Poso & Palu News

Poso political problems.

When the town of Poso in central Sulawesi erupted into inter-communal violence in 1998 the precursor to the fighting, which dragged on for four years intermittently and caused about 2000 deaths, were local government disputes and rivalries, specifically over whether a Christian or a Muslim would be regent of the area, which then broke out into open conflict. Reports over the past week, 1, 2, 3, coming out of Poso …

Nasir Abas on Jamaah Islamiyah

… Sumatra, Java until Nusa Tenggara, the third Mantiqi includes Sabah Malaysia, East Kalimantan, Central Sulawesi, North Sulawesi and Mindanao, South Philiphine, while the fourth Mantiqi includes Australia. There are some Wakalah in a Mantiqi, and the Wakalah is divided into parts, like small groups to study Islam.

How does JI indoctrinate the cadres?

They educate the members, it's done in the groups and the material is about tafsir (Qur'an interpretation), hadiths, sirah nabawiyah …

Military Involvement in Christian Militia

… of three Christian men convicted of murder of Muslims during the civil strife that has plagued central Sulawesi since 1998 it has emerged, from the defence's side, that there exists some evidence of the security forces having involvement in instigating and leading the troubles between Christians and Muslims.

The men's lawyers, belonging to the Indonesian Advocacy Service for Justice and Peace, submitted a list to the National Police headquarters on Wednesday of 16 personnel they said …

Creeping Sharia Draws Protests

… principally in the towns of Padang in West Sumatra, Cianjur in West Java, Bulukumba in South Sulawesi, and Pamekasan on the island of Madura in East Java.

Such laws are usually targeted against women, gamblers, and drinkers. While laws against gambling and alcohol can be argued to not necessarily emanate from sharia principles alone the restrictions of female dress have drawn the most protests since these are a clear violation of the 2004 law on Regional Autonomy which specifically …

Impending Executions of Christian Men

The impending executions of three Christian men.

The imminent execution of three men in Sulawesi for supposed involvement in murders and riots during the inter-religious conflicts that plagued central Sulawesi from 2000 has drawn increasing protests. The three men, Fabianus Tibo, Dominggus Da Silva and Marinus Riwu, are illiterate farmers and seemed to have been picked at random and held responsible for violence against Muslims in the province.

They were convicted of murder and …

Sidney Jones on Jemaah Islamiyah

… II - Java, Sumatra, other islands of Indonesia (jihad)
Mantiqi III - Philippines, Borneo, Sulawesi (for training)
Mantiqi IV - Australia (for fund-raising)

Mantiqi I provided most of the leadership until about 2003 and these men were internationalist oriented, close to al-Qaeda. Mantiqi I is now on its knees and key cadres of JI are being drawn from Mantiqi II who are more Indonesia focused, less interested in the middle east, want to establish sharia state in Indonesia. This …

Poso Bombings

A bomb in Palu, Sulawesi.

A bomb has exploded in front a house where pigs are slaughtered in the central Sulawesi town of Palu. So far 8 deaths have been reported and 47 injuries. The area outside the house, where there is a roadside shop, or kiosk, selling pork meat, was bustling with Christian shoppers buying provisions for New Years’ Eve celebrations. On the other side of the road from the kiosk is …

Lastri, Eros Djarot, & Marcella Zalianty

… Tragedi 1965 (Lastri: The Voice of Women Victims of 1965), has been delayed because police in the Central Java city of Solo/Surakarta have declined to give permission for filming, as they suspect the content of the story may be pro-communist, and hence illegal.

A 1966 decree by the parliament bans any promotion of Marxist-Leninism in Indonesia and remains in force.

Scene from Lastri

Filming in Solo had been planned to take place at a factory site, and around the Pasar Gede Solo …

Amrozi Executed by Firing Squad

… and Abdul Aziz aka Imam Samudra aka Qudama were executed at Nusakambangan island prison, Cilacap, Central Java, some time after midnight on Sunday 9th November, for their roles in the 2002 Bali bombings.

Barack Hussein Obama Mania!

… If Obama can do it so can I

Warung Landslide

At a "warung election" in Makassar, South Sulawesi Obama won 41 out of 45 votes cast, with two votes for McCain, and two invalid. The "election" was staged by the Komunitas Warung Kopi Untuk Demokrasi. republika

Minorities

Vice president Jusuf Kalla said Obama's win pointed the way to a minority person, perhaps such as a non-Javanese like himself, one day becoming president of Indonesia. antara

Youth

Maverick …

World News Coverage

… great extent in most of them.

Click the red dots next to newspaper names to activate.

Comment by Lairedion: … Thailand. North Sulawesi (my ancestral homeland in …

Pujiono Cahyo & Underage Lust

… Puji, the head of an Islamic boarding school (Ponpes Miftahul Jannah) in Bedono, Jambu, Semarang, Central Java, in August 2008 informally married (nikah siri) Lutfiana Ulfa, 11 years and 10 months old, who had just begun studies at a local junior high school, but has now taken up wifely duties at home.

Ulfa & Pujiono Cahyo Widianto

Sheikh Puji is a very wealthy man, being the owner of PT Sinar Lendoh Terang (Silenter), a handicrafts exporter, and appeared in the news in August …

Comment by fullmoonflower: … in Kalimantan, in Sulawesi, in Medan, in Sumatera, in …

Chinese Muslims

A minority within a minority, organization and numbers of Chinese Muslims in Java and North Sumatra.

Masjid Lautze 1

In Pecinan, Pasar Baru, Jakarta is located the Masjid Lautze (or Lao Tze), the centre of the Chinese Muslim community in the city, built in 1991, and, perhaps not inappropriately, being located within a ruko commercial complex.

The mosque is run by the Yayasan …

Comment by timdog: … by a Chinese central authority it might be less …

Interbank Credit Crisis

… Libor (London Interbank Offered) rates where trading at a 6% premium to their underlying central banks rates and interbank lending had ground to a halt because no one trusted anyone else’s ability to repay the loans.

Asia has not escaped unscathed. We have had a Bank run on Bank of East Asia in Hong Kong as well as the collapse of the Japanese Insurer Yamato Life. From Seoul to Mumbai real estate prices have been in freefall as well as collapsing stock markets as people …

Comment by TheWrathOfGrapes: … speculation by a central bank against puny individual …

Monarchy-Sultanate Form of Government

Ross defends the monarchical principle and the Sultan of Yogyakarta's authority.

Sultans Rule!

The Jakarta Post on Friday 10th October published an articulate but virulent attack thejakartapost on the monarchical principle, centred on the position of the Sultan of Jogjakarta, HamengkuBuwono X . I took particular notice of this for two reasons, viz., I am a dyed-in-the-wool …

Comment by timdog: … regarded as the central tennet of journalism. But, …

Atheist Threat

Young atheists on the internet, and eradicating atheism and communism in Indonesia.

Governor of North Sumatra, Syamsul Arifin , said on 8th October at an occasion marking Pancasila Day that all elements of the nation must continually fight against and eradicate atheist beliefs among the people.

Atheism, which seeks to erase Pancasila and which once threatened the nation in the guise …

Comment by timdog: … Europe, Islam in Central Asia and Turkey, Buddhism in …

World Football Codes

As predicted by Andy, a "world football codes" topic, split off from US Financial Crisis , including stuff on the state of America, the Iraq war, references to ABBA songs, and a possibly blossoming cyber …

Comment by Purba Negoro: … or tough parts of Central Java- especially Boyolali, …

Popular Myths & Madura

… just seemed like a lot of fun.

On a final note however, before anyone asks, I must make it clear that I know nothing about their women…

[rss]This is a post from the Indonesia Matters website.[/rss]

Comment by Purba NEgoro: … and other East, Central and West Javanese to fell …

Idul Fitri Celebrations

… its heels on compensation for the mud-flow victims? Now that would be a spiritually-uplifting move!

Comment by djoko: … of providing a central reference point for all Muslims …

US Financial Crisis

… former head of the Asosiasi Asuransi Syariah Indonesia (AASI), who is from Palopo, South Sulawesi, says the reasons for the financial crisis lay in the disconnect between the monetary values in the financial and money market sector, and the real, physical asset sector.

The money markets act like a balloon, they just float on their own path without any relation to the real sector.

Sharia finance, on the other hand, was firmly grounded in a connection with the real economy, he …

PKS Social Services

… say is the PKS's keenest rival, PAN, but no services offered.

Additionally, in Makassar, South Sulawesi the PKS is said to have 467 vehicles, 23 to each district, dedicated to providing mobile health services. The cars were paid for by PKS members. inilah

Flag Waving

To mark Independence Day in August women activists from the PKS were said to have distributed one million Indonesian flags at or near the Hotel Indonesia roundabout in Jakarta. Along with the flag came a leaflet …

Comment by djoko: … in Makassar, South Sulawesi the PKS is said to have 467 …

What is Racism?

… Just like their Tempo and Jakarta Post- self-serving or self-aggrandising pulp fictions.

Comment by DXP: … ! - a new indon central bank scandal ? In my …

Porn Laws in English

… defined herein as those aged below 18 years of age.

5. Government or State is defined as the Central Government as lead by President of Republik Indonesia as held by the National Government of Republik Indonesia as defined by Common Law/regulations of Constitution 1945.

6. Regional Government is defined as the Governor, District Chief, or Mayor and the Regional Government apparatus and complex.

SECTION 2:Basis and Prohibitions

The Foundation of Pornography Regulations is …

Socially Inclusive

Two religion based political parties deciding to become more diverse and inclusive, or not.

PDS

The Partai Damai Sejahtera (PDS), Prosperous Peace Party, a Christian party with a small number of seats in the national parliament, recently decided to formally open itself up to non-Christian members and candidates.

Party chairman Denny Tewu announced last month that 20% of …

Comment by Andy: … and working in Central Jakarta at the time of the …

God is Dead

Indonesian students of Islam encountering western anti-orthodox religion philosophy.

In an article from August 2008, Ahmad Sahidin, a former student of the Aqidah & Filsafat (Islam & Philosophy) faculty at IAIN (Institut Agama Islam Negeri) Sunan Gunung Djati (SGD) Bandung and now a teacher of the same discipline at IAIN, makes some reference to controversies at IAIN in 2004, …

Comment by Betty Rowan: … guilty in the Central Bank case, and put in jail. But …

Kevin Bloody Wilson

… his critics, Kev would probably simply quote the signature he offers fans at his various gigs, "F---k You! Kev!".

Comment by Aluang Anak Bayang: … Stand outside Central Station, Brisbane on a weekend. …

Key to Success

On why the Islamic world fell into backwardness, and the key to future success.

Addressing a meeting of the Indonesian Islamic Society of Brisbane (IISB) in Australia on 7th September Heru Sriwidodo Sari, founder of the Trainer Muslim Indonesia Association, worried that many parents today regarded their children's school textbooks as being more worthy of mastering than the Quran, more …

Comment by jam: … the Greeks. In Central Asia Persia was was not exactly …

Dutch War Crimes

… story and on the infamous Raymond Westerling who murdered thousands of innocent people in South Sulawesi.

Back in 2005 Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda, obviously speaking on behalf of the Indonesian people, made it clear Indonesia is not seeking apologies or compensation from the Dutch. This reaction came after then Dutch Foreign Minister Ben Bot (who is Jakarta-born) expressed regrets and morally accepted the de-facto independence of Indonesia on 17-8-45 while he was …

Comment by Purba NEgoro: … littering rural Central Java. Nor were you one who …

Proper Etiquette for Ramadan

… self-deprivation will create better relationship with God. When I was taught in Jesuit school in Central Java- although I and 80%+ classmates were Muslim - all were encouraged by the Romo (Javanese) to fast to make us more humble, more charitable and develop inner strength.

There is already a very strong background for self-deprivation in Indonesia from Hinduism.

Desire - which in Ramadan we are trying to gain mastery of- is taught by the Hindu's as the root cause of all pain and …

Comment by Rob: … one another in Central Java. Muslims guard and repair …

City Cost of Living Comparisons

Comparing cost of living in Indonesian cities, most expensive, Balikpapan to cheapest, Mataram.

According to the 2008 Living Costs Survey (Survei Biaya Hidup 2008) put out by Mercer Indonesia and carried out in July 2008 Balikpapan in East Kalimantan is the most expensive city to live in.

Cost of living estimates are based on prices of food and basic goods, transportation, utilities, …

Comment by Andy: … main attraction of Central Java with Borobodur the main …

Presidential Debates

… national 2007 budget approved by the Parliament on October 17 were pretty much sucked up by the central government. Out of Rp.763.6 trillion government’s total expenditures for the entire country, Rp.504.8 trillion alone was spent by the Central Government. That is over 66% of the total expenditures while the total revenue was projected at Rp.723.1 trillion based on average oil price at $63 per barrel. Even with this approved budget, Indonesia was projected to have about $40.5 trillion in …

Comment by Chris Komari: … to minimize central government wasteful spending …

Argument Topics

The next funny installment of Purba vs various people, Achmad's Oigal obsession, East Timor, Batam, plenty of other stuff...cut from Dating Girls …

Comment by Lairedion: … (Minahasa/Sulawesi Utara). And now I can add IM …

Muslim Schools

… and reasoning.

Syamsir Siregar

Speaking at the Al Hikmah 2 pesantren in Brebes, Central Java, he said he hoped clerics could help to build up a spirit of nationalism and unity, and prevent the politicization of religion, and avoid saying or doing things that might lead to sectarian strife and discord. antara

Comment by Enigmatic: … in Brebes, Central Java, he said he hoped clerics …

Neighbourly Affairs

Posts split from Dating …

Comment by Andy: … areas I lived in Central Jakarta. Problem is he and his …

Signs That Your Son is Gay

Ahmad Dhani's theories on how rock music can prevent your son becoming gay.

Rock musician Ahmad Dhani , or Dhani Ahmad, ex-husband of Maia , recently said that he was very concerned that his sons would one day become gay, particularly with the mass murderer Ryan case still on his mind, and because in Jakarta these days there were a lot of gays around, and:

Being gay is like being …

Comment by Mets: … for both local and central government and have moved …

Learning Javanese Words & Phrases

… following suit.

Javanese has been long part of the compulsory primary curriculum of Central Java - as have many regional languages like Batak, Sundanese, Balinese etc - even widely spoken Irian languages - even East Timorese language of Tetum (this is why it is alive still today). See we are not entirely evil.

In Central Java, street signs are becoming bi-lingual, house names - even Wikipedia in Javanese!

And I just bought as new Javanese dictionary to replace my ancient …

Comment by Kris: … on southward, to Sulawesi and Borneo/Kalimantan (s. …

Feudal Ways & Culture

What Indonesia needs is to dump its old feudal ways and culture, says Soetrisno Bachir.

At a seminar discussing Indonesian culture in modern times Partai Amanat Nasional (PAN) politician Soetrisno Bachir attempted to answer the question:

Can Indonesia become a first rank country, able to compete with the world and provide prosperity for its people?

Bachir said this was unlikely …

Comment by Purba Negoro: … level to Central government. Instead the Rajal …

Olympics Medals Count

The Olympics have apparently been going on, and just finished. Indonesia finished 43rd in the medal standings.

Badminton, 1 gold (men's doubles - Markis Kido, Hendra Setiawan)
Badminton, 1 silver (mixed doubles - Nova Widianto, Liliyana)
Badminton, 1 bronze, (women's - Maria Kristin Yulianti.)
Weightlifting, 2 bronze (Eko Yuli Irawan & Triyatno).

Other Asean -

…

Comment by Achmad Sudarsono: … - Kalimantan, Sulawesi, & Sumatra are relatively …

Independence Day

Purba Negoro celebrates Indonesia's national independence day.

Our nation's birthday, 17th August, has just passed - a brief respite in our work-a-day lives. The Day of Proclamation, however, is not solely time for grandeur, pomp and ceremony, celebration and light-hearted games.

Chairil Anwar of the Angkatan Empatpuluh Lima:

"Better destruction than slavery
Better extermination …

Comment by Andy: … and her family in Central Jakarta in an area which was …

Oil Exploration, Production & Consumption

… eventually run out and Indonesia needs to start transitioning its economy for that inevitability.

Comment by Purba Negoro: … building its trans-Central Asia pipeline and developing …

Dedi Mulyadi

The MUI attempts to chase the regent of Purwakarta out of town, for a musical analogy.

On 7th August the regent of Purwakarta district in West Java, Dedi Mulyadi, gave a speech in which he compared the Quran to a musical instrument, the flute. Dedi was also supposed to have said that he believes the Quran should be interpreted allegorically or metaphorically, not literally.

In response …

Comment by Purba Negoro: … and enrage the Central Javanese so they lose a key …

Self Promotion Strategies

… hard work and concrete contributions to the nation.

Soetrisno himself, who is from Pekalongan, Central Java, said on 26th July that the adverts were only intended to uplift people and encourage them to work hard, and he had not decided whether to compete in 2009 - because his wife hadn't yet given her permission. okezone

Two days later however he was reported to be considering who would be a suitable running mate for the presidency, apparently with a preference for an academically …

Malay Loan Words in English

A not very taxing quiz to guess the Malay/Indonesian origins of some words in English.

"Jakarta Guy", as some sort of way of celebrating Indonesian independence day anniversary on 17th August, holds a quiz where Indonesians are asked to guess the Indonesian Malay origins of ten words in English.

Most of them are very, very easy:

The words are:

ketchup
…

Comment by tomaculum: … of southern Sulawesi, Indonesia’s third largest …

Indigenous Flag Raising

More flag raising deaths and controversy, this time in Papua.

On 9th August to celebrate "International Day of the World's Indigenous People" (Hari Internasional Bangsa Pribumi) a rally was staged in Wamena at which the "Bintang Kejora" (morning star) flag of the West Papuan independence movement was raised, side by side with the with the United Nations and Indonesian flags in Sinabuk …

Comment by Purba Negoro: … probaly 4000 in Central Java with that exact name Ibu …

Political Campaign Posters & Slogans

… santri-ised areas like Tulungagung, Trenggalek, and Blitar, and in areas near the Party's base of Central Java like Magetan and Kediri.

The Sutjipto-Ridwan Hisyam team won the prize for the fanciest and most imposing banners.

Cak Useri votes PDI-P.

Local boy.

Soenarjo

Soenarjo-Ali Maschan Musa from Golkar ran a non-descript campaign with some fairly low-key offers to make medicine, schooling, and various other things, "free", and polled relatively well for Golkar …

Digital Divide

Indonesia still lags well behind its neighbours in proportion of people with internet access.

The General Manager of Telkom's Sumatera Division, M. Awaluddin, said in Medan on 30th June that the proportion of Indonesians who understood and used the internet was still very small compared to countries like Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, that the "digital divide" was still gaping.

In …

Comment by Bule Harga: … in the kampung in Central Java…and I care for them very …

Sexy Dancing

… dancing" girls has the otherwise sleepy town of Pekalongan hot and bothered.

Pekalongan in Central Java, not only known for its batik industry it seems, played host to the sexy "Angel Dance" team, a troupe of four young women who move about acrobatically on stage in all sorts of interesting and frankly mesmerising directions, apparently for the purposes of promoting a brand of cigarettes.

Gaggle of sexy dancers milling about.

Critics complain that the sexy dancing was done in …

Maftuh Basyuni

… sound of young children reading the Quran after evening prayers:

When I was young [in Rembang, Central Java] every evening after Magrib prayers you could hear the sound of children reading the Quran aloud in every house.

These days however, not just in big cities but also in the villages, children no longer did this, but instead were too much interested in watching television.

When he asked his grandchildren to read from the Quran, in his own home, he said they couldn't sit still …

Bibit–Rustriningsih

Bibit–Rustriningsih's win in Central Java continues PDI-P domination, with the PKS a distant third.

Early results for the Central Java governor's election:

Bibit–Rustriningsih ( PDI Perjuangan ) about 43%
Bambang Sadono-Muhammad Adnan (Golkar (& NU)) 23%
Sukawi Sutarip-Sudharto (PKS & PD) 15%
Muhammad Tamzil-Abdul Rozaq Raiz (PPP & PAN) 12%
Agus Soeyitno-Abdul Kholiq Arif (PKB) 7% …

Comment by perempuan rantau: … for people of Central Java. Don’t know much about …

Seeds of Conflict in Papua

… brand of Christianity to the province, and this creates its own problems, he said. ranesi

Comment by jaka: … Papua, Maluku, Sulawesi Utara, NTT, Bali to be part of …

Religion & Religiosity

Rima says religion and religiosity are to blame for much of Indonesia's, and the world's, troubles.

Why religion doesn't matter at all

Once upon a time, Indonesia was well-known in the world as a nation of peace, tolerance and religious pluralism. Other countries even made us their example, a country full of people with various religious beliefs, from various ethnic and language …

Comment by dewaratugedeanom: … conqueror from Central Asia, himself a Muslim and …

My Friend the Fanatic

… of the Preparatory Committee for the Application of Sharia Law are interviewed; still in South Sulawesi he journeys to the district of Bulukumba (if Tangerang in Banten has "sharia lite", Bulukumba can claim the heavier version); while a chapter on Batam begins with an almost moving, snippet-like description of the lives of two types of "Batam girls", those who work in the factories, and those who work in the bars;...and plenty else besides.

Islam

What isn't likely to endear …

Comment by timdog: … out of west and central Asia (re. your line on another …

Habib Rizieq Shihab

… FPI violence at Monas.

Mass FPI Visits

On 9th June about 5000 militants demonstrated in central Jakarta to urge the issuance of the edict to ban the Ahmadiyah group. After they had done demonstrating about 500 of them turned up at Jakarta police headquarters wanting to see their hero Habieb.

Habib Rizieq, with a loudspeaker.

Police ferried the protestors, 20-25 at a time, in mini-buses from Jl Sudirman to the Rutan Narkoba building. After they had all arrived Riziq was …

Chinese & Asian Stereotype

… people as they are? Maybe we will live in a better world if we stop making silly generalisations about others?

Comment by timdog: … other south and central Asian languages, and in …

FPI, Komando Laskar Islam & Munarman

… Pembela Islam and Komando Laskar Islam members in Jakarta, and forced closures of FPI branches in central and eastern Java.

FPI - Jakarta

On 4th June 58 members of the Front Pembela Islam (FPI, Islam Defenders Front) were arrested at FPI headquarters in central Jakarta. The leader of Komando Laskar Islam [KLI], the sub-group of the FPI said to be responsible for the Monas square attack, Munarman, is on the run from police. Twenty other men are also considered suspects but have …

Blaming the Victim & Others

Explanations for the FPI violence at Monas, blaming the victims, the government, and foreign plots.

Ahmadiyah

Head of the Muslim Lawyers' Team (Tim Pengacara Muslim,TPM), Mahendradatta, says the Monas incident was caused by the AKKBB side making deliberately provocative speeches, saying such as things as

the FPI are Laskar Kafir (Infidels' Front) and Laskar Setan (Satan's …

Comment by Lairedion: … from Java and Sulawesi and has severely affected the …

Insiden Monas, FPI & AKKBB

Video tindak kekerasan Front Pembela Islam saat parade kebebasan beragama di Jakarta, dan tanggapan Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Video pemberitaan serangan Front Pembela Islam (FPI) terhadap Aliansi Kebangsaan Kebebasan Beragama dan Berkeyakinan (AKKBB) yang berkumpul di Silang Monas, Jakarta menandai peringatan hari Kesaktian Pancasila tanggal 1 Juni. Sekitar 200 orang anggota FPI …

Comment by Komandan Laskar Muslim Kalimantan: … , bali dan sulawesi, yang terbesar adalah akan …

FPI - Laskar Kafir, dikuasai Mossad

Keterangan mengenai kekerasan FPI di Monas, menyalahkan korban, pemerintah dan persekongkolan asing.

Pimpinan Tim Pengacara Muslim (TPM), Mahendradatta, mengatakan bahwa insiden Monas terjadi karena pihak AKKBB dengan sengaja memprovokasi dengan melontarkan kata-kata seperti

FPI Laskar Kafir dan Laskar Setan

Provokasi lainnya termasuk fakta bahwa parade AKKBB ilegal, tanpa ijin …

Comment by Dhani: … madura, jawa, sulawesi, ternate dll). NGGAK SAMA …

Forbidden Love in Cheap Hotels

… other matters and arrested 13 not husband-wife couples. indosiar

Jambi

5th May, Jambi, central Sumatra. A number of hotels were raided and dozens of women, said to be prostitutes, arrested and thereafter despatched to a rehabilitation centre.

A young student age couple was also found, and handed over to their parents on condition that they be married off. l6

Bantul

Babarsari, Sleman, Yogyakarta, 16th May. Two police officers, Adib Rojikan (30) and Rahmawati …

Gereja Dibakar

Sebuah gereja dibakar di Purwakarta, Jawa Barat oleh penduduk setempat yang merasa diremehkan karena protes mereka atas pengalihfungsian bangunan tidak di tanggapi.

Gereja dibawah naungan Yayasan Abdi Karya (Yadika) di Desa Citeko, Kecamatan Plered, Purwakarta, Jawa Barat dibakar oleh penduduk setempat.

Bangunan tersebut sebelumnya digunakan sebagai pabrik genting dan telah mencapai …

Comment by Purba Negoro: … churches in Central Java for at least 200-300 years …

Purwakarta Church Burned Down

A church is burned down in Purwakarta, West Java by local people feeling slighted at the lack of response to their protests over its construction.

In Citeko village, Plered district, Purwakarta, West Java on 20th May a church run by the Abdi Karya Foundation (Yadika) was burned down in an attack by hundreds of local people.

The building had formerly been a tile factory and was in the …

Comment by Patrick: … in Maluku and Sulawesi resulting in several thousands …

May 1998 Jakarta Riots

… of dominant discourse may lead to a better comprehension on what happened in those three days of atrocities.

Comment by sputjam: … of catastrophic central government planning. and later, …

Gadis Cantik dari Surabaya

… Kartika Indah Pelapory dari Maluku sebagai juara kedua sementara Priscilla Yvonne Supit dari Sulawesi Utara sebagai juara ketiga, tapi cukup tentang kedua finalis ini.

Anak Pendeta

Sandra adalah anak dari Pendeta Kristen Yusak Hadisiswantoro dan Asti Tanuseputra. Kakeknya, Abraham Alex Tanuseputra, adalah pendiri Bethany, Gereja "Keluarga Sukses"

Gadis dengan Nilai-Nilai Ketimuran

Sandra mengatakan bahwa dia tidak biasa mengenakan pakaian yang terbuka dan dia sadar sekali …

Miss Sandra Angelia

… Ran

Kartika Indah Pelapory from Maluku was Runner Up I while Priscilla Yvonne Supit from North Sulawesi was Runner Up II, but enough about them.

Preacher Man's Daughter

Sandra is the happy result of a union between Christian pastor Yusak Hadisiswantoro and Asti Tanuseputra. Her grandfather, Abraham Alex Tanuseputra, is the founder of the Bethany "Successful Families" Church.

Eastern Values Girl

Sandra says she is not at all used to wearing skimpy, revealing clothing, and …

Amrozi Execution

… been rekindled of late, because Rahma was a regular visitor to the Nusa Kambangan prison, Cilacap, Central Java, where Amrozi spends his days.

Once Amrozi is gone Mahendardatta says: inilah

That Rahma will carry on the jihad struggle, that is certain. But not as a terrorist, those who call Amrozi a terrorist, well, that's you people [journalists].

Execution

Meanwhile it seems that the execution of Amrozi, and fellow prisoners Imam Samudra and Muklas aka Ali Ghufron, will …

Comment by Geordie: … will one of the central tennants and, in that regard, …

Islamic Syncretism Examples

How many men taught the Javanese their Islam, how far they succeeded and whether the Javanese are really just heathens.

Wali Songo

The men who proselytised Islam to the Javanese, the "Wali Songo", or the "nine teachers", may have been more than nine, says History professor at UGM, Djoko Suryo. (Although there is an unofficial tenth - Siti Jenar .)

There is no clear explanation …

Comment by dewaratugedeanom: … without a centralized military, political or …

Classic Literature Reading Lists

… was not always the case. Some people might have remembered when an activist was arrested in Jogja, Central Java after the police found a reading course about Marxism written by a Jesuit priest Franz Magnis Suseno. In fact, the reading was prepared as teaching material. It was strange to know why this young fellow was arrested on the ground of possessing Magnis Suseno’s writing, which was very critical against Marxism. Strange logic can no longer sound strange when there is a huge power …

Shopping Mall Churches

Church services in malls, people in West Java are flocking to shopping malls in order to pray.

"Indonesians seek salvation in shops":

Shopping malls in West Java are home to a growing number of Christian congregations. There are 10 in this mall alone.

Few of them want to talk publicly about why they are here, but off the record they admit it comes down to intimidation by Muslim …

Comment by rima: … body, the Central Council of Non-Religious …

Impatient People

Impatient people in West Java province who can't wait for the banning of the Ahmadiyah sect.

Today the government's joint edict on whether to ban Ahmadiyah is expected, while some in the last few days have been rather impatient for it.

West Java

Police general Abu Bakar said on 21st April that West Java (see West Java's Tolerance Problem and Persecuted Churches for more on …

Comment by violet: … the Governor of Central Java promise to protects any …

Modern Day Witch Hunt

… in Indonesia so scared of Ahmadiyah? Are not the beliefs of millions of Indonesian citizens or the central tenets of the Islamic faith strong enough to withstand the beliefs, ideas and practices of a few thousand Jamaah Ahmadiyah members? The issue is essentially not about the religious beliefs and practices of Ahmadiyah. This is a smoke and mirror argument to hide another agenda. It is about how, what and who will control the minds, bodies and actions of Indonesia's millions of increasingly …

Comment by Cukurungan: … citizens or the central tenets of the Islamic faith …

Ahmadiyah (Nearly) Banned

… on Pancasila not religion.

Police Protection

On 17th April JAI officials visited the Central Jakarta police headquarters seeking police protection for Ahmadiyah members and property. okezone

Police general Abubakar Nataprawira said anyone who attacked Ahmadiyah members or property would be dealt with. detik

Comment by Syonan: … time for the Central Government to act and clamp …

Hello Dolly! - In Praise of Lokalisasi

Timdog enthuses over the brothel district of "Dolly" in Surabaya.

Hello Dolly! - In Praise of Lokalisasi

On the high ground among the graveyards and working class kampungs above the Banyu Urip canal is Surabaya's most notorious corner.

Mention the East Java capital to people anywhere in Indonesia and they are likely to rattle off a handful of associations: historical heroism, good …

Comment by timdog: … anyone from my central argument with this - people …

International Investors: Harm or Help

Whether foreign investment in Indonesia benefits the people.

Health minister Siti Fadilah Supari warned on 11th April in South Kalimantan (Borneo) that regional governments in Indonesia should be on their guard whenever dealing with international investment proposals.

Siti Fadilah Supari

According to Siti these things should be considered by provincial governors and regents in …

Comment by TheWrathOfGrapes: … To the laymen, the Central Jakarta District Court’s …

How to Get a Bule Man

A new book giving advice to Indonesian women on how to find an expat man, How to Catch Mr Bule .

Published by Gramedia Pustaka Utama and written by one Erlinawati How to Catch Mr Bule provides tips and advice for Indonesian women on how to snare a foreign man for romance and likely marriage, and how to manage the relationship.

How to Catch Mr Bule.

The book discusses …

Comment by Patung: … she has Minahasa blood. Here she is!

Territorial Claims & Rights

Dewaratugedeanom asks what gives countries the rights to make territorial claims.

Some time ago I posted a comment under the thread " Fitna by Geert Wilders " concerning the question of territorial rights.

Although there were no reactions to this particular comment, the number of times the issue has come up as well as the intensity of the claims from some commentators in this …

Comment by timdog: … territoriues of Central Asia - where exactly do you …

Blocking Youtube & Myspace

The government and ISP's blocking of video sharing and social sites, and the reasons behind it.

The government, through the Information ministry, has required Internet Service Providers to block the following websites, where the anti-Islam short film Fitna can be viewed:

Youtube.com
Myspace.com
Liveleak.com
Rapidshare.com
Multiply.com
Video.Google.com
…

Comment by Sylvester: … each other in Sulawesi and Maluku. That’s why the …

Hot Indonesian Surfer Guys

Indonesia's hot surfer guys being used to draw tourists.

Country of a Thousand Faces

This a tourism promotion video for Indonesia - seems to be aimed at Australians going on the narrator's accent - the first scene, the surfer guy bit, sort of comes across as a bit weird. I only had the patience to wait for the first minute to load, so there might be more hot surfer guys later on in …

Comment by sputjam: … brochure, North sulawesi for Korean and Japanese etc. …

Khofifah Indar Parawansa

On whether women, in this case Khofifah Indar Parawansa, are suitable for regional leadership positions.

On 28th March Suryadharma Ali of the Development Party, Partai Persatuan Pembangunan (PPP) announced the candidacy of Khofifah Indar Parawansa for the East Java governor's election in July.

Khofifah Indar Parawansa.

Khofifah is the head of the womens' wing of Nahdlatul Ulama, …

Comment by Teng: … less and less. The central government is starting to get …

Agama, Adat and Conversion in Nusa Tenggara

Timdog on world religions and local beliefs in Nusa Tenggara.

When I first read about Islam Wetu Telu I was fascinated, as I always am by religious minorities, particularly obscure, syncretic, and possibly endangered ones. From what I could make out Wetu Telu was the indigenous, syncretic belief system of Lombok, and it appeared to be very much akin to Kejawen (often given the …

Comment by Lairedion: … Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Bali or the usual crap …

Jalan Jaksa Under Threat

Ross fears that Jalan Jaksa in Jakarta is going to suffer re-development.

Jalan Jaksa at Risk?

Last month I had a chat with an expat on Jalan Jaksa who told me he'd seen plans to develop the famous little street, including a huge hypermarket on its corner with Jalan Wahid Hasyim.

I should state at this point that the talk occurred during my once-a-week afternoon visit, when - …

Comment by timdog: … in Persia and Central Asia; from there it passed to …