Indonesia executes six drug convicts, five of them foreigners

Indonesia executes six drug convicts, five of them foreigners
Widodo has pledged to bring reform to Indonesia

Ban appeals to Indonesia to stop death row executions

Ban appeals to Indonesia to stop death row executions
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has pleaded to Indonesia to stop the execution of prisoners on death row for drug crimes. AFP PHOTO

Pope: 'Death penalty represents failure' – no 'humane' way to kill a person

Pope: 'Death penalty represents failure' – no 'humane' way to kill a person
The pope wrote that the principle of legitimate personal defense isn’t adequate justification to execute someone. Photograph: Zuma/Rex

Obama becomes first president to visit US prison (US Justice Systems / Human Rights)

Obama becomes first president to visit US prison   (US Justice Systems / Human Rights)
US President Barack Obama speaks as he tours the El Reno Federal Correctional Institution in El Reno, Oklahoma, July 16, 2015 (AFP Photo/Saul Loeb)

US Death Penalty (Justice Systems / Human Rights)

US Death Penalty (Justice Systems / Human Rights)
Woman who spent 23 years on US death row cleared (Photo: dpa)



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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 (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. …

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Big Screen, Bigger Issues for Indonesia's Lesbians

Jakarta Globe, Katrin Figge, January 31, 2012


Eight LGBT filmmakers tell their stories with a movie camera in
‘Children of Srikandi.’ (Photo courtesy of Srikandi Films)
              
Related articles

Two years ago, eight young Indonesian women came together for a project. Although at first it seemed small, the endeavor would end up having a bigger impact on their lives than they ever imagined.

Now, their hard work has resulted in a 75-minute feature-length film, “Children of Srikandi.” The film’s tagline is: “For the first time, queer Indonesian women are breaking the code of silence.”

In a country where a declaration of homosexuality at best raises eyebrows and at worst incites blind hatred and prejudice, “Srikandi” is a brave movie that sheds light on the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community here.

It is especially unique because the filmmakers themselves are part of that community and were able to honestly convey their own experiences, feelings and thoughts on the screen.

Stea Lim, who is both a director and executive producer of the film, said the project was initiated by Laura Coppens, a German visual anthropologist who wanted to make a film about the struggles of Indonesian women. The project was realized with the help of the Goethe-Institut, the German cultural organization, and In-Docs, the documentary program of the Society of Independent Indonesian Films (YMMFI).

Coppens said she began traveling to the region and Indonesia on a regular basis about five years ago.

“This was basically because I am an Indonesian film curator and festival programmer for Asian Hot Shots Berlin, a festival for Asian independent cinema I founded with two friends in 2007 in Berlin,” she said.

After becoming more involved with the regional cinema scene, Coppens realized there was a general lack of films about homosexual women, and there certainly weren’t any examples from Indonesia.

“From the very beginning, I wanted to organize a workshop to train people in basic filmmaking skills,” she said. “Since I am not a trained filmmaker and I knew that I never would manage this challenge alone, I was looking for someone to help me with that and eventually make a film out of it.”

She found support from Berlin-based filmmaker Angelika Levi, who became a mentor and editor for the film. Together, the two have seen the project through from beginning to end.

“She is an experienced filmmaker and a wonderful storyteller. It is mainly also because of her involvement and engagement that our film is as successful and beautiful as it is now,” Coppens said of Levi.

“And of course, there are the wonderful women we are working with,” she added, referring to the eight workshop participants and stressing that they see themselves as a collective. “Their desire to tell their story and their bravery makes it a very special project.”

The diversity of the group members was key, Stea said.

“Each of us has different backgrounds,” she said. “So everybody brought different ideas to the workshop, and it eventually took the shape of becoming an anthology. It is now a collection of eight short films — part documentary, part fiction.”

Eight women, eight films. But the participants did more than simply work on their own stories. They acted in one another’s films, helped with narrative development and served as crew members.

The namesake of the film’s title, Srikandi, is a character in the Mahabharata epic. “Srikandi is a strong female warrior,” Stea explained. “She represents what we are doing now, our struggles, our expectations, our roles in society.”

Coppens said Srikandi was a fascinating character because while most women characters in wayang tales were devoted mothers and wives, Srikandi was “the ultimate model of independent womanhood.”

Srikandi not only makes an appearance in the title of the film, she also plays an active part in it: her story is told between the eight short films through Indonesian shadow theater scenes performed by puppeteer Soleh and singer Anik, two male-to-female transgender individuals from Surabaya.

For the women involved in the project, making “Srikandi” was a unique experience. Many of them had never done anything like try to make a movie.

One of the women is Edith, a political science student in Yogyakarta. She said she enjoyed being part of the project.

“It was very exciting for me to learn how to make the storyboard, to think about the visuals, the images and the sounds, and how it all needs to be connected,” she said, adding that she could even imagine continuing with filmmaking in the future.

“My film shows my own experience and how I deal with my identity,” Edith said. “I believe that everybody has multiple identities and I especially tried to show the connection between your sexual identity and your spiritual identity. Very often [in Indonesia] people say, ‘Oh, you are not eligible to talk about your faith when you have a certain sexual identity.’ ”

Another woman involved in the project, Winnie, looks at relationships and some of the typical prejudices she sees in society.

“People always think that if you are part of the LGBT community you have to hang out with other members of that community as well,” she said. “But why can’t we live like what they would call ‘normal people?’ ”

The filmmakers are well aware that “Srikandi” might draw criticism, but so far, the feedback has been positive.

“A lot of people that we talked to about this project have been very supportive,” Stea said. “We did this film with very limited funding. All the funding has come from different organizations, our families and friends, and our own pockets.”

Friends who couldn’t afford to support the project with cash found other ways to help, donating time and energy to do things like assist with the lights or participate on the camera team, she added.

“Without them, I don’t think we could have finished the film,” she said. “We had to overcome a lot of struggles, but we

always met a lot of people who would tell us, come on, you have to do this.”

While the film’s final cut has been completed, there is still post-production work to be done, primarily with sound and color. The group is still looking for funding to finance this final part of the project.

“Crowd-sourcing is one of the more creative ways to find funding for independent films,” Coppens said. “It is very successful in the United States, but rather new in Germany. We thought we’d give it a try and raise some funds that could cover our post-production costs. So far it has been very successful — out of the $5,000 we asked for, we already raised $4,000. The campaign ends in 14 days and we really hope that people will help us to meet our goal.”

The group’s main motivation for completing “Srikandi” is to provide a platform for people to discuss a topic that is often deliberately overlooked.

“There has been discussion put on by organizations and activists, but a film takes it to a whole new audience,” Stea said. “Instead of simply talking about experiences, you can now see it: our issues with religion, society, our families. Hopefully, it can spark some dialogue.”

It is undeniable that the film has already made an impact. In Germany it was selected as an official entry for the Panorama program at the Berlinale, Berlin’s international film festival, which will take place from Feb. 9 to 19.

“From the beginning, it was our dream to show this film at a major film festival,” Coppens said. “This kind of festival means major outreach and helps people to see the stories.”

In addition to “Srikandi,” the Berlin festival will showcase two other feature films from Indonesia: “Postcards From the Zoo” by Edwin and “The Mirror Never Lies” by Kamila Andini, as well as the short film “7 Deadly Kisses” by Sammaria Simanjuntak.

“This is an enormous success for Indonesian cinema and hopefully it will give a boost to the local film scene and encourage filmmakers and young ones especially to continue their wonderful work,” Coppens said. “There is a lot of talent out there that is ready to be discovered and I hope the Berlinale is a first step that will encourage more people to look at the Indonesian film industry closely and with a new curiosity.”

The eight “Srikandi” women welcomed the news about the Berlinale with much excitement and joy.

“We are obviously ecstatic about it,” Stea said, adding that it was also quite overwhelming.

“By doing this film, we opened up and talked about our issues, and what was personal will now become public. But I hope it can make a difference.”

For more information about ‘Children of Srikandi,’ visit www.childrenofsrikandi.com

To be part of the crowd-funding campaign, visit www.indiegogo.com/Children-of-Srikandi


About the Challenges of Being a Gay Man – Oct 23, 2010 (Saint Germain channelled by Alexandra Mahlimay and Dan Bennack) - “ ... You see, your Soul and Creator are not concerned with any perspective you have that contradicts the reality of your Divinity – whether this be your gender, your sexual preference, your nationality – or your race, ethnicity, religious beliefs, or anything else.The only identity that has any fundamental or lasting relevance to your Soul is your Divinity. Any other way you may label or identify yourself is transitory. It changes from one incarnation to the next. ..."

"The Akashic System" – Jul 17, 2011 (Kryon channelled by Lee Carroll) - (Subjects: Religion, God, Benevolent Design, DNA, Akashic Circle, (Old) Souls, Gaia, Indigenous People, Talents, Reincarnation, Genders, Gender Switches, In “between” Gender Change, Gender Confusion, Shift of Human Consciousness, Global Unity,..... etc.)

Sunday, January 29, 2012

UAE speaker praises RI as democratic Muslim country

Antara News, Sat, January 28 2012

(ANTARA/Nila Fu'adi)
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - United Arab Emirates (UAE) Parliament Speaker Mohammad Ahmad Almour has praised Indonesia as an exemplary OIC (Organization of the Islamic Conference) member country for its consistent adherence to democracy and tolerant Islamic culture.

According to the chairman of the Indonesian House of Representatives Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Body, Hidayat Nurwahid, here Saturday Ahmad Almour praised Indonesia as a predominantly Muslim country that successfully practicing democracy,

The West had often said that Democracy and Islam could not go hand in hand and that the two could even come into conflict with each other, said Hidayat citing Almour`s statement at the Islamic parliamentary meeting in Palembang.

"Although the majority of its population is Muslim, Indonesia consistently implements democracy and it is therefore the pride of OIC," Hidayat quoted Almour as saying.

Hidayat also said the United Arab Emirates parliament hoped Indonesia could play a more significant role in straightening out the West`s negative view of Islam in relation with democracy.

Therefore many misunderstanding views about Islam can be reduced and Islam is not identical with terrorism.

"Indonesia is famous for treating quests in friendly, courteous and respectful ways. The chairman of the Parliament of UAE really appreciates this," said Marzuki Alie, Speaker of Indonesia`s House of Representatives on the same occasion.

Arab countries want the stigma of Islamic terrorism can be eliminated through Indonesian good relations with Europe and America.

"They thought Indonesia could be an agent for having good relations and appreciated by the US and Europe," he said.

Indonesia can show that democracy is not contrary to Islamic values and Islam is not terrorist, but the violence arises recently only committed by a small group of extremists that does not represent Islam.

Editor: Priyambodo RH

Friday, January 27, 2012

The Thinker: Is Atheism Allowed?

Jakarta Globe, Yordan Nugraha, January 27, 2012


'Atheism does not violate Pancasila. All Indonesians may consciously
 and rationally choose their own beliefs. The country’s very foundation
protects their right to do so.' (Photo courtesy of Karl Karnadi)

            
Alexander Aan, a civil servant in Dharmasraya, West Sumatra, was beaten and charged with blasphemy after writing “God does not exist” on his Facebook page.

The response has ranged from condemnation by several international organizations to support by local citizens and the Indonesian Council of Ulema. Many people have invoked the first principle of Pancasila, the state ideology, to make the argument that atheism — and Alexander — have no place in Indonesia.

But is this really the case? Has atheism been banned by Pancasila since the dawn of the Indonesian state? Since the argument is based on the text of a legal document, let’s examine this question from a legal perspective.

The first principle of Pancasila says the nation of Indonesia shall be based on the belief in the one and only God. It is usually interpreted literally. As a result, nonbelievers, and atheists in particular, are often accused of violating the nation’s philosophical foundation. Their way of thinking is seen as incompatible with the country’s fundamental “monotheistic” tenet.

This is a naive and simplistic view of Pancasila. Interpreting any philosophy is not all about the exact meaning of the words; it is about context and the systematical connections.

In legal science there are two methods of interpretation: historical and teleological. A historical interpretation requires an examination of the historical context in which a statute was created. With teleological reasoning, it is the goal of a statute that matters most.

Historically, the first principle of Pancasila, belief in one supreme God, has been a compromise between secular nationalists, Islamic nationalists and nationalists from other religions. It had its origins in the first principle of the Jakarta Charter, the obligation to hold Muslims to Shariah law.

When the non-Muslim nationalist founders protested the charger, a compromise was reached: The belief in one supreme God was codified into Pancasila instead.

If this historical context is further analyzed in a goal-oriented, teleological way, it is evident that the first principle of Pancasila was not intended to ban atheism. It was meant to bring together the different religions of Indonesia in a fair-minded, compromising manner.

Some might still insist that every statute must be interpreted precisely as it was written. This, of course, is exceedingly problematic if you consider the six officially “recognized religions” of Indonesia: Islam, Catholicism, Protestantism, Confucianism, Hinduism and Buddhism.

If the notion that the first principle requires monotheism is correct, then at least two of Indonesia’s recognized religions are obviously incompatible with Pancasila.

Hinduism is henotheistic, meaning Hindus acknowledge the presence of other gods despite worshiping only one. That is why we see many gods in India such as Ganesha, Vishnu and Shiva.

Buddhism includes no concept of a divine creator or deity; it is considered a nontheistic religion. Sometimes the words “a not-born, a not-brought-to-being, a not-made, a not-conditioned“ in Buddhist scripture are cited to support the claim that Buddhism has a creator. But a closer look at the text shows that the words refer to nirvana, not to a god.

Are Hinduism and Buddhism unconstitutional? Do they deserve no place in Indonesia? Should they be banned? Our founding fathers should have anticipated this problem.

Meanwhile, even if the misguided literal interpretation prevails, the people who lean on that to justify their stance against atheism will run into another problem.

There is another foundational passage in Pancasila that addresses religious beliefs. This one stipulates that “the belief in one and supreme God must not be forced on another person.”

This point is specific in nature, while the first principle is general. According to the legal doctrine of lex specialis, specific laws overrule general laws. This means that atheists have a right to their beliefs, and cannot be forced to espouse the views of others. Ironically, this shows that the people who try to force God on atheists are actually the ones infringing on Pancasila.

Atheism does not violate Pancasila. All Indonesians may consciously and rationally choose their own beliefs. The country’s very foundation protects their right to do so.

Yordan Nugraha is a student of international and European law at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands.



"Perceptions of God" – June 6, 2010 (Kryon channeled by Lee Carroll) (Subjects: Quantum TeachingThe Fear of God, Near-death ExperienceGod 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? …. “


"The Humanization of God" – Jul 16, 2011 (Kryon channelled by Lee Carroll) - (Subjects: The Humanization of God, Gaia, Benevolent DesignShift of Human Consciousness, 2012, Guides and Angels, Communication with God, Wars in Heaven ?, The Love of God, (Old) Souls, Global Unity,....  etc.)
“… Do angels exist? Absolutely, but not as you think or have been taught. Are there helpers? Absolutely, but again, not like you think. When angels visited Humans in ancient days and the events were written about by those who were there to witness the experience, I can guarantee it was a lot different than they could express on paper. When an angel appears before a Human, it looks like a swirling ball of energy, sometimes even fire that is not hot and does not consume anything. Angels are not in Human form and never have been. They are multidimensional beings, not in 3D. Yet you want to put skin and wings on them and give them a name! Why? It makes you feel better about them. We understand that…”

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Indonesian man arrested for kicking woman he thought was a ghost

The woman was reportedly dressed in white, with hair covering her face, and moving slowly 'in a weird way'

guardian.co.uk, Kate Hodal in Bangkok, Wednesday 25 January 2012

Dancers perform a traditional dance in Ubud, Indonesia, during an
exorcise ritual against spirit possession. Photograph: Olivier Matthys/EPA

A 38-year-old Indonesian security guard has been charged with assault after kicking a 20-year-old woman in the face after mistaking her for a predatory ghost.

The guard was on duty in Bandung, Java, when "suddenly a figure, who was sitting on the floor and clad in white with hair covering the face, moved slowly in a weird way toward the elevator", according to the Jakarta Post.

The guard "sensed a threat to himself and the others in the elevator" and kicked the ghost to the floor "so that everyone ... could run and save themselves," the security officer's lawyer told the Jakarta Post.

But guard Sunarya's seemingly noble deeds have landed him more punishment than accolades, as the "ghost" turned out to be the 20-year-old daughter of a coal businessman who was in the hotel playing a "ghost trick" for a friend's birthday. She was later hospitalised for a bruised face and broken tooth.

Sunarya now faces charges of assaulting the girl, who was dressed as suster ngesot, a "crawling nurse ghost".

The Indonesian archipelago, while predominantly Muslim, is strongly influenced by spiritual and supernatural myths from its Malay, Hindu and Buddhist heritage. Common ghost sightings often refer to floating female figures dressed in white, with long hair and, sometimes, long fingernails.

Ghost and vampire movies are wildly popular in Indonesia (some erotic, many others homemade), but supernatural action is not confined to the screen. In December, at least 10 people were reportedly possessed by spirits after visiting a mahogany tree in Jakarta said to house a pocong (shrouded corpse ghost) and kuntilak (female vampire ghost). The tree had to be cut down and the religious affairs minister called in to calm hysterical crowds, but the spirits were reported to have merely moved on to a neighbouring tree.

As supernatural creatures in Indonesia can often take on terrifying forms – such as the jenglot, a mummified vampiric doll with fangs and long hair who feeds off human and animal blood – it is not surprising that many Indonesians approach ghosts with some trepidation.

As one reader, following Sunarya's story, wrote to the Jakarta Post: "Sunarya should receive a medal, or at least be showered with honours, for acting so courageously in facing what he initially thought was a real ghost."

But the security officer remains modest. "I have a wife and two little children, I hope everything will be fine," he told reporters. "I just did my job as a security guard."

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Indonesian Footballer Makes Mark in Debut for Dutch Club

Jakarta Globe, Wimbo Satwiko & Sandy Pramuji, January 23, 2012

Stefano Lilipaly has broken new ground for Indonesian players
after scoring a goal for Dutch club FC Utrecht. (Agency Photo) 

Related articles

Amid a wealth of off-field missteps and political bickering, Stefano Lilipaly provided a bit of good news for Indonesian football on Sunday.

The 22-year-old midfielder scored in the 66th minute of his debut for FC Utrecht in the Dutch top flight, becoming the first Indonesian to find the net in the Eredivisie.

Utrecht drew 1-1 with visiting PSV Eindhoven after Ola Toivonen equalized in the 71st minute.

“It was a very pleasant moment,” Stefano, who was also named man of the match, told Utrecht’s official Web site. “I spent 10 years in the youth team. This is my time to prove I can handle [the pressure of playing in the top flight].”

He played for the Netherlands’ Under-15 and Under-18 national teams, but he looked to his roots when the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) put out a call for talented youngsters of Indonesian heritage playing in Europe.

Stefano, whose father is Indonesian, was granted citizenship on Oct. 11, 2011, alongside fellow Dutch-born Jhonny Van Beukering and Tony Cussel and Nigeria-born Greg Nwokolo and Victor Igbonefo.

He was called up for Indonesia’s Under-23 tryouts to play in last year’s Southeast Asian Games, but he was cut by then-coach Rahmad Darmawan.

Utrecht coach Jan Wouters praised the young midfielder for his development.

“Lilipaly has developed very well, grown through the youth team and has shown his quality to us in this game,” he said.

However, Aji Santoso, Indonesia’s new senior and U-23 head coach, said he did not want to rush in calling up Stefano for the national team’s next match – the final 2014 World Cup qualifier at Bahrain on Feb. 29.

Indonesia is last in Group E with no wins and 16 goals conceded from five matches. Its last chance to reach the next round passed with a 4-1 home loss to Iran in November.

“The Bahrain game will be our last match in the group and the results won’t decide anything. I prefer to call Stefano up for future events, such as the Suzuki Cup and the 2013 SEA Games,” Aji told the Jakarta Globe on Monday.

Stefano is one of a small but growing group of Indonesians playing in Europe. Yericho Christiantoko, Alfin Tuasalamony, Yandi Munawar and Syamsir Alam play in the Belgian second division with CS Vise, which is owned by the Bakrie family, while Arthur Irawan is trying his luck in Spain after signing with Espanyol’s U-19 team last year.

If those youngsters kept improving and played regularly, Aji said, they would help provide a brighter future for the national team. With world governing body FIFA prohibiting the PSSI from calling up players competing in the breakaway Indonesian Super League, the 41-year-old coach needs every option he can find.

“I would love to see them playing in my team. I don’t think it will happen when we play against Bahrain, but it will be in the near future,” he said.


Indonesian midfielder Stefano Lilipaly has spoken about
 scoring his first goal for Utrecht in their 1-1 draw against 
Dutch giants PSV.

Related Article:


Sunday, January 22, 2012

Tourists in India told to avoid 'human safaris' as row widens

Since Gethin Chamberlain revealed how Andaman Islands tribes people were being bribed and bullied into 'performing' for tours, India's government has taken up the cause of ethical tourism. But some travel companies still offer titillating trips to remote areas to see their indigenous people


guardian.co.uk, Gethin Chamberlain, Saturday 21 January 2012


Andaman Islanders 'forced to dance' for tourists. Link to this video

They are holidays billed as an opportunity to enter another world, a chance to see the world's last primitive tribes up close in their natural environment.

The brochures tease and at times, critics say, titillate. Take the Delhi-based Aces Indian Tours, which invites visitors to travel to see the Bonda people, an ancient tribe found in the remote hilly regions of the state of Orissa. The website breathily offers to provide an insight into utterly different lives. "On the northwest of river Machkund", it states, "live the wildest, rudest and possibly the most interesting tribe known as Bonda Tribe. The scanty dress of the Bonda women and homicidal tendency of Bonda males make them most fascinating people."

It is this kind of exotic invitation that has now come under unprecedented scrutiny in India, raising ethical issues that also apply to similar tours in other remote regions of the world.

Every year, thousands of western tourists visit India in search of the exotic. But two weeks after an Observer investigation exposed the degradation of "human safaris" in the Andaman Islands – which are in Indian territory – the country's travel industry has entered a bout of soul-searching. The Observer exposed video evidence that Jarawa tribeswomen had been bullied into dancing for convoys of visitors on the islands' main road. The reaction has been furious. Sonia Gandhi, leader of the ruling Congress party, has taken a personal interest in the 400-strong Jarawa's fate and is understood to be frustrated by the lack of action to protect them. At a meeting last week of the powerful National Advisory Council, which she chairs, members denounced the "deplorable situation of the exploitation of the Jarawa tribe".

The investigation has now prompted the home minister, P Chidambaram, to demand the interrogation of those responsible. He has flown to the Andamans to tell officials there to act swiftly to prevent further abuse of the tribe. Tribal affairs minister V Kishore Chandra Deo said: "It's deplorable. You cannot treat human beings like beasts for the sake of money. Whatever kind of tourism is that? I totally disapprove and it is being banned."

But what about elsewhere in India, and in other parts of the world? In the case of the Jarawa, there is little doubt that the tribespeople have been exploited by unscrupulous locals and insensitive visitors. Elsewhere, ethical lines are usually more blurred, but the risk of damaging contact with vulnerable communities is very real.

In 1989, India introduced the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in an attempt to protect indigenous communities from "indignities, humiliations and harassment". But with the number of tourists across the world expected to hit a billion this year and previously inaccessible places beginning to open up for more and more people, how close should travellers be allowed to come to vulnerable communities?

One of the most popular destinations in India is Orissa, where tour operators promise sightings of the insular Bonda when the tribespeople leave their homes to go to a market in the village of Onkadeli. Entry into the Bonda's own villages is illegal: the tribe do not invite attention and many dislike being photographed, but the market offers a way to view them, and the tours continue. Even the state tourist board uses images of the tribe in its adverts.

Royal India Holidays, with offices in India and the US, offers a tribal tour of Orissa where it promises tourists can "see the lifestyle of tattooed, heavily beaded, nearly naked tribal people, their day to day activity and their extremely primitive way of living".

The company says it is recognised by India's ministry of tourism. Its brochure describes a trip to the Jeypore area of Orissa: "After breakfast, an excursion to the nearby hills where most amazing and fierce Bondas Tribes (naked people) reside. They are also known as Remo meaning 'people'. The Bonda are generally semi-clothed, with the women characterised by the wearing of thick silver necklace bands. The tribe is one of the oldest and most primitive with their culture little changed in over a thousand years. The best way to view members of the tribe is by going to local markets held every Thursday."

Company owner Newton Singh told the Observer that most tours in Orissa focused on the tribes. He said he believed that the company was operating within the law but it relied on local agents in Orissa. He said he understood the objections and would review the tours. "I don't want to do anything against the laws of humanity," he said.

Bhubaneswar-based Dove Tours offers a tour of Orissa in which, it explains, "the area we visit is the home of the approximately 6,000 members of the fierce Bondas (naked people). They live in the remote hills and keep themselves isolated … They can only be seen when they come to trade at the local market, and we must time our visit to coincide with the weekly market day."

Gagan Sarangi, speaking for the company, said it operated within responsible guidelines and only dealt with tourists who would respect the tribe. He said foreign tourists were barred from the Bonda's area, but it was still possible to spot them in the markets. "We are totally against any kind of unethical practices in the tribal area," he said.

Survival International, which campaigns on behalf of tribal peoples, is sceptical that such a high-minded approach is reflected by what takes place on the ground. The charity's director Stephen Corry said: "We are now in the 21st century, not the 19th. Colonialism should be a thing of the past. Tribes are not cultural relics, nor should they be treated like animals in a zoo.

"They are not ancient or backward, but adapting like everybody around us to a changing world. This should entitle them to the same rights and freedoms as the very tourists who are taking their photographs.

"Promoting tours by using derogatory terms such as 'primitive', and advertising their 'nakedness', shows a clear lack of respect."

Corry said tour operators had no right to promote tribal people as a tourist attraction. "Forcing them to dance in return for sweets and biscuits, for the amusement of onlookers, is only possible where they're viewed as somehow less than fully human," he said. "Sadly, the existence of human safaris in the Andamans is not isolated, but replicated in other areas of India. It is crucial tourists boycott such unethical 'attractions', so there is no fuel in the market to drive such tasteless practices."

Association of British Travel Agents spokesman Sean Tipton said the travel industry recognised the necessity of regulating and monitoring interaction between tourists and tribes. "Customers should always seek permission before taking photographs of indigenous people, or indeed any local people. This is a matter of courtesy and cross-cultural sensitivity."

Sue Ockwell, for the Association of Independent Tour Operators, was also keen to emphasise that its member companies were against the sort of "tacky tourism" seen in the Andamans. "The aim of Aito is to ensure that host destinations and local people at tourism destinations benefit from tourism as well as those who take tourists," she said.

"Unfortunately, exploitation does still occur – from child prostitution to the type of practice described in the Andamans. It requires action by UK tour operators and associations such as Aito and Abta and it also requires action by governments in the destinations affected. It is only by working together that this sort of business can be stamped out."

Clearly, though, more needs to be done. Blogging about a visit to Onkadeli, one tourist noted that the attention of tourists was clearly unwelcome to some of the tribal people: "There were a few tourists around (including myself) and truth be said, it all felt a little rude and intrusive! Some of the adivasis [indigenous tribes] were clearly uncomfortable with camera-wielding tourists, so I started to only take pictures with their permission. This would almost always result in my having to part with 10 rupees [about 13p]!"

British travel firm Audley Travel, winner of three Guardian-Observer travel awards for best small tour operator, offers tours to Orissa in which it promises sightings of the Bonda tribe, despite acknowledging that photographing them may be banned. The company said it firmly advocated responsible tourism and only took individuals or couples.

"They are accompanied by tour guides who are well briefed on the cultural sensitivity of the situation, particularly photography. Our clients themselves are intelligent, informed travellers whose last intention would be to 'gawp' at local people."

Meanwhile, in the Andaman Islands, police say they have made some progress in identifying those responsible for filming the video publicised by the Observer, which is now believed to have been shot in September or October of 2008. "The police team is questioning several tour operators and taxi drivers of the city in an effort to track down the source of the video," said S B Tyagi, superintendent of police. Officers have raided several shops in the town in an attempt to seize videos of the Jarawa that have been circulating among tour operators and which are sold to tourists.

Police announced on Thursday that a senior officer had been placed in charge of monitoring the road and said they had arrested two tour operators named in the Observer report.

The lieutenant governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Bhopinder Singh, has been ordered to take action to prevent further exploitation of the Jarawa. Tribal affairs minister Krishna Chandra Deo described the incident as "disgraceful and a shame on all of us" and said the tribe should be treated as humans, not aliens.

As the country digests the implications of the scandal, Corry said tourists considering visiting tribal areas needed to think very carefully about the long-term effects on tribal peoples, instead of the "fleeting thrill of the experience or the glory of the story once back home".


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Australia set to recognise Aborigines as first people of continent

Australia's Aborigines can be discriminated against under 
sections 25 and 51 of the constitution. Photograph: Gary Calton
.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Indonesian Waria Activist Registers to be Human Rights Commissioner

Jakarta Globe, Dessy Sagita,  January 20, 2012

A high-profile member of Indonesia’s large transgender community,
Yulianus Rettoblaut, known as Mami Yuli or Mother Yuli, pictured on the
 right sitting next to other transgender activists, registered on Friday to
 become a member of the National Commission on Human Rights
(Komnas-Ham). (JG Photo/Dessy Sagita)
   
      
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A high-profile member of Indonesia’s large transgender community has registered to become a member of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas-Ham).

Yulianus Rettoblaut, known as Mami Yuli or Mother Yuli, said on Friday that she was seeking to become a commissioner to fight for the rights to Indonesia’s ‘waria’ community, an Indonesian word taken from wanitia (woman) and pria (man).

Speaking at Komnas-Ham in Central Jakarta, Yuli said she would also fight for the rights of gay and lesbian communities as well as other heavily marginalized groups.

Yuli, head of the Communication Forum of Indonesia Transgender, said that high on her agenda was to allow transgender people access to school for a formal education to increase their career prospects.

Yuli has a law degree from Universitas Islam At Tahiriyah.

Another key issue was to fight for the rights of elderly transgender people who were often homeless and left to fend for themselves.

“We will teach them skills such as baking cakes and other things so they can live independently and be productive,” Yuli said.

Fellow transgender activist Merlyn Sopjan said many transgenders were forced to quit school because they were mocked.

“They are always bullied: it is no wonder many become traumatized and refuse to return to school,” Merlyn said. “At the end, they have no skills to work in the formal sector and end up in street.”

She said that while transgender people were treated better in the big cities, discrimination was pervasive.

“Transgender people are forbidden to use woman’s toilets,” she said. “Even for a small thing such as using a public facility, we’re often discriminated against.”


About the Challenges of Being a Gay Man – Oct 23, 2010 (Saint Germain channelled by Alexandra Mahlimay and Dan Bennack) - “ ... You see, your Soul and Creator are not concerned with any perspective you have that contradicts the reality of your Divinity – whether this be your gender, your sexual preference, your nationality – or your race, ethnicity, religious beliefs, or anything else.The only identity that has any fundamental or lasting relevance to your Soul is your Divinity. Any other way you may label or identify yourself is transitory. It changes from one incarnation to the next. ..."

"The Akashic System" – Jul 17, 2011 (Kryon channelled by Lee Carroll) - (Subjects: Religion, God, Benevolent Design, DNA, Akashic Circle, (Old) Souls, Gaia, Indigenous People, Talents, Reincarnation, Genders, Gender Switches, In “between” Gender Change, Gender Confusion, Shift of Human Consciousness, Global Unity,..... etc.)

‘God Does Not Exist’ Comment Ends Badly for Indonesia Man

Jakarta Globe, Camelia Pasandaran, January 19, 2012

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An Indonesian civil servant who posted “God does not exist” on his Facebook page has been taken into police custody for his own protection after he was badly beaten.

Photo courtesy of Karl Karnadi
The man, identified as Alexander, 31, now faces the prospect of losing his job, or even being jailed, if he fails to repent and accept one of six official state religions.

Blasphemy carries a maximum sentence of five years in jail.

Local media reported that when Alexander arrived at work at the Dharmasraya Development Planning Board (Bappeda) on Wednesday, a group of men, also understood to comprise government officials, attacked and beat him before police arrived and took him into protective custody.

Dharmasraya Police Chief Sr. Comr. Chairul Aziz told the Jakarta Globe that Alexander moderated a Facebook account titled “Ateis Minang” (Minang Atheists) and had written an update that “God does not exist.”

Chairul said he could not confirm the reports that Alexander was attacked but say that he had taken into protective custody to “anticipate anarchy.”

“Besides, he is also afraid of being intimidated or hurt.”

Alexander was quoted by Padangekspres.co.id as saying that he did not believe in God because of the amount of crime and disasters.

“If God indeed exists, why do bad things happen,” he was quoted as saying. “There should only be good things if God is merciful.”

Alexander said he was born a Muslim but ceased religious activities in 2008.

“I have no idea what the problem is. When I arrived at the office, a mob came and beat me, and took me to the police.”

Aziz said police would wait for a recommendation from the West Sumatra Coordinating Agency to Supervise Religion and Beliefs (Bakorpakem) as well as the Ministry of Religious Affairs before deciding on further action against Alexander.

“If they consider what he did was blasphemy, we will charge him.”

Gusrizal Gazahar, head of the West Sumatera chapter of the Council of Ulema (MUI), told local media that if he refused to repent, Alexander should lose his job.

“I want him to be fired,” he said.

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"Perceptions of God" – June 6, 2010 (Kryon channeled by Lee Carroll) (Subjects: Quantum TeachingThe Fear of God, Near-death ExperienceGod 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? …. “


"The Humanization of God" – Jul 16, 2011 (Kryon channelled by Lee Carroll) - (Subjects: The Humanization of God, Gaia, Benevolent DesignShift of Human Consciousness, 2012, Guides and Angels, Communication with God, Wars in Heaven ?, The Love of God, (Old) Souls, Global Unity,....  etc.)

“… Do angels exist? Absolutely, but not as you think or have been taught. Are there helpers? Absolutely, but again, not like you think. When angels visited Humans in ancient days and the events were written about by those who were there to witness the experience, I can guarantee it was a lot different than they could express on paper. When an angel appears before a Human, it looks like a swirling ball of energy, sometimes even fire that is not hot and does not consume anything. Angels are not in Human form and never have been. They are multidimensional beings, not in 3D. Yet you want to put skin and wings on them and give them a name! Why? It makes you feel better about them. We understand that…”