusations, saying they lacked evidence. He said his party, the PDI-P, would not tolerate bribery.

After confessing to the KPK, Agus told reporters he received the money from PDI-P colleague Dudhie Makmum Murod in Emir's room. Emir denied the statement, saying he was ready to prove his innocence.

In response to Agus' account, PDI-P secretary-general Pramono Anung Wibowo said the party would conduct an internal investigation and that party executives would summon Agus and all the lawmakers he mentioned.

Promono said Agus acted upon his own initiative in reporting the past scandal to the KPK.

"But we will summon him to get detailed information about the case before taking any action. We will respect the principle of the presumption of innocence," Pramono said Monday.

Agus said he told the KPK investigators about the bribery for fear the anti-graft commission had already uncovered evidence.

Anti-corruption watchdogs immediately called on the KPK to place Agus under its witness protection program because he might lead the KPK to powerful suspects.

More>>

Georgian president signs cease-fire deal

Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili said Friday he signed a cease-fire accord that orders Russian troops to withdraw, calling the Russians "barbarians" who had been plotting for months to invade and occupy his country's sovereign soil.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Russian President Dmitry Medvedev also signed the pact - and that Russian troops must now withdraw from Georgia as outlined in the deal brokered earlier in the week by France's president.

"Georgia has been attacked. Russian forces need to leave Georgia at once," she said, calling for the "immediate and orderly withdrawal" of Moscow's military and all paramilitary troops that went with the convoys.

The Russian pullout "must take place - and take place now," she said, speaking at the pro-Western Georgian leader's side at a joint news conference outside his presidential palace in central Tbilisi.

Rice flew to the Georgian capital Friday to discuss the cease-fire with Saakashvili after meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris, saying the immediate goal was to get Russian combat forces out of Georgia.

She warned that Russia's military action had wider implications for its relationship with the U.S. - and the West.

"The Russian attack on Georgia has profound implications for Russia," she said.

Rice said the time has come "to begin a discussion of the consequences of what Russia has done. This calls into question what role Russia really plans to play in international politics."

She said the more difficult questions about the status of Georgia's two separatist provinces, Abkhazia and South Ossetia - and Russia's presence there - would be discussed later.

Rice said a key concern was getting observers into Georgia to monitor the cease-fire deal. She said Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb, whose country currently heads a leading European security organization, assured her international monitors could be in place within days.

She also noted humanitarian aid already being provided by the United States and other nations and said that access for these supplies "must be immediate and unimpeded."

"When the security situation in Georgia is stabilized," Rice said, "we will turn immediately to reconstruction efforts."

More>>