Indonesia to demolish football stadium where crush killed 133

Rfi – AFP, 18 October 2022 

Gianni Infantino vowed to help the Indonesian government "reform and
transform" the country's football ADEK BERRY AFP

Jakarta (AFP) – The Indonesian football stadium where a stampede killed 133 people will be torn down and rebuilt, President Joko Widodo said Tuesday, as the head of FIFA pledged to help "reform and transform" the sport in the country. 

Gianni Infantino met Widodo in the capital Jakarta, just over two weeks after the tragedy, and a year before the Under-20 World Cup is due to be held in the Southeast Asian nation. 

More than 40 children were among those killed in the city of Malang, East Java on October 1, in what Infantino described as "one of the darkest days for football". 

After supporters invaded the pitch at the end of a league match between Arema FC and rivals Persebaya Surabaya, police fired tear gas into packed stands, sparking a stampede. 

"For Kanjuruhan stadium in Malang, we will demolish and rebuild it according to FIFA standards," Widodo told reporters. 

He said the replacement stadium will have "proper facilities that can ensure the safety of both players and supporters". 

"We will reform and transform football in this country," Infantino added, flanking Widodo. 

His assurances came as hospital officials said a 33-year-old man had died from injuries sustained in the crush, bringing the confirmed death toll to 133. 

"What I can guarantee to all the people of Indonesia: FIFA is here with you, FIFA is here to stay, FIFA is here to work in a very close partnership with the government, with the Asian Football Confederation and with the federation of Indonesia," Infantino said. 

The main focus would be improving stadium operations and fan behaviour, he added, as well as creating programmes for football in schools. 

"We will bring our experts, we will help and invest and we will make sure that Indonesia shines on the global football stage." 

Widodo said he agreed with FIFA "on a thorough transformation of Indonesian football to ensure all aspects of the matches follow the international safety standards". 

Safety review

The gates at the 42,000-capacity Kanjuruhan stadium, which was opened in 2004, were big enough to fit only two people at a time and some were not open when the disaster struck, officials have said. 

Infantino said FIFA would work with the Indonesian government to ensure the Under-20 World Cup can go ahead safely. 

The youth tournament is scheduled to take place in May-June 2023, in multiple cities across the archipelago nation. 

Three police officers are among six people who have been charged over the tragedy. 

An investigating task force has called on the country's football association chief and all of its executive committee members to resign. 

It also found that more than three hours of footage from CCTV in the main lobby and parking area of the stadium had gone missing. 

Representatives from FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have been in Jakarta since last week to investigate what happened, along with the national FA and the government. 

Widodo has suspended all football matches until the probe is complete and ordered a safety review of all stadiums.

After Extra Time, Jokowi’s Presidency Still Not Settled

Jakarta Globe, Camelia Pasandaran & Kennial Laia, Aug 22, 2014

Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo demonstrates his penalty-taking technique in
Pluit, North Jakarta on Aug. 17. (Antara Photo/Wahyu Putro)

Jakarta. If Joko Widodo’s supporters thought that Thursday’s Constitutional Court ruling had removed the final obstacle standing between their man and the State Palace — they had underestimated the ability of Indonesian law to throw in one last Kafkaesque twist.

Home Affairs Minister Gamawan Fauzi urged Joko on Friday to hand in his resignation as Jakarta Governor to the Jakarta Legislative Council (DPRD) at the earliest possible opportunity.

“He should step down, because he should not hold two state official posts. A governor is a state official, so is a president,” Gamawan said, as quoted by the state-run Antara news agency. “His resignation has to be approved by the Jakarta Legislative Council.”

But the DPRD does not have to accept Joko’s resignation, which could mean Joko is unable to take his seat in the State Palace in October.

There is a precedent.

When Fauzi Bowo served as Jakarta governor, his deputy, Prijanto, handed in a letter of resignation in March, 2012, but it was not ratified by the DPRD. Prijanto was forced to continue as deputy governor until Joko won the next election.

Gamawan said Joko required a minimum of 54 councilors voting in favor of his resignation.

“I’ve counted it, Joko’s coalition at the Jakarta DPRD consists of only 50 seats,” Gamawan said. “He needs at least 54 councilors to approve his resignation. I hope there will be no rejection.”

Joko’s coalition at the DPRD consists of, in fact, only 49 seats — this does not include the Democratic Party, which has 10 seats. The Merah Putih coalition led by Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party controls 47 seats.

Joko said on Friday that he would file his resignation after the new DPRD members were inaugurated on Monday.

“There’s still the inauguration of DPRD members, then the selection process of the DPRD speaker. Let’s wait until the entire process is done,” Joko said, as quoted by Antara on Friday.

Politician Poempida Hidayatulloh, a fired Golkar Party legislator and close aide of vice-president-elect Jusuf Kalla, said that Joko had no option but to reach out to other parties.

“Whether he likes it or not, he should make room to ask other parties to join him,” Poempida said. “There should be a political compromise to reach a deal.”

Refly Harun, a constitutional law expert, criticized Gamawan for his comments and said the potential legal quagmire had to be avoided.

“Even though the DPRD has the authority to reject the resignation, they is no rationality behind it,” he said. “[Joko] has been elected president, I do not think it is logical to use the procedure as a tool for political bargaining. Resignation is the right of a state official.”

“People might think that Joko’s victory could be annulled,” Refly said. “It’s improper for the minister to say that.”

Refly said a DPRD rejection of Joko’s resignation could lead to a power vacuum.

“It’s not only about the regulation and the law, but the ethics in government,” he said. “People should comply with the regulations, but not use the regulations to hamper the greater good.”

Related Article:

Indonesia court upholds Joko Widodo poll victory

Indonesian Clothing Firms Cash In on Football Mania

Jakarta Globe, Harso Kurniawan, Jun 15, 2014

Shoppers browse for counterfeit jerseys of the national teams competing
 at the World Cup in Brazil, at a bazaar in Semarang, Central Java. Indonesia
exported $525 million worth of the genuine apparel. (JG Photo/Dhana Kencana)

Jakarta. Football fever will outshine electoral excitement as a fillip to apparel sales, the Indonesia Textile Association chairman predicted over the weekend.

Ade Sudrajad said the association estimated supporter outfits for the 2014 World Cup would add 15 percent to Indonesia’s clothing exports, bringing to $3.5 billion sales over the first six months of this year.

Those $525 million worth of jerseys and jackets would boost overall textile product exports to $13.5 billion, he said.

Sales have also been driven by the demand for T-shirts and other campaign clothing for legislative and presidential elections, Ade said. However since that demand is confined to the local market, Ade said domestic sales were estimated to rise by a little less, to $7.5 billion this year from $7 billion last year.

“The effects of the elections [for sales] was stronger during the 2009 election, but [this year] was not bad. At least, it helped boost demand,” he said.

Last year Indonesia exported textile products worth $12.6 billion. Of that figure 58 percent was contributed by garments, 19 percent by threads, 14 percent by fabrics, and the remaining from other fiber products.

“Export of textile products to May was quite good. There was a rise of around $500 million to $4.8 billion [compared to the period from January-May last year]. One of the boosters is indeed the World Cup,” said Ade.

He said orders for jerseys were flooding in to big textile companies in Indonesia and companies had boosted production to match the demand.

Ade said the main export markets for jerseys made in Indonesia were Europe and Latin America, “because football is very popular in those two regions.”

He said Indonesia was able to benefit from the world’s biggest football tournament as the country is one of the production centers for giant apparel brands such as Nike and Adidas, which produce jerseys for World Cup teams and their supporters.

“Those two brands have ordered jackets and jerseys for men, women and children. This will advantage the local textile companies that have business contracts with them,” he said.

However, Ade said, government policies prevented Indonesia’s textile sector from reaping a bigger World Cup bonanza. Indonesia should have had the capacity to boost textile exports by $1 billion in the first half of this year, beating global competitors such as Vietnam, where production costs are considered lower than in Indonesia.

“There are many constraints for textile companies to boost production, of which most are created by the government. For example, the higher electricity rates announced recently. It will erode the competitiveness of our textile industry,” he said.

With the downstream part of the sector receiving higher demand, the upstream part of the industry was also stimulated, Ade said. There has been a sharp increase in demand for synthetic polyesters to support apparel production. Polyester is used to make threads, for which demand has also increased.

Ade estimated this year’s synthetic polyester production would rise 19.7 percent to 700,000 tons. Last year Indonesia produced 585,000 tons of the polymer.

Overwhelming demand for textile products, according to Ade, forced spinning and weaving companies to import a proportion of fabric and thread to meet a shortfall in domestic production.

Anne Patricia Sutanto, president director at listed textile company Pan Brothers, confirmed the higher demand, saying heavier orders had been experienced since last year.

Pan Brothers, which produces various textile products including cut and sewn knit garments, polo shirts, woven garments and lightweight jackets and pants, booked an 18.5 percent rise in sales to $339 million last year.

Pan’s net income rose more than 50 percent to $10.4 million in 2013.

Anne said last year’s production volume reached 42 million pieces. “From those figures, there were special allocations for the World Cup,” she said.

She said the company had exported World Cup jackets to the United States, Europe and Asia.

Pan Brothers is the biggest listed garment company on the Indonesia Stock Exchange by market capitalization. It regularly receives orders from global apparel makers like Adidas, Nike, Spyder, Lacoste, Nautica and Calvin Klein Jeans. Anne said the textile sector was well placed to boost Indonesia’s economy. Textile products, she said, currently contribute around 10.7 percent to Indonesia’s non-oil-and-gas exports.

The Indonesia Textile Association once released an estimate that Indonesia could boost its market share in the world’s textile market to 5 percent by 2030. Indonesia’s share is now estimated at around 1.8 percent. By that reckoning, textile exports from Indonesia would reach a value of around $75 billion by 2030.

Ade previously said that Indonesia should be more active in participating in global trade deals such as the Trans Pacific Partnership. He said any deals that include Indonesia would help boost exports to the United States.

The Indonesian government has been reluctant to participate in the TPP for fears the pact would not benefit Indonesia as long as domestic industry competitiveness remains weak.

'First' transgender footballer tackles tough for acceptance

Yahoo – AFP, Madeleine Coorey, 12 June 2014

American Samoa international Jaiyah Saelua, the "world's first" professional

 transgender football player, talks to AFP during a visit to Sydney on June 7, 2014

(AFP Photo/Peter Parks)

Sydney (AFP) - Jaiyah Saelua may be nearing the end of her football career, but the 'world's first' transgender professional player says she has more to achieve as the sport celebrates the World Cup in Brazil.

The striking 6ft 1ins (1.83 metres) centre-back, who was born John Saelua, plans to quit the game after 2015, but hopes to remain involved in efforts to combat discrimination and homophobia in the sport.

"Just to get the message across that soccer should be a sport for everyone," the American Samoa international told AFP during a visit to Sydney.

Saelua, first selected for American Samoa at the age of 14, says she "runs like a girl" and never considered her gender an issue. "Girls can be fast too," she said.

Jaiyah Saelua, born John Saelua, is

 recognised by FIFA as the first transgender

 player in international football (AFP

Photo/Next Goal Wins)

The 25-year-old, who is known for her tough, physical tackles, wasn't even aware she was the first transgender player -- as recognised by FIFA -- to play in a men's international match before she did so.

"I didn't know the significance it had on the world because in Polynesian culture it's not that big of an issue.

"And I assumed that a lot more trans-people in the Pacific region were playing international football. I haven't met any in my career but I was so sure that there has been (some) before me."

'Way of the woman'

Saelua is one of Polynesia's "fa'afafine", a tradition which means "way of the woman" and allows males to choose to be brought up as females.

The deep acceptance of Saelua by her American Samoa teammates is seen in a documentary released earlier this year about the side's battle to overcome its reputation as the world's worst football team, having suffered a record 31-0 defeat at the hands of Australia in 2001.

"Next Goal Wins" shows her dancing in a dress and straightening her long, chestnut hair in the changing room.

Jose Mourinho's exclusive World Cup analysis

Saelua says other teams are also accepting, but occasionally resort to name-calling. "Never works, makes me play harder," she said with a laugh.

It wasn't until she tried out for the men's football team in college in Hawaii at the age of 22 that Saelua was treated differently.

"At the warm-up for the try-outs the coach pulled me aside and said that he didn't want to put his team in an uncomfortable position," she said.

"And I knew that was my cue to leave. So I only spent 10 minutes during the warm-up and I didn't even get to show how good a player I was."

She says she would deal with the experience differently today.

"I probably would take matters more seriously, because it is an issue worldwide. And even at the college level it should be dealt with."

'Our time'

Instrumental in American Samoa's first ever win -- a victory against Tonga in 2011 in a preliminary World Cup qualifier -- Saelua is taking her role seriously and delayed her initial plans for gender transition in order to remain on the pitch and inspire others.

"I was sure in 2011 that when the (World Cup qualifying) was over I would give it up and start my transition, but... we were doing well," she said of the team that failed to qualify for the tournament in Brazil.

A still from a film about soccer player Jaiyah Saelua, born John Saelua, is

 recognised by FIFA as the first transgender player in international football (AFP

Photo/Next Goal Wins)

"And I didn't want to give the message to other trans athletes or potential trans athletes (that they would) not be able to see me again playing after 2011."

But 2015 will be Saelua's last year playing with the team she has helped rebuild.

"There are no rules against it but as a personal decision ... for me, because I tackle tough ... it's risky for me," she said of the surgeries, adding that she needs the testosterone to "play tough".

"I feel like I am not getting younger and the older I get, the harder it will be to transition."

Transgender issues are reaching political agendas around the world, with India's highest court ruling in April that a person can be legally recognised as gender-neutral.

Australia's highest court has also acknowledged the existence of a third "non-specific" gender that is neither male nor female, while its top sports, including all football codes, came together this year in support of stamping out discrimination and homophobia.

Saelua is hopeful of continuing her role as a fighter for acceptance off the pitch.

"(FIFA president) Sepp Blatter wrote me a letter in 2011 recognising me as the first transgender... he mentioned that he has a team of athletes that he put together to fight discrimination in any way."

She hopes that American Samoan officials can reach Blatter to find a way for her to appear at the World Cup in Brazil as an ambassador against homophobia.

"I think this is our time, for transgender people," she said.

FIFA finds field of dreams in China

iol Sport - AFP, Neil Connor, June 7, 2014

This photo shows a miniture model illustrating a traditional Chinese Cuju
football game at the Linzi Football Museum in Zibo, Shandong Province. AFP
PHOTO/Mark RALSTON

Zibo, China - Images of a beaming FIFA President Sepp Blatter and a small blue certificate in the Chinese city of Zibo proclaim it as the birthplace of football, to the fury of English experts.

A map in Zibo's Qi State History Museum shows a thin line stretching from China to Egypt, then to Greece, Rome and France, before finishing in England, commonly known as the home of football after the rules were codified there in the 19th century.

The track represents the path of football's development, according to the museum, with the certificate Ä signed by Blatter Ä honouring China as “the cradle of the earliest forms of football”.

But international experts are sceptical of such claims, pointing to a “tenuous” link between the ancient Chinese game of cuju and the modern sport, and questioning FIFA's motives.

Despite its long supposed footballing history China's national team failed to qualify for the World Cup in Brazil later this month.

China has only appeared at one final tournament, in 2002, when they lost all three of their group matches and went out without even scoring a goal.

But millions of fans will be watching the tournament and in Zibo Ä the modern city on the site of the ancient Qi state's capital Linzi Äfootball is booming.

Statues of cuju players stand on street corners and posters on bus shelters depict the supposed forebear of the modern game.

“I really like Sepp Blatter,” beams Zhu Shuju, vice director at the separate Zibo Football Museum, which pays homage to the sport's history and gives huge prominence to Blatter and other FIFA officials.

This frame grab taken from AFPTV footage shows a certificate - signed by FIFA

 President Sepp Blatter - honouring China as "the cradle of the earliest forms of
football" at the Qi State History Museum in the Chinese city of Zibo. AFP
Photo/AFPTV

“He is very popular here,” she added, surrounded by images of Blatter and with a video of his speech confirming Zibo's status continuously looping in the background.

Zibo has invited Brazilian superstar Pele to open a new multi-million dollar museum later this year.

Different types of cuju existed in ancient China, but the competitive game still played today involves keeping a leather ball stuffed with feathers off the ground without using arms or hands, before heading or kicking it though a hole above head height.

A gladiatorial version with much physical contact emerged in the Warring States period which unified China almost 2,500 years ago, and was popular with soldiers exercising their legs after days on horseback.

But experts outside China believe there are huge differences between cuju and modern football.

“I find it absurd to suggest ancient Chinese had comparable mentalities as football enthusiasts today,” Ellis Cashmore, professor of culture, media and sport at Britain's Staffordshire University told AFP via email. “So the link is tenuous.”

Historians say other ball sports existed around the same time as cuju emerged, including a Greek game known as episkyros.

An ancient stone carving at the Acropolis Museum in Athens shows a naked Greek athlete balancing a ball on his thigh, and some say episkyros evolved into a game played by the Romans, called harpastum, which was then transported to Britain.

There the modern game was born when the Football Association rules, drawing on a public school mob game, were written by Ebenezer Cobb Morley in 1863, and have since changed very little.

For British historian Tom Holland, football began in the 19th century.

“I'm afraid I don't know anything about the classical origins of football, for the simple reason they don't exist,” he said.

“Kicking something around is an obvious human activity,” he added. “That various peoples, in various parts of the world, may or may not have engaged in such activities, does not prove that they were the originators of football.”

British football author Jonathan Wilson agreed, saying that the 1863 rules “were then spread across the world by British sailors and traders”.

“At no point did they come upon a local form of football that needed to be eradicated before the British game could take root,” he said.

“Rather foreign cultures took on those laws and interpreted them in their own way.”

Eyebrows were raised when FIFA came out in support of China's claims.

“Blatter sees his brief to make football the richest sport in history and he has already achieved that,” said Cashmore, whose book “Football's Dark Side” explores corruption in the game.

“But to maintain its commercial dominance, he needs to keep conquering new territories.

“China is obvious: huge territory, an economy that's been growing like a blur and a population that has already shown enthusiasm for the sport.”

FIFA and Blatter have been criticised for several decisions in recent years, most vociferously over the controversial award of the 2022 World Cup to a tiny Gulf emirate that has immense gas wealth but sweltering summer temperatures.

British historian Guy Walters, from London's New College of the Humanities, told AFP: “Frankly, I'm surprised he hasn't stated that the game kicked off in the ancient deserts of Qatar.”

Sapa-AFP

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FIFA authorises wearing of veils, turbans during matches

Google – AFP, 1 March 2014

Picture taken on November 30, 2006 shows Jordan midfielder Abeer Al Nahar

 at a training session at the Al-Arabi Football Stadium in Doha (AFP/File,

Toshifumi Kitamura)

Zurich — Football's world governing body FIFA on Saturday officially authorised the wearing of head covers for religious purposes during matches.

"It was decided that female players can cover their heads to play," said FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke at a meeting of the International Football Association Board (IFAB), the sport's lawmakers, in Zurich.

That will allow female Muslim players who wear a veil in everyday life to cover their heads during matches, and Valcke added that male players will also be authorised to do so following a request from the Sikh community of Canada.

"It was decided that male players can play with head cover too," he said, although they will not be the same as those worn day-to-day.

"It will be a basic head cover and the colour should be the same as the team jersey."

The wearing of head covers had been banned until 2012, with FIFA saying that they posed too great a risk of injury to the head or neck.

However, the IFAB then allowed for them to be tested out over a two-year period following a request from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), a trial which proved to be successful.

Iranian women footballers run with the national flag at a stadium in Amman on

 June 3, 2011 moments after they were barred from playing an Olympic qualifier

against Jordan for wearing the traditional Islamic headscarf (AFP)

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Foreign minister would have helped Vitesse over Mori's UAE ban

DutchNews.nl, Tuesday 07 January 2014

 Dan Mori (Nos/ANP)

Foreign minister Frans Timmermans would have gladly helped Arnhem football club Vitesse in its efforts to get an Israeli player permission to join the club’s winter training camp in Abu Dhabi, he said on Tuesday.

Speaking from Cuba, where he is on a three-day visit, Timmermans said: ‘if my help was asked for on time, I would have done what I could to make it possible for [Dan] Mori to travel.’

Vitesse was told the by the UAE on Saturday defender Mori was not welcome because of his Israeli passport. The club says it had been given earlier assurances Mori would be allowed in and decided not to call off the trip because it would interfere with the training.

Football association

The Dutch football association said on Monday that it wanted to keep out of politics, but on Tuesday issued a more strongly worded statement following criticism from politicians.

‘We are, of course, angry Mori was refused entry to the UAE because of his nationality,’ the statement said. ‘Football connects people from different lands, cultures and religions.’

The KNVB now plans to discuss further steps with Vitesse when the club returns to Arnhem, Nos televisions said. The club is unwilling to create too many waves while it remains in the UAE, the KNVB said.

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"THE BRIDGE OF SWORDS"– Sep  29, 2012 (Kryon Channelling by Lee Carroll) - (Text version)

“… Let us talk about the swords: When you hear the word sword, the first thing that occurs to you is battle. The Bridge of Swords is a battle and we told you that as well. Swords are metaphoric and they mean many things, so let us describe the things we mean them to say to you.

Number one: They are indeed a weapon in a battle. There is a battle coming. "Kryon, does that mean there's going to be a war?" Potentially, yes. Right now we will tell you that the Middle East cooks itself. You've noticed, haven't you? What do you know about the Middle East, dear one? Let's start examining things for a moment. What energy did you grow up in? What was the energy of the Middle East? In the '40s, what was the energy? With the establishment of the state of Israel, you built a wall of hate, both sides. The wall was so thick that the children of both sides were taught to hate one another as soon as they were able to understand the language. They were told who their enemies were. Now, where were you then?

Some of you weren't here yet. By the time you arrived, in your youth, were you aware of the Middle East? Not particularly. "What's the hatred about?" you might ask. What if I told you it's about a family feud? Two sons of a Jewish master are involved. One founded the Arabs and one remained a Jew. They don't want to hear this, but they are all Jews. (Don't tell them this.)

If you look at the lineage, it's pretty obvious and yet it's a complete and total set-up for either solution or war. The set-up would have this world ending in a conflagration that would have been brought about by this hatred. That's in the prophecy of Nostradamus and your scripture, but it is no longer the prophecy of the planet. Yet the hatred still exists. The hatred is as great today as it was then, but where was all the terrorism 40 years ago? It was isolated.

Those in Israel and Palestine and surrounding areas took the brunt of it, but now it's seemingly everywhere - and you're worried. Why would this be? The answer is that the old energy was happy to have this hatred contained, for it would keep it going and never involve outsiders. Outsiders tend to bring unwanted light to the party. Suddenly, the whole earth is involved and can see the entire scenario before them. The old guard wants war, just like all the eons before them. The ones on the bridge are holding the light and showing the earth how to cross. Even many younger ones in Israel and Palestine and Iran are holding light! It's all around the old guard and they are furious, for they are losing the "battle of hatred." …”

"Recalibration of Free Choice"–  Mar 3, 2012 (Kryon Channelling by Lee Caroll) - (Subjects: (Old) Souls, Midpoint on 21-12-2012, Shift of Human Consciousness, Black & White vs. Color, 1 - Spirituality (Religions) shifting, Loose a Pope “soon”, 2 - Humans will change react to drama, 3 - Civilizations/Population on Earth,  4 - Alternate energy sources (Geothermal, Tidal (Paddle wheels), Wind), 5 – Financials Institutes/concepts will change (Integrity – Ethical) , 6 - News/Media/TV to change, 7 – Big Pharmaceutical company will collapse “soon”, (Keep people sick), (Integrity – Ethical)  8 – Wars will be over on Earth, Global Unity, … etc.) - (Text version)

“ … Spirituality (Religions)

Number one: Spirituality. The systems of spiritual design on your planet are starting to change. This is not telling you that certain ones are going to go away. They're simply going to change. Some of the largest spiritual systems, which you would call organized religion on the planet, are shifting. They're going to shift away from that which is authority on the outside to authority on the inside. It will eventually be a different way of worship, slowly changing the rules while keeping the basic doctrine the same.

The doctrine of the Christ has always been to find the God inside. The teachings were clear. The examples of the miracles were given as an example of what humans could do, not to set a man up for worship as a God. So when that has been absorbed, the teaching of the Christ can remain the teaching of the Christ. It simply changes the interpretation. 

The teachings of the great prophets of the Middle East (all related to each other) are about unity and love. So once the holy words are redefined with new wisdom, the Human changes, not the words of the prophets. In fact, the prophets become even more divinely inspired and their wisdom becomes even more profound.

You're going to lose a pope soon. I have no clock. Soon to us can mean anything to you. The one who replaces him may surprise you, for his particular organization will be in survival mode at that point in time. That is to say that fewer and fewer are interested in starting the priesthood. Fewer and fewer young people are interested in the organization, and the new pope must make changes to keep his church alive. That means that his organization will remain, but with a more modern look at what truly is before all of you in a new energy. It is not the fall of the church. It is instead the recalibration of the divinity inside that would match the worship that goes on. It's a win-win situation. The new pope will have a difficult time, since the old guard will still be there. There could even be an assassination attempt, such is the way the old energy dies hard. That is number one. Watch for it. It's a change in the way spiritual systems work. It's a realignment of spiritual systems that resound to a stronger truth that is Human driven, rather than prophet driven.…”

"The End of History" – Nov 20, 2010 (Kryon channeled by Lee Carroll)

(Subjects: Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael, Muhammad, Jesus, God, Jews, Arabs, EU, US, Israel, Iran, Russia, Africa, South America, Global Unity,..... etc.) (Text version)

" ..... If an Arab and a Jew can look at one another and see the Akashic lineage and see the one family, there is hope. If they can see that their differences no longer require that they kill one another, then there is a beginning of a change in history. And that's what is happening now. All of humanity, no matter what the spiritual belief, has been guilty of falling into the historic trap of separating instead of unifying. Now it's starting to change. There's a shift happening. ....."

"... Taught to Hate From Birth

On this earth today, many who are born in Israel are taught from birth how to dislike and distrust all those around them. At this time in history on this earth, those around them from birth are taught how to hate the Jews. Carefully taught, they are. Against all odds, they are proud of this separation because it is the lineage of their ancestors that is at stake, and they want to follow historic protocol. They want to stay separate. Yet I want to tell you that's what is changing. Oh, it's really changing! It's changing in the places you don't expect. It's changing in Jerusalem. It's changing in Iran. And the children are waking up and saying, "Tell me again why I should hate them? They did what, when? That wasn't them. It was their ancestors. The ones here now are current and didn't participate in history. Tell me again, because I don't feel it."

The parents are shaking their heads, and saying, "Do as we say, for tradition and history tells us that they are our enemy and always will be." And the children are saying, "No. I am not going to do this, and neither are those around me." This is slowly making a difference on this planet and it is not being recorded. For your worldwide media has no idea what to do with this new energy and it doesn't seem to even be news to them. They are steeped in the old Human nature, where things that separate are news, and things that unify are not. Yet it is one of the greatest energies this planet is seeing today. I'm here to tell you it's real and it's happening under the hood, you might say. Oh, there are other things I'd like to report to you. ..."

Oranje Army Too Good to Beat

Jakarta Globe, Katrin Figge, June 8, 2013

Netherlands player Siem de Jong celebrates after scoring a goal against
 Indonesia on Friday. Merah Putih lost 3-0 in the friendly match. (JG
Photo/Jurnasyanto Sukarno)

The first football encounter between Indonesia and the Netherlands on Friday night ended in a 0-3 defeat for Merah Putih, with Ajax player Siem de Jong scoring the first two goals for Oranje, and Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben making it three.

Despite the defeat, Indonesia’s new head coach Jacksen F. Tiago was able to see the silver lining of his team’s performance.

“Before the game, I talked to all the players and tried to give a new philosophy to the team,” he said. “I wanted them to give their all, no matter if we win or lose. I am quite happy to see how well they defended in the first half, and it gives me a good basis to work with for our upcoming games. But I also know that we still have a lot of work to do.”

The international friendly, which took place at South Jakarta’s Gelora Bung Karno, almost began with a shocker for the Indonesian team when a saved header by Robin van Persie was netted in from a short distance by Wesley Sneijder. But he was ruled offside, much to the relief of the crowd of 40,000 people who had flocked to the stadium.

For the rest of the first half, it was Van Persie who proved to be most dangerous, creating several good chances for the guests, but lacking the finishing touch to give his team the lead.

On the other side, Indonesia relied on counterattacks, but wasn’t forceful enough to impose a real threat.

The Dutch came better into the game in the second half, needing 12 minutes to score the first goal of the night, after De Jong was able to head in a cross from Ruben Schaken.

The same two players were involved in creating the 2-0 in the 67th minute. Schaken flicked on a cross from Robben, and De Jong forcefully headed the ball into the net.

Merah Putih, although having shown great determination in the first hour, seemed to have lost its stamina and hardly made it out of its own half anymore. It was the Dutch team that dictated the game and consequently scored another goal in the 89th minute when Robben overran the Indonesian defenders and finished clinically with his strong left foot for the final score, which looks more effortless on paper than it actually was on the field.

Tiago said it was obvious that the players had already become tired in the second half of the game. “When that happened, we created space for the Netherlands, and since they are very good on the wings, they had the opportunity to score,” Tiago said.

Meanwhile, Dutch head coach Louis van Gaal praised Indonesia’s fighting spirit, but also said that the poor condition of the pitch made it hard for his team to play at its best.

“The Indonesian team has run a lot in this game, and they have played with a lion’s heart,” he said. “I see that the people have applauded their coach after a 3-0 defeat. I have never [seen] that before.”

“The pitch was not so good, and we missed too many chances in the first half,” he added. “It was only in the second half that we did much better, and were able to move forward.”

Van Gaal also applauded the good performance by goalkeeper Kurnia Meiga, whose individual effort kept Indonesia in the game during the first half.

“I like him very much, he is like an 11th player on the pitch,” Van Gaal said. “A very talented goalkeeper.”

For naturalized Dutch-born footballer Raphael Maitimo, the match was one very close to his heart.

“Personally, this was one of the best moments in my life, because I grew up in Holland and played with some players of the Dutch team in my youth, so it was a very special day for me,” he said.

Maitimo and Van Persie were teammates in the youth side of Feyenoord Rotterdam, and the 29-year-old also played alongside Sneijder and Robben in the Netherlands U15, U16 and U17.

“It was a very tough match, as we played against one of the best teams in the world,” Maitimo said. “The key for this match was discipline, and I think we should gain a lot of confidence from this game.”

Dutch national coach Louis van Gaal conducted a clinic for 
Indonesian youngsters in Jakarta on Thursday. (JG
Photo/Safir Makki)

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Merah Putih Ready for Oranje Army

Merah Putih Ready for Oranje Army

Jakarta Globe, Wimbo Satwiko, June 7, 2013

Dutch national coach Louis van Gaal conducted a clinic for Indonesian
youngsters in Jakarta on Thursday. (JG Photo/Safir Makki)

Indonesia and the Netherlands may have a long and entwined history, but that hasn’t translated into contact on the football pitch. Tonight’s friendly match between the two at South Jakarta’s Gelora Bung Karno is the first clash between them.

Merah Putih officials and players are hopeful they can put up a good fight against a team ranked in the world’s top 10, and learn a few things from their opponents.

Indonesia’s national side has had a quiet year after finishing 2012 with a disappointing preliminary round exit of the Asean Football Federation Suzuki Cup. In its last friendly match, in the lead-up to the tournament, Indonesia was crushed 7-1 by Uruguay in Jakarta.

New head coach Jacksen Tiago has called up 21 players for the match and promised fans that the side, which has faced accusations of a lack of commitment in the past, would be trying its hardest.

“We have arranged strategies to play the Netherlands and we hope the players can execute our game plan well and give the fans their best result,” Tiago told reporters at a news conference on Thursday.

Tiago said naturalized Dutch-born players Raphael Maitimo and Sergio Van Dijk had given him some insights into the Netherlands side.

“I had a discussion with Raphael and Sergio this morning. They gave me lots of input, including information about some players that I don’t know. It was a very productive discussion,” Tiago said.

The 45-year-old coach acknowledged it would be a tough game for his side; the Netherlands currently ranks fifth in FIFA rankings, while Indonesia sits at 170.

“I want to see two things from the players. First they have to play to the best of their ability, while secondly I want them to understand our game plan and execute it properly during the match,” he said.

Meanwhile, Dutch head coach Louis van Gaal has brought his best possible line-up to the Asian tour, including Robin van Persie, Arjen Robben, Dirk Kuyt and Wesley Sneijder.

Van Gaal said that initially he wanted to bring more youngsters on the trip, but they have to play in the Euro Under-21 event in Israel.

“I selected 41 players, but with the tournament in Israel, I have to select more older players for Indonesia. I selected 21 players, but Rafael van der Vaart is injured, so he’s not coming,” he said.

“Maybe Robben is slightly injured, which happened during the final for the German Cup [for Bayern Munich] against Stuttgart. I don’t know if he can play, but I expect he can play for 45 minutes.

“The circumstances here are also against us because our players are not used to hot weather and humidity. So, I have to take care of these problems too.”

Despite the 2010 World Cup runner-up’s status as a football powerhouse, van Gaal denied that his team would take Indonesia lightly.

“I always have respect for my opponent. When you are a professional trainer or player, you always prepare professionally.  When you fly 16 hours to play a match, it’s very unprofessional if you don’t play the match seriously,” van Gaal said.

“Besides, we’re here not only for the match. We’re here to hand over our knowledge about infrastructure and education.”

The match starts at 8:30 p.m.

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