When President Megawati Sukarnoputri, daughter of Indonesia's charismatic founding father Sukarno, came to power in July 2001, many Indonesians hoped she would bring peace, justice and economic stability.

A year later separatists are still waging armed struggles for independence throughout the archipelago; intelligence documents suggest the infiltration of groups linked to Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda terrorist network; and the nation's lowest levels of society are continuing to bear the brunt of the economic hardships.

As lawmakers consider amendments to the country's 1945 constitution, which enshrines a secular government and religious tolerance, fundamentalists are pressing for the incorporation of Shariah law, based upon the strict interpretation of Islamic texts.

The fragile democracy of the world's most populous Muslim nation continues to be put to the test.