Cempaka Culture and Tourism

"The Recalibration of Awareness – Apr 20/21, 2012 (Kryon channeled by Lee Carroll) (Subjects: Old Energy, Recalibration Lectures, God / Creator, Religions/Spiritual systems (Catholic Church, Priests/Nun’s, Worship, John Paul Pope, Women in the Church otherwise church will go, Current Pope won’t do it), Middle East, Jews, Governments will change (Internet, Media, Democracies, Dictators, North Korea, Nations voted at once), Integrity (Businesses, Tobacco Companies, Bankers/ Financial Institutes, Pharmaceutical company to collapse), Illuminati (Started in Greece, with Shipping, Financial markets, Stock markets, Pharmaceutical money (fund to build Africa, to develop)), Shift of Human Consciousness, (Old) Souls, Women, Masters to/already come back, Global Unity.... etc.) - (Text version)

“… The Shift in Human Nature

You're starting to see integrity change. Awareness recalibrates integrity, and the Human Being who would sit there and take advantage of another Human Being in an old energy would never do it in a new energy. The reason? It will become intuitive, so this is a shift in Human Nature as well, for in the past you have assumed that people take advantage of people first and integrity comes later. That's just ordinary Human nature.

In the past, Human nature expressed within governments worked like this: If you were stronger than the other one, you simply conquered them. If you were strong, it was an invitation to conquer. If you were weak, it was an invitation to be conquered. No one even thought about it. It was the way of things. The bigger you could have your armies, the better they would do when you sent them out to conquer. That's not how you think today. Did you notice?

Any country that thinks this way today will not survive, for humanity has discovered that the world goes far better by putting things together instead of tearing them apart. The new energy puts the weak and strong together in ways that make sense and that have integrity. Take a look at what happened to some of the businesses in this great land (USA). Up to 30 years ago, when you started realizing some of them didn't have integrity, you eliminated them. What happened to the tobacco companies when you realized they were knowingly addicting your children? Today, they still sell their products to less-aware countries, but that will also change.

What did you do a few years ago when you realized that your bankers were actually selling you homes that they knew you couldn't pay for later? They were walking away, smiling greedily, not thinking about the heartbreak that was to follow when a life's dream would be lost. Dear American, you are in a recession. However, this is like when you prune a tree and cut back the branches. When the tree grows back, you've got control and the branches will grow bigger and stronger than they were before, without the greed factor. Then, if you don't like the way it grows back, you'll prune it again! I tell you this because awareness is now in control of big money. It's right before your eyes, what you're doing. But fear often rules. …”

Friday, September 21, 2012

Documentary Fest to Return to Erasmus Huis

Jakarta Globe, Robbie Pyburn, September 21, 2012

‘Saving Face,’ a film documenting the lives of acid attack victims from
Pakistan, will be screened at the International Documentary Film Festival.

Related articles

Following the success of last year’s event, the Erasmus Huis, the Dutch cultural center in South Jakarta, will host its second International Documentary Film Festival from Tuesday to Sept. 29. It is held in association with the International Documentary Film Festival of Amsterdam, the oldest and largest documentary film festival in the world. The festival will showcase a variety of documentaries from around the world as well as local works.

Last year, eight international films and 20 short-documentaries that were finalists in a local competition were screened. A positive response from attendees prompted a second edition this year.

This time, the event runs parallel with the SBM Golden Lens Documentary Film Festival, an exhibition of 20-short local documentaries selected from approximately 100 entrees. Ten of these films are then judged in the “Best Open Category,” while the other 10 vie for the “Best Student Category.” Also included is an “Audience Choice” award.

The IDFF will screen 17 international documentaries in order to “target more audiences,” according to its website.

“What I tried to do is to bring as many films [to this festival] that are, what I think, high quality,” said Orlow Seunke, the IDFF’s program director. “So I think if you go to see any of the documentaries, you will have a good time and enjoy it.”

Seunke also revealed that the “small theme” of this year’s festival was food.

A total of Rp 47 million ($5,500) prize money, donated by the Jakarta Foreign Correspondents Club and the School for Broadcast Media, Jakarta, will be divided among the winners of the three categories.

Additionally, the 20 documentarian finalists will be awarded with 13 days of workshops headed by experienced filmmakers Jord den Hollander and Hans Treffers. The workshops will be open to other filmmakers for a price.

The theme of this year’s workshops is “Getting Out of the Box,” and as the title suggests, the seminar urges participants to approach filmmaking in an original way. These discussion groups will give up-and-coming filmmakers the chance to develop their skills, collaborate with fellow filmmakers and learn from seasoned experts.

The IDFF includes the national premiere of “Marley,” a film detailing the life and legacy of reggae legend Bob Marley by Kevin Macdonald. The documentary features live performances, rare footage and insightful interviews with the people who were closest with Marley.

Other highlights include a screening of “Bus 174,” a documentary voted one of the 10 best films of 2002 by The New York Times and “Saving Face,” which won an Oscar for “Best Short Subject Documentary” in 2012.

IDFF

Hosted by Erasmus Huis

Sept. 25-29

Free to the public

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Supreme Court Clears Prita of Libel Charges

Jakarta Globe, Ezra Sihite, September 18, 2012

Prita Mulyasari answers journalists questions in an undated file
photo at Tangerang district court. (Antara Photo)

Related articles

The Supreme Court on Monday overruled a defamation verdict handed down to Prita Mulyasari over an e-mail that was originally deemed a violation of the Law on Electronic Information and Transaction.

In the verdict that was issued on Monday, a Supreme Court panel of judges acquitted Prita of all charges of defamation, and ordered the complete rehabilitation of her good name by the prosecutor’s office.

“This ruling annulled the [Tangerang district] court ruling and appeal ruling issued by the Supreme Court,” Supreme Court Spokesman Ridwan Mansyur said on Monday, as quoted by Tempo.co.

Presiding Justice Djoko Sarwoko along with several other judges agreed that the e-mail sent by Prita, who was accused of defaming Omni International Hospital, should not be categorized as libelous.

Thirty-five-year-old Prita’s plight was quickly taken up by the public, and an online support campaign led to a popular nationwide fundraising effort to raise money for Prita’s legal fees.

Prita originally received a six-month suspended prison sentence from the Supreme Court for violating the Law on Electronic Information and Transaction, a verdict that directly contradicted the same court’s earlier acquittal in a related civil case in July 2009.

Lawmaker Eva Kusuma Sundari, a member of House Commission III overseeing legal affairs, hailed the appeal as “fair” on Tuesday.

“The verdict of this case review shows that the Supreme Court has rightly defended the rights in a formal understanding, based on legal and material evidence,” Eva said. “From early on we all knew that Prita was not guilty.”

Eva said to prevent similar cases from occurring in the future, law enforcement needed “a high level of integrity,” to produce comprehensive laws that provided protection for the public.

“The laws are aimed at strengthening human rights protection for the people, so that these very rights do not put the people at a disadvantage,” Eva said.

Prita and the hospital could not be immediately reached for comment.

However, Kompas newspaper quoted Prita as being grateful for the Supreme Court ruling, adding that she hopes “there will be no one meddling with my life and that of my family anymore.”

Related Article:

Prita Mulyasari Cleared of All Charges

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Key Questions, Answers About The Prophet Muhammad

Associated Press, Aya Batrawy, Sep 14, 2012

AP Photo/Mohammed Sabry

An overview about the Prophet Muhammad and why he matters so much to Muslims around the world:

Who is the Prophet Muhammad?

Muslims believe that God revealed the Quran to Muhammad starting in the early 6th century through the Angel Gabriel. Muhammad is not only considered part of a long line of major prophets, including Moses and Jesus, but Muhammad is also considered the last prophet.

Muhammad was married to Khadija, a wealthy woman who inherited her family business and was 15 years older than him. She is considered the first follower of Islam after the prophet. The prophet did not marry again until after her death. Among the women he married after are Aisha, who is revered for transmitting to his followers after his death his way of life and habits, and Maria, a Coptic Christian who converted. The revelation of the Quran began in what is celebrated by Muslims around the world as the month of Ramadan. Muslims believe the Quran is a continuation of the core values of the Torah and Bible.

Why is the Prophet Muhammad so important to Islam?

Muslims consider Muhammad both a spiritual and very human figure who is a model of how they should behave in all aspects of life. The Muslim declaration of faith, or shahada, is: "There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah." This declaration is recited often during the five daily prayers as a way of glorifying God and sending blessings to Muhammad, as well as cementing one's faith in the declaration. Muslims do not worship Muhammad but honor him by trying to emulate his ideals.

Why are depictions of the prophet seen as heretical by most Muslims?

Among Sunni Muslims in particular, depictions of any prophets, whether it be Muhammad or Jesus or Moses, are shunned to avoid worship of a person or figure rather than God. God is the absolute in Islam and shares no partner and has no associates. Throughout history, there have been some depictions of the prophet in Islamic art, and it is common to find his name in the form of calligraphy. His name as God's messenger and as part of the Islamic declaration, shahada, is drawn in Arabic and hung in homes and mosques. Shia Muslims are less opposed to depictions and images of Islamic leaders, but drawings of the Prophet Muhammad, positive or not, continue to draw ire by Muslims around the world.

In what ways does the prophet's life impact Muslims today?

In mosque sermons, Muslim homes, Islamic studies and literature on the religion, the prophet's way of life and his words are studied and repeated as examples to live by. While Muslims do not believe the prophet to be perfect, as perfection is believed to be reserved only for God, they revere his relationship with his companions, followers, enemies, wives and neighbors as the ideal that humans should aspire to emulate.

The verbal sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad are key elements of Islam that Muslims often refer to when interpreting Islamic law or answering questions that may not be fully addressed in the Quran. A saying or action by the prophet, known as a "hadith," has been studied in great detail by scholars for centuries to establish its validity. This means the reliability of its transmitters and the accuracy of its lineage back to the prophet must be authenticated.

What is an example of a hadith?

The Prophet Muhammad and his followers were often subjected to mockery, abuse and torture in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, by those opposed to Islam and its message during its early years. It is said he remained patient and did not return insult for insult. This is further exemplified by one his teachings or hadith, in which he states; "Should I inform you about the best characteristics of the dwellers of this world and the hereafter? They are: keeping a relationship with one who cuts it off with you, giving to the one who deprives you, and pardoning the one who oppresses or wrongs you."

Associated Press religion writer Rachel Zoll contributed from New York.

Related Articles:

The History Channel - Muhammad The Prophet (Video) - New

Sunnis and Shiites remain historical rivals

"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. ....."

"Perceptions of God" – June 6, 2010 (Kryon channelled by Lee Carroll) (Subjects: Quantum Teaching, The Fear of God, Near-death Experience, God Becomes Mythology, Worship, Mastery, Intelligent Design, Benevolent Creator, Global Unity.... etc.) (Text version)

“.. For centuries you haven't been able to think past that box of what God must be like. So you create a Human-like God with wars in heaven, angel strife, things that would explain the devil, fallen angels, pearly gates, lists of dos and don'ts, and many rules still based on cultures that are centuries old. You create golden streets and even sexual pleasures as rewards for men (of course) - all Human perspective, pasted upon God. I want to tell you that it's a lot different than that. I want to remind you that there are those who have seen it! Why don't you ask somebody who has had what you would call a near-death experience?

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Bandung’s Koffie Fabriek Puts The Aroma Back in the Cup

Jakarta Globe, M. Zakky Ramadhany, September 12, 2012

Koffie Fabriek has been roasting, grinding and brewing coffee
using the same techniques since 1930. (JG Photo)

Related articles

Among the stalls of spare motorbike parts on Jalan Banceuy in central Bandung is a sturdy slab building that has stood the test of time. The facade of this classic shopfront is a little worse for wear, the white paint peeling back over the rain-stained concrete, but the name of the shop is as clear as ever, spelled out in block lettering: “Aroma: Paberik Kopi.”

The Aroma Coffee Factory, also known by the Dutch name Koffie Fabriek Aroma, is a legendary establishment on Bandung’s culinary scene. It has been doing the same thing since 1930: producing high-quality coffee from some of Indonesia’s best beans.

It was a scorching hot day when I went to visit Koffie Fabriek Aroma with my friend, who wanted to buy some coffee for his grandfather. He didn’t want to give his grandfather any old beans — it was a gift, so he only wanted to buy the best. Having heard about the legendary grind at Aroma, we made it our first stop.

The streets are always clogged on weekends in Bandung, and this day was no exception. Cars and motorbikes filled the street outside the store. We finally found a parking spot nearby and made our way to the shaded entrance of the grand, old building.

The moment we walked in the door, we knew where Koffie Fabriek Aroma got its name: The air was thick with the rich aroma of freshly roasted coffee beans. I was fasting at the time, and the smell was overwhelmingly tantalizing.

Inside we were greeted by owner Widyapratama, better known Pak Wid, who has been involved in the business his whole life. Pak Wid’s father opened Aroma in 1930, and passed it on to his son in 1971. Wanting to continue his father’s legacy, Pak Wid runs the business exactly as it was done in the old days, even using the same old-fashioned machinery to sort and roast the beans.

We weren’t the only ones eager to get a taste of Aroma’s special blends — there was already a line of customers trailing out the door when we got there. Waiting in line, I studied the many options available and started to feel a little confused. I didn’t really know the difference between arabica and robusta, let alone which variety to choose.

I did learn was that arabica is best kept for eight years before roasting, and robusta for five.

“The aim of storing coffee for a long time [before roasting] is to reduce the water content so that it’s easier to digest, and so we don’t feel bloated when we drink it,” Pak Wid informed us.

After years of being left to dry, the beans at Aroma are roasted on-site then sold whole, ground or brewed. Even the grind comes in multiple options, from fine to semi-coarse and coarse, each suited to a different brewing method. Coarse grind is best for use in a French press or percolator, a semi-fine grind is best for drip coffee-makers, while a fine grind is great for espresso machines or thrown straight in the cup, as in the Indonesian style kopi tubruk.

I decided to take a bag of coffee home with me to enjoy later. I asked for a quarter-kilogram of mokka arabika (arabica mocha) in a fine grind. Meanwhile, my friend chose arabica beans from Toraja, South Sulawesi. Toraja coffee is synonymous with quality in Indonesia, so he knew his grandfather would be impressed

The staff at Aroma ground the beans we ordered right there in front of us. Even though I couldn’t taste the coffee at that point, the smell of the grind itself lifted my mood and turned my thoughts to sundown, when I could finally break my fast and enjoy a hot cup of coffee at home.

The grounds was packed neatly into two white paper bags with a simple design printed on the front. In Dutch-style spelling, the bag read “Koffie Fabriek Aroma Bandoeng,” with the name of the grind stamped above it in ink. Classic, and very classy.

Pak Wid gave me some tips on how to best prepare the coffee. He said it was important to use fresh, boiling water, and to leave the brew for three minutes so that the aroma of the coffee could be released. Cream, honey and milk are optional additions, but to get the original coffee taste he suggested just adding a little sugar.

After sundown, I put his tips into practice. I chose a small teacup, added one teaspoonful of the mokka arabika and filled the cup with boiling water. As the coffee brewed, a layer of shiny, golden froth rose to the surface — this is known as crema , and is a sure sign of quality coffee. Just as Pak Wid said, after three minutes the aroma of the coffee burst out stronger than before.

After the first sip, I knew why people raved about this coffee. On the second sip, I understood why they were prepared to stand in line to buy it. And on the third sip, I knew I had to recommend this coffee to all my friends.

For die-hard coffee lovers, Koffie Fabriek Aroma is an experience not to be missed.

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Indonesian royals gather

The Jakarta Post, Brian Orland and Melati Kaye, Contributor, Bau-Bau, South Sulawesi, September 08 2012

Traditional musician: La Made from Wakantolalo, Southeast Sulawesi,
plays the gambus guitar at the cultural fiesta.

This week the Southeast Sulawesi port city of Bau-Bau hosted the biannual Festival Kraton Nusantara.

To kick off the event, young ladies of the one-time Butonese kingdom of Wolio welcomed the 60 plus visiting royal families last Saturday with a traditional feast called pekakandekanden, meaning “eat and eat” in the local dialect.

Ready to save: A Butonese Palace
guard leads the royal procession.

And the row upon row of picnic blankets laid deep in platters of traditional Butonese dishes including curried crab and eggs, sweet onde-onde and lapapa (red and white rice steamed in banana leaves) were invitation enough to join in the celebration.

As per Butonese tradition, the ladies, dressed in chiffon, velvet and silk, served the grand homemade buffets free of charge with the condition that they hand-feed the first bite to each diner.

Begun in 1997, Festival Kraton Nusantara brings together royalty from across the Indonesian archipelago every two years to celebrate traditional arts and culture.

This year, the event drew over 60 sultans and rajas from Sumatra to West Papua. With the royal entourages came dancers, musicians and craftsmen who demonstrated the richness of Indonesia’s traditions.

Cheerful leader: A royal from Lombok
was one of many who enjoyed the
Kraton Nusantara Festival in Bau-
Bau, South Sulawesi.

After the pekakandekanden of the first night, the following three days in Bau-Bau served as cultural showcases of craft, dance and cuisine from all over Indonesia.

On Sunday, the gathered royalty proceeded from the historic kraton down to a newly reclaimed beachfront area where performances, dancing and musical performances commenced.

Monday was reserved for Indonesia’s rich cuisines, and on Tuesday festival organizers selected the host for the festival in 2014.

While many may consider Indonesia’s monarchial period now a part of history, some of the gathered royalty were quick to point out that this was not just a pageant of the arts.

As 22-year-old Princess Ratu Nur Alya Roza Syahoeri from Kanoman Keraton of Cirebon remarked, “With the festival, we are tightening the bonds between palaces, families … Indonesians.”

Entertaining: A dance group from Sumedang, West Java, rehearses
outside their hotel.

Take a break: A young lady massages her mother’s sore feet before they
serve a traditional Butonese meal to the royal entourages and other guests.
This mother, along with many other ladies, had spent the last two days
preparing the special foods.

— Photos by Brian Orland and Melati Kaye

Monday, September 3, 2012

Indonesia gets bronze in Paralympics, breaking twenty years of drought

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta, Sports, September 03 2012

Dian David Michael Jacobs: (Antara/Yudhi Mahatma)

Indonesia grabbed a bronze medal in the 14th Paralympic Games, after twenty years of coming home empty handed.

Dian David Michael Jacobs grabbed the medal in table tennis after beating José Manuel Ruiz Reyes from Spain in the Excel center in London on Sunday night.

The 32-year-old athlete gained victory in four sets. David won the first set 11-9, but was later defeated in the second set 7-11. David managed to salvage the match by rebounding in the last two round sets, 11-5 and 11-6.

After claiming the title, David shed tears of happiness.

The National Paralympic Committee (NPC) secretary general Pribadi said that it was the first time David participated in the event.

Pribadi has proposed that the government award Rp 100 million (US$10,487) to the bronze medalist. However, the government has not yet agreed to the proposal.

"It is the best achievement of an Indonesian Paralympics team so far," said Indonesia’s chef de mission, James Tangkudung, as quoted by kompas.com.

Indonesia’s last achievement in the Paralympics was at the 1998 Toronto games where it collected two silver medals. Since its absence in 1992, the country had not won any medals.

(yps/iwa)

Monday, August 27, 2012

Watatita: Idul Fitri in Malang Sparks Hope for the Country's Religious Issues

Jakarta Globe, Alexia Cahyaningtyas, August 27, 2012

(Drawings by Alexia Cahyaningtyas)

Among the religious violence and discrimination that this country often experiences, the people of Malang, East Java prove that religious appreciation is still possible. On Idul Fitri, The Kayutangan Catholic Church in Malang welcomed the Muslim citizens in the area to pray at the church’s courtyard.

Photographs of people praying in the courtyard went viral on the Internet and the church has been receiving a lot of praise all over social networks.

This is wonderful to hear and shouldn't be an amazing news because circumstances like this should happen everywhere and as often as possible.

In Malang, this is nothing new; the Christians have been lending the churches to the Muslims for Idul Fitri for years. Even during Christmas, the Muslims help their counterparts with ensuring security in the churches.

If religious differences are not a problem in Malang, why should it be an issue in other places in Indonesia? I guess the extremists who think they are the most righteous, the holiest, the most religious should learn a lot from the people in this city. We can all live together despite our differences.

Malang is a city located 90 kilometers south of the capital city of East Java, Surabaya. This city is also well known for its diverse cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds. There are Muslims, Christians, Catholics, Buddhists, Hindus and even the Kong Hu Cus.

You can find so many Islamic boarding schools there, but at the same time, there are also many Hindu temples scattered around the area. Malang is also a big center for Christian religious education.

The last time I went to Malang, which wasn’t so long ago, I visited a place where they perform Wayang Potehi, or Chinese Puppets, and the place is well maintained and is still regularly attended by both the Indonesian Chinese and the Javanese.

The city of Malang has shown that hope is still here and we can educate other people about religious tolerance and appreciation. If this can happen in Malang, it can happen in Jakarta, Sumatra, Banten, basically everywhere throughout the archipelago.

Churches, mosques, temples, monasteries, synagogues are all houses of God. We have different ways, different rituals to pray to God, but we all pray to the same God.

Related Articles:

Sunnis and Shiites remain historical rivals

"Perceptions of God" – June 6, 2010 (Kryon channelled by Lee Carroll) (Subjects: Quantum Teaching, The Fear of God, Near-death Experience, God Becomes Mythology, Worship, Mastery, Intelligent Design, Benevolent Creator, Global Unity.... etc.) (Text version)

“.. For centuries you haven't been able to think past that box of what God must be like. So you create a Human-like God with wars in heaven, angel strife, things that would explain the devil, fallen angels, pearly gates, lists of dos and don'ts, and many rules still based on cultures that are centuries old. You create golden streets and even sexual pleasures as rewards for men (of course) - all Human perspective, pasted upon God. I want to tell you that it's a lot different than that. I want to remind you that there are those who have seen it! Why don't you ask somebody who has had what you would call a near-death experience?

SBY Orders Government Officials to Avert Future Shiite Attacks in Indonesia

Jakarta Globe, August 27, 2012

Mobile Brigade police officers escort women and children of Shia group
during evacuation from their hiding place in Karanggayam and Bluuran villages,
Sampang, East Java, on Monday. Police evacuated at least 182 Shiites following
an attack by a Sunni Muslim group. (Antara Photo)

Related articles

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Monday asked law enforcers and ministers to take swift and proper action to prevent further violence against Shia groups in Sampang, Madura, East Java after a recent attack on the sect took two lives.

“I have talked with the East Java governor... I hope there will be effective measures taken by all of you and your staffs to ensure these events will not repeatedly happen in the same place,” Yudhoyono told his ministers and some legal institution chiefs at a limited cabinet meeting, as quoted by Antara news agency.

During the meeting attended by the Justice and Human Rights Minister, the National Police chief, the Military chief and the Attorney General, the president said that similar attacks have occurred three times in the past few years.

“In the past two years, attacks have taken place twice, with another occurring once before.”

On Sunday at 11 AM, a mob of Sunni Muslims attacked a group of Shia students and teachers with swords and machetes in Sampang. According to Umi Kulsum, local people who were present at the scene said that two people, Hamama and Tohir, died in the attacks, while five were injured. The mob also torched thirty-five homes belonging to the Shiite community.

The Freedom of Religion and Faith Advocacy Working Group (AKBB) said that based on witness testimony, there were police officers present during the attack but they did not do anything to help quell the situation — they merely sat near where the violence occurred. Later in the afternoon, police evacuated 176 Shiites to Sampang sports stadium. Some of them had fled earlier to hide in the mountains and at family’s houses.

Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali cursed the attack, saying that religion teaches peace and not violence.

“Violence in the name of anything, especially in the name of religion or religious difference, can not be justified,” Suryadharma said. “Every problem that is raised from a difference in opinion should be solved through constructive conversation.”

He asked the local Religious Minister’s office to coordinate a dialogue on the issue.

Akhol Firdaus of the AKBB has criticized the police for failing to anticipate the attack, even though the plan of the attack had been disclosed before Idul Fitri fell.

“Police ignore the violence that has taken lives and caused material losses,” Akhol said. “The government has failed in providing security and guaranteeing the basic rights of Shiites in Sampang. The government has also failed to protect Shiites from systematic and well-planned threats of violence.”

On Dec. 29, Shiites in Nangkernang were also attacked by hard-line Muslim groups, who set fire to hundreds of homes and a Shia Islamic school, displacing 500 Shiites from their village.

After the cabinet meeting, President Yudhoyono commented that “heavy sanctions [against the perpetrators] may be good for our nation,” as quoted by Detik.com. “Under such conditions, it’s not easy for citizens or certain parties to violate the law.”

Related Article:

Sunnis and Shiites remain historical rivals

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Why the World, Including Indonesia, Would Be a Better Place if Women Were in Charge

Jakarta Globe, Henri Lois, August 25, 2012

Related articles

Steven Pinker wrote that over history, women have been a pacifying force. Traditional war is a man’s game: tribal women never band together to raid neighboring villages.

As mothers, women maintain peaceful conditions in which to nurture their offspring and ensure that their genes survive into the next generation.

“Women hold up half the sky,” in the words of the Chinese proverb, yet that’s mostly an aspiration; in the real world, women are uneducated marginalized.

In the 19th century, the paramount moral challenge was slavery. In the 20th century, it was totalitarianism. Today, it is the aggression against women around the world: sex trafficking, acid attacks, rape and so forth.

In 1988, one study found that 39,000 baby girls died annually in China because parents did not give them the same medical care that boys received.

In India, a “bride burning” takes place approximately every two hours, to punish a woman for an inadequate dowry or to eliminate her so a man can remarry, according to various reports.

In addition, ultrasound machines have allowed pregnant women to find out the sex of the fetus — and then get an abortion if it is female.

In reality, women have helped make the world a better place for us all. Nearly 82 percent of jobs lost during the economic global slowdown have belonged to men, while most of the new jobs have gone to women.

Former United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan has said, “If there is one lesson we in the United Nations have learned over the years, it is that investing in women is the most productive strategy a country can pursue in order to raise economic productivity, improve nutrition and health, and educate the next generation.”

When economist Muhammad Yunus won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006, he made it clear that it was women who made up the bulk of the poor but ambitious small-business owners, lifting their communities out of poverty with their entrepreneurship. Women are behind many of the primary drivers of social change.

The little secret of global poverty is that some of the most wretched suffering is caused by unwise spending by men. The poorest families in the world spend approximately 10 times as much (20 percent of their incomes on average) on a combination of alcohol, prostitution, candy, sugary drinks and lavish feasts as they do on educating their children (2 percent).

One way to reallocate family expenditures is to put more money in the hands of women. A series of studies has found that when women hold assets or gain incomes, family money is more likely to be spent on nutrition, medicine and housing, and consequently children are healthier.

In the United States, women earn 78 cents to a man’s dollar. Unlike men, however, women are more willing to take risks on smaller or new organizations they believe have a strong vision for change. Studies show women volunteer more than men. Women are the single most important market opportunity for changing the world.

In some parts of Indonesia, sadly, women are still considered second-class citizens. This can be seen from the remuneration levels for women at most companies, with men generally receiving higher pay.

In Indonesian politics, there have been initiatives to give women more representation in the House of Representatives, but no political party has achieved the 30 percent allotment.

More than 25 years ago, the futurist John Naisbitt talked about the future of the world. That was a time when Japanese companies were in the ascendancy, developing assets around the world.

At that time, Naisbitt had predicted that the United States would regain economic dominance simply because the country empowered its women to be economically productive.

In Japan, women have limited leadership or sway in the economy, politics and social development.

Research from sociological studies to the latest in brain science shows that above all, women value connection and community. For women, it’s not about “me,” it’s about “we.” That means women are less concerned about the pecking order and more committed to keeping harmony in the coop.

The heart of a woman is making the country spin. Women do more than just give birth. They give moral support to their family and friends. Women were created in the image of God and they are a complete and beautiful creation.

Women have four times as many brain cells, or neurons, connecting the right and left sides of their brain, according to scientific reports.

Women can focus on more than one problem at a time and frequently prefer to solve problems through multiple activities at a time. Nation-building will progress tremendously and we will have a better life when women rule the world. At least some believe so, though men may shake their heads.

Henri Lois is a teacher for hearing-impaired and autistic children in Jakarta

World Bank managing director Sri Mulyani Indrawati.
(EPA Photo/ Bagus Indahono)

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"The Recalibration of Awareness – Apr 20/21, 2012 (Kryon channeled by Lee Carroll) (Subjects: Old Energy, Recalibration Lectures, God / Creator, Religions/Spiritual systems (Catholic Church, Priests/Nun’s, Worship, John Paul Pope, Women in the Church otherwise church will go, Current Pope won’t do it), Middle East, Jews, Governments will change (Internet, Media, Democracies, Dictators, North Korea, Nations voted at once), Integrity (Businesses, Tobacco Companies, Bankers/ Financial Institutes, Pharmaceutical company to collapse), Illuminati (Based in Greece, Shipping, Financial markets, Stock markets, Pharmaceutical money (fund to built Africa to develop)), Shift of Human Consciousness, (Old) Souls, Women, Masters to/already come back, Global Unity.... etc.)

Friday, August 24, 2012

In North Sulawesi, Blossoming Flora and Beautiful People

Jakarta Globe, Benito Lopulalan, August 24, 2012

The opening parade for the Tomohon International Flower Festival.
(AFP Photo/Figman Sunandar)

Ayoung ballerina danced in the shade of a wooden replica of the Eiffel Tower.

Not in Paris, but in Tomohon, a mountainside town in North Sulawesi, where the little girl’s mother was born.

The girl, Michelle Tumorang, 12, had come to Sulawesi from Paris for the Tomohon International Flower Festival in early August, to represent France, the homeland of her father. Michelle danced in collaboration with some girls from the Nazareth orphanage in Tomohon. They performed in a flowery car decorated with French symbols and colors. Thirty-six countries participated in the festival.

Tomohon is situated in the heart of the Minahasa plateau. A fertile land with mineral-rich volcanic ash from several peaks, the area’s inhabitants have grown coffee since 1822.

More than a century ago, nature biologist Alfred Russel Wallace wrote in his famous “Malay Archipelago” about the Minahasa people: “They are of a light brown or yellow tint, often approaching the fairness of European; of a rather short stature. In some of the inland villages where they may be supposed to be of the purest race, both men and women are remarkably handsome.”

Many Indonesians share Wallace’s opinion about the Minahasa people’s beauty, even if they might take issue with claims they are the archipelago’s handsomest.

It is from the biologist that the Wallace line, which separates the eco-zones of Asia, draws its name. Flora and fauna to the west of the imaginary line are considered Asiatic, while there is a blend of Asian and Australian species to the east.

Approaching Tomohon from Manado in North Sulawesi in 1859, Wallace was impressed by the cleanliness of the villages he passed. The streets, he wrote, were “bordered by neat hedges often formed entirely of rose-trees, which are perpetually in blossom.”

More than a hundred years after Wallace traveled to Tomohon, the handsome Minahasans, especially the people from Tomohon, have retained their love of flowers.

“It is our habit to have a flower garden in the yard,” said Asry Lantomboba, a 24-year-old from Wolowan village in Tomohon. “Every time any of us go to other places and see beautiful plants or flowers that are not in our collection, we always find a way to bring it [the seed] home.”

In 2005, the Tomohon administration declared its intention to become “Kota Bunga,” or the City of Flowers. Not for romantic reasons, but to develop flower production to make money.

Many farmers now cultivate flowers alongside their usual vegetables.

“We have growing numbers of active flower farmer groups,” said Rita Mandagi, who helps coordinate farmers. “The groups help farmers to develop and market their products.”

Members of such collectives can get better prices for their flowers. In August, for example, the price for one piece was Rp 2,300 ($0.24) for members, but only Rp 1,300 for non-members.

With one quarter of a hectare, local farmer Robert Lembong, can produce 5,000 flowers in two months, earning him a profit of Rp 7 million.

Deputy Agriculture Minister Rusman Heriawan launched 21 flower varieties on the eve of the festival in Tomohon, which he said was a result of five years of hard work.

The minister said the national center of seed research and development can produce about one million seeds for the country’s needs.

Rusman has grand designs for Tomohon flower production. He envisions new varieties, seed and fresh flower production, and other products such as chrysanthemum tea or dried flowers.

Since 2009, Tomohon has chosen what flowers to produce based on the demands of the market, Rusman said.

“It is designed to enter the competitive market, so we have to listen to the flower market,” he said.

The Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry supported the festival. “Tomohon needs a better approach in promoting its destination and products,” the deputy minister said.

So if you come to Tomohon, you might pen something similar to what Wallace wrote about his breakfast there: “I had a good breakfast of coffee, eggs and fresh bread and butter which I took in the spacious verandah amid the odor of sweet-scented flowers.”