PROTESTS REPORTED DESPITE HEAVY CLAMPDOWN

Stores and vendor stalls were closed up tight in the Barkhor area of Lhasa, near the Jokhang Temple on March 14, 2009. Photo: AP / Kyodo News

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few more scattered protests have been reported in Tibetan areas around the anniversaries of last year's general uprising. Three youths in Kardze chanted freedom slogans on March 14 according to reports received by Voice of Tibet radio service, expressing the wishes for "Long Live the Dalai Lama", "Release all political prisoners of Tibet", "Dalai Lama must be allowed to return to Tibet" and "Independence for Tibet." They also put up prayer flags for these aspirations. Dawa Tsering, 25, Dhondhup, 24, and Lobsang Nyandak, 25, were severely beaten up and taken to a new prison in front of the People's Hospital in Kardze.

On March 11, three women protested in Kardze before their inevitable beatings and arrest. Choetso, 17, Tsetan Lhamo, 17, and Tsering Lhamo, 17, were taken to the same prison mentioned above. A lone Tibetan also made a street protest on March 12 and was immediately arrested.

A few more details of the protest in Lithang County, Kardze on March 10 (briefly mentioned in the last post) have trickled out. An unidentified monk shouted slogans at around 11 am, but when armed security forces attempted to seize him, a group of local people confronted the bullies to rescue him. The outcome of this incident is not clear.

Later in the afternoon, as earlier reported, a monk from Bathang named Lobsang Wangchuk, 29, raised freedom slogans and was beaten and arrested. Both these monks were from the Lithang Monastery. Kardze authorities are said to have ordered all shops and restaurants to remain closed.

At Rebkong, Amdo, authorities have reportedly put a ban on selling mobile SIM cards, in furtherance of their efforts to prevent the flow of information to the outside world. Massive troop deployment is evident, with witness stating that the military build-up is much greater than it was in 1958.

Two young monks shouted slogans and distributed leaflets in Kyekundo, Amdo on March 6. They evaded arrest, but two days later four other men were arrested for collecting the protest leaflets which were distributed by the monks. A search operation is underway to apprehend the agile pamphleteers.

The Telegraph passes on a report from the South China Morning Post, which says it has a reporter currently in Lhasa, claiming that police sweeps in the city have not spared "a single hotel, guesthouse or local home." The major monasteries remain sealed, roadblocks are set up throughout the city, and armed troops patrol day and night. A protest at Sera Monastery involving dozens of monks was reported to have taken place on March 9.

Locals also told the SCMP that a protest involving dozens of monks broke out on March 9 around the Sera Monastery, a day before the 50th anniversary of the Tibetan uprising that led to the Dalai Lama's flight into exile. At least half the temple is now cordoned off and two military vehicles with up to 100 armed police were deployed outside.

As part of China's new charm offensive ("the door is always open for talks"), Party mouth-organ People's Daily accused the Dalai Lama of diabolical activities involving the use of human blood, skins and skulls. They are so charming, those darn CCP propaganda cadres.

Your humble correspondent will be leaving the Big Mango tonight for Jakarta, where I'll be most of this week. Fortunately, this enables me to visit the Heaven in Exile exhibition before it ends next weekend. The opening night on March 6 looks like it was well-attended, as this short video posted by my good friend Enrico Soekarno (the driving force behind this event) attests.

I post it here in hopes that any CCP propagandists who watch this site will see that the Tibetans have many good friends in this part of the world. And of course, so that friends of Tibet will know this too.

Labels: China, Indonesia, Tibet

- posted by Agam @ 3:57 PM 0 comments

 
HEAVEN IN EXILE: TIBET EXHIBITION AND FILMFEST OPENS IN JAKARTA

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Tibet photographic exhibition and film festival opens in the Indonesian capital this Friday March 6, running until March 21.

"Heaven in Exile" features photographs by Enrico Soekarno, Jay Subyakto, Krish Suharnoko and Yori Antar.

The accompanying festival features eight documentary films which will be screened during the exhibition.

The festival is a cooperative effort of the Yayasan Atap Dunia (Roof of the World Foundation) and Galeri Foto Jurnalistik Antara (you can figure that one out), and organised by my good friend (and Tibet's good friend) Enrico Soekarno.

The two venues are located together in the lively Pasar Baru district of Jakarta, so exhibition-goers can view the artists' works, take in a film, and enjoy a bit of Jakarta night-life afterwards.





The festival programme includes some very well-acclaimed films. Here is the schedule:

Saturday, March 7 : 6:30 pm

Cry of the Snow Lion (IMDb)
[104 minutes; Directed by Tom Piozet; English]

Tuesday, March 10 (Fiftieth Tibetan National Uprising Day) : 3:00 pm

Shadow Circus: The CIA in Tibet
[50 minutes; directed by Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam; English and Tibetan]

Leaving Fear Behind
[25 minutes; directed by Dhondup Wangchen and Gyaljong Tsetrin; Tibetan with English subtitles]

Gallery Talk: "Visual Power in a Moral Struggle"
Riri Riza and Mudji Sutrisno
6:30 pm

Special Performance: Oppie Andaresta
10:00 pm

Friday, March 13 : 6:30 pm

A Stranger in My Native Land
[32 minutes; directed by Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam; English and Tibetan]

The Reincarnation of Khensur Rinpoche (IMDb)
[50 minutes; directed by Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam; English and Tibetan]

Saturday, March 14 : 6:30 pm

Free Tibet Concert
[88 minutes; directed by Sarah Pirozek; English]

Friday, March 20 : 6:30 pm

Dreaming Lhasa (IMDb)
[90 minutes; directed by Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam; English and Tibetan]

Saturday, March 21 : 6:30 pm

Wheel of Time (IMDb)
[80 minutes; directed by Werner Herzog; English, German and Tibetan]
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Labels: China, Indonesia, Tibet

- posted by Agam @ 7:15 PM 1 comments

 
RANDOM OBSERVATIONS

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few observations from my brief time this week in Jakarta.

But first, a belated Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukha, Selamat Idul Adha, Kool Kwanzaa (and any other of the season's best wishes which I may be forgetting) to all. One thing about both Indonesia and Thailand -- the vast majorities of which are Muslims and Buddhists respectively -- is that their peoples are in no way averse to recognising Christmas. Most folks here and there would find it incomprehensible that in the increasingly politically correct western societies, the very mention of the major Christian holiday by its name could be seen as exclusionary.

If one were to propose a similar marginalizing the identification of Wisakha Bucha to a Thai, or of Idul Fitri to an Indonesian because somebody of a different religion might feel "offended," they would look at you like you were nuts. Plenty of Indonesian Muslims were happily wishing me "Selamat Hari Natal" or "Merry Christmas" a few days ago, obviously happy to be expressing inclusiveness and without any hint of being excluded or offended about it. My modest little hotel in Menteng even had a twinkling Christmas tree in the lobby, and the chances are good that not even a single Christian was among the guests. The "West" could learn something here, I think.

Christmas Eve brought with it a little nervousness this year, because three of the Bali bombers were recently executed for their crimes of 2002 which killed over 200 people. Television coverage of services across the archipelago showed heavily armed security forces in place at many churches, along with bag-checks, metal detectors, etc. As important to the safety of the congregations were the locally organised Muslim civil groups who came out in a highly visible display of inter-confessional solidarity, extending goodwill to their Christian neighbours and providing an atmosphere of safety in the streets for them on Malam Natal (the night before Christmas). There were no incidents, and the holy days passed peacefully. That's the Indonesia I love.

Of course it's not all roses for Christians, and there remain problems that need resolving. On Christmas Eve afternoon I walked past the big Hotel Indonesia traffic circle, which is the place for any kind of protest or demo in recent years. A lot of people wearing white clothing and white bandanas were there that day, holding banners proclaiming that "We are legitimate Indonesian citizens too" and "Refugees in our own country." Some others were outside the circle handing out leaflets about their cause, which included photos of their current predicament. They are Christian seminary students who had been violently driven out of their facility by fundamentalist Islamist thugs on July 27 this year.

Since then they've been living in a refugee encampment elsewhere in the city. For 22 years, the seminary had co-existed in peace with their neighbours, but the intolerant political Islamist fringe were offended by their presence. City officials had promised to provide the students (who come from all over Indonesia) with a new location, but that promise has yet to be fulfilled. Christmas Eve seems like a good time to remind them that the theological seminary continues to exist in primitive conditions five months later, in a refugee camp which very much resembles the tsunami refugee camps of Aceh a few years ago.

By the way, yesterday was the fourth anniversary of that massive disaster. I still give thanks that, miraculously, my beloved Tapaktuan was spared destruction. For several weeks into 2005, I had no idea if it was even still there. I've been back several times since.

I walked on from the demo to find an ojek (motorcycle taxi) to take me back to the hotel, and as we zoomed through the Menteng district (the area where Barack Obama lived and went to school), a very sweet sound was heard. Barack has famously written, in one of his two autobiographies, that the sunset call to prayer at mosques is one of the most beautiful sounds on earth. That may be true if the reciter is talented (and if the amplification isn't pushing the capabilities of tinny speakers beyond their endurance). If he (and it is always a he, of course) isn't particulary talented, it can sound like nothing more than off-key whining.

But the sweet sound that afternoon was very different. A rich chorus of voices was pouring out of a church -- uplifting, magnificent and unencumbered due to the church's semi-open design. The sheer beauty of that sound said more to me about the promise of Indonesia than the over-amplified broadcasts from mosques five times a day. I wondered if Barack remembers hearing it too. I'm sure he must have.

The next US president is quite naturally a star in this country, where he spent a good part of his youth. Just before witnessing the seminary students' protest, I had gone into the newest and most modern bookstore in Jakarta, the just-opened Gramedia in the new Hotel Indonesia shopping centre. I noticed two hardcovers about him there, one of which was obviously being promoted with a prominent front window showing and displayed in three or four other locations throughout the large store. I had to chuckle -- it was the Jerome Corsi book, Obama Nation. Clearly the managers had not yet given it too close a look, even though the text on the back cover makes it clear that Corsi is, to put it mildly, not too enthusiastic about America's 44th president.

Finally, I spent much of those few days trying to satiate my appetite for that wonderful and varied Indonesian cuisine. I was not successful, and am presently going through withdrawal. Don't get me wrong -- I love Thai food too. But I wish I could have brought home one of those ketoprak street vendors I'm missing today. Oh, and another for crispy fried tempeh... and sate Madura, and....

Patience, Agam. You'll be back soon.
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Labels: Indonesia

- posted by Agam @ 10:06 PM 0 comments

 
JAKARTA HOLDS A CLOSED RELAY; CANBERRA PREPARES FOR AN OPEN ONE

Tibet supporters in Jakarta, before their demonstration was broken up by police. Photo: REUTERS / Beawiharta

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he Beijing Olympic torch relay passed off with a big yawn in Indonesia yesterday, as the flame was run in circles around the main sports stadium in Jakarta with the public kept well away from the festivities.

Jakarta police swooped down on a pre-event demonstration outside Bung Karno Stadium, detaining at least nine people, including one foreigner from the Netherlands who was taken to police headquarters. The other eight, including four from the Legal Aid Foundation, were released after questioning.

"These arrests show that Indonesia is afraid of China's pressure," protest organiser Tri Agus said at the scene.

He asked why police failed to act to stop recent violence against a minority Muslim sect but pounced on peaceful rights activists.

The "by invitation-only" Jakarta leg of the relay was mostly ignored by the city's 12 million inhabitants, with the run mainly witnessed by officials, Chinese nationals, and those invited by corporate sponsors. The event was not broadcast live, as no broadcaster was prepared to pay for the rights.

Artist Enrico Soekarno founded the Indonesian Roof of the World Foundation. Photo: Jakarta Post

One of the activists promoting the Tibetan cause in Indonesia is the artist Enrico Soekarno. Enrico established the Roof of the World Foundation after a visit with some of his friends to Tibet in 2003. That trip resulted in an exhibition of his work and a book. The foundation is under the leadership of Abdurrahman Wahid (affectionately known to Indonesians as "Gus Dur"), a former president of Indonesia, who himself is a good friend of the Tibetan leader.

A delegation of the Foundation (Yayasan Atap Dunia) including Enrico, visited Dharamsala in 2006. YAD's main purpose is to organise interfaith dialogues for religious harmony, for which both Dalai Lama and Gus Dur have made life-long commitments. It also aims to inform the people of Indonesia about Tibet and its culture. Enrico says he can't use words to describe his meeting with His Holiness that year.

"He was reading our introductory letter and he knew everything about President Sukarno -- and he knows the Pancasila. He is very well read. And the people in his government, the parliament -their choice of words -- they are intelligent, they are amazing. I wish my DPR (the Indonesian House of Representatives) was as smart and as caring. And they were so humble. The prime minister met us, the ministers; they opened the parliament to us. We were just a bunch of artists."

He had an art exhibition of his Tibet related works last month in Jakarta, which opened on March 10. Dalai Lama had given him a forward for the exhibition catalogue, and he says with a grin, "I was so happy. When it arrived in the post, so happy."

After the demonstrations erupted across Tibet, he contacted the Jakarta Post with this message:

"Since March 10, both inside and outside Tibet, a popular nationwide demonstration against Chinese rule has being taking place. It is high time Chinese leaders settle the issue of Tibet peacefully through the Middle Way Policy, whereby Tibetans are willing to accept and live under Chinese rule if genuine autonomy is given to them to preserve and practice their religion."

Sydney Harbour Bridge displayed laser beam messages in support of Tibet, on April 22, 2008. In this shot, the words are "China, Talk to the Dalai Lama". Photo: Jamie Williams / Reuters

Two people were arrested in Sydney for displaying a banner without a permit (on the Harbour Bridge), as her sacred little flameyness touched down today at a military airfield near Canberra. Last night, activists beamed lasers onto the iconic bridge, forming messages which read, "Don't Torch Tibet," "China, Talk to the Dalai Lama," and "Peace in Tibet." A group of Tibetans are on a 43 mile march to Canberra while on hunger strike.

Media reports said that the Chinese embassy in Canberra had hired 20 buses to ferry supporters in from Sydney and Melbourne. The torch route has been shortened to keep it out of narrow downtown streets and away from the Chinese embassy.

Canberra police commander Mike Phelan said the torch route would be "dynamic" in case of trouble.

Phelan stressed Australian police alone would handle security after Beijing Olympic Committee Spokesman Qu Yingpu hinted Chinese attendants could step in, prompting hurried denials from city officials.

Just look at that. The BOC is trying to dictate the security measures of another sovereign country, after they've been told weeks ago that the People's Liberation Army Sacred Flame Protection Unit would have no security role in Australia under any circumstances. The nerve of some people.

Hafiz Noor, down in Kuala Lumpur has put his pictures up from from Monday, showing some of those who attacked and intimidated him for holding up a banner written with "Liberty." The Nation has a good gallery of images from Bangkok on Saturday.

Nepal has expelled a mountain climber who was found with a "Free Tibet" banner inside his bags at Everest Base Camp. Good thing he went peaceably or he might have been shot! The parliament of Chile has approved a resolution calling on their Foreign Minister to "condemn the violence and repression in Tibet and request that the Government of China open direct conversations with the Dalai Lama to find a peaceful solution" to the conflict.

Two more South Koreans have withdrawn from the torch relay in Seoul, joining a civic leader who announced his boycott last month.

"The decision was unavoidable and it has been determined that the Tibetan crisis counters the spirit of the Olympics," said Choi Seung-kook, secretary-general of the major environmental group Green Korea, who dropped out of the run.

Park Won-sun, a lawyer who heads the Seoul-based civic group and think tank Hope Institute, also will not participate in the relay because of the Chinese government's crackdown in Tibet, institute official Park Eun-ju said.

The two men joined another civic leader who announced a boycott in late March citing a similar reason, according to Solidarity for Tibet Peace, a Seoul-based civic group.

Meanwhile in China, the Foreign Ministry has called for halt in 'radical' anti-France demonstrations. The two countries are trying to patch things up, even as the city of Paris honours the Tibetan spiritual leader with honorary citizenship. The Ministry spokeswoman went on to blast this "wanton action" as an "insult" - but only on the Ministry's website rather than verbally.

And here's one that I really like. The International PEN, a worldwide association of writers with 145 centres in 104 countries, which promotes freedom of expression and works for prisoners of conscience, has an "International PEN Poem Relay" going on now. The poem June, written by Chinese poet and journalist Shi Tao, is travelling around the world and being translated into as many languages as possible (now 90 and counting). It's in Philippines right now, and will be in Australia tomorrow. You can follow its progress with an interactive map on the linked page.

June

by Shi Tao

My whole life

Will never get past “June”
June, when my heart died
When my poetry died
When my lover
Died in romance’s pool of blood

June, the scorching sun burns open my skin
Revealing the true nature of my wound
June, the fish swims out of the blood-red sea
Toward another place to hibernate
June, the earth shifts, the rivers fall silent
Piled up letters unable to be delivered to the dead

Translated to English from Chinese by Chip Rolley.

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Labels: Australia, China, Indonesia, Tibet

- posted by Agam @ 4:47 PM 16 comments

 
SUHARTO'S BURIAL

Suharto greets President Clinton at the 1997 APEC Summit in Vancouver, six months before a popular uprising drove him from office.

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ndonesia's second president ruled the country for 32 years under a system he called "guided democracy." This meant that every five years, a grand "festival of democracy" (election) would be held and Suharto would be "re-elected" in a guided fashion, by margins only rivalled by Saddam Hussein's amazing "electoral victories."

After 23 days in hospital, during which period the headlines alternated daily between his health's "dramatic improvement" to "serious deterioration," he died on Sunday at 1:10 pm Jakarta time. The last bulletins prior to the announcement of his death indicated that his doctors were almost ready to discharge him, so miraculous was his recovery from multiple organ failure.

The "smiling general," as western journalists loved to call him, was rarely seen in public during the 10 years since his resignation at the height of mass rioting in his capital city (and many other cities, including Solo, which his body passed through today) in May 1998. Numerous criminal cases were put on hold in 2000, due to a decision that he was too ill to stand trial. Indonesia needs the full and true story of those 32 years to be revealed -- a process which will be much more difficult now, but no less necessary. Had justice persevered eight years ago, it would have been better for all concerned, including Suharto himself.

I captured some video from MetroTV this morning, expecting some spectacular scenes as the burial convoy passed through Solo and up to the elaborate hilltop mausoleum in Karanganyar district, known as Astana Giribangun. Even the reporter in the first scene of the video says that he was expecting "chaos and anarchy" along the way, but emotions were not on display at all (apart from Suharto's daughter in the burial service). People came out to line the roads, mostly just wanting to be part of an important event in their country's history.

The foreign media are all saying he was "buried in his hometown." Not true. His late wife was from the Solo area, while Suharto came from a village in the Yogyakarta region.

Labels: Indonesia

- posted by Agam @ 3:25 PM 0 comments

 
TSUNAMI ALERT: BENGKULU QUAKE *UPDATED*

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magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck off the southwest coast of Sumatra at 6:10 pm local time (as well as my local time in Bangkok), almost two hours ago. The epicenter is 130 km southwest of Bengkulu, a seaside city. This quake is being judged by the Indonesian geo-physics authorities as a serious tsunami threat. This department's information screen broke into MetroTV's broadcast tonight within minutes of the reported time of the quake, over-riding the Metro signal several times, just long enough to read their information shown over a map (lat/long, depth only 10 km, 159 km to Bengkulu) and including the tsunami-generating potential threat. USGS puts the location a little closer at 130 km, depth 30 km.

Now at the two hour mark, and still no reports of a wave. One of the scientists was on the phone with Metro at about + 1 hour 20 minutes. He would have expected a tsunami wave to reach the nearest coastline -- at Bengkulu City -- within 30 minutes, if it was coming that way. There is also a straight shot at Padang, and many islands in the vicinity. The geo-physics guy said that such a quake-generated wave could be moving in any direction, and can be deflected back upon itself and into a new direction. Islands to the south of the area, including Java, could be affected by a south moving wave. Northwards. a lot of big, populated islands including Nias, and the rest of the long Sumatra and Aceh coast. The warning was immediately transmitted to all the Indian Ocean countries.

People in coastal communities are fleeing to the interior, and higher ground if they can find any. Padang now reports collapsed buildings, and a nine foot tsunami, about 20 minutes after the quake. Here it is in Google Maps. Tsunami alerts are out in Malaysia, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India, and Sri Lanka. Thailand too, I would expect. Burma, as in The Great Tsunami, will keep mum on the subject.

*UPDATE* : It's now just after 9 am, there have been a number of further quakes in the same area through the night and this morning. The quake of last evening has now been pegged at 8.4 magnitude. Eleven subsequent quakes with magnitude between Richter 5 - 6 have occurred, with the mag. 6 happening at 9:40 pm. Then another big one, mag. 7.8 took place this morning at 6:50 am. The tsunami warning on that one has just been lifted in Indonesia -- there have been three tsunami warnings put out since last night. A list of the earthquakes for this region is here.

I've contacted Tapaktuan this morning (which is the first day of Ramadan, by the way), and the quake last evening was felt there but not strongly -- and no tsunami yet. At least 6 deaths are reported in Padang, some by falling buildings and some by fires caused by the quake. Bengkulu also has casualties but communication remains difficult there. All of these quakes have been located at a shallow depth, a condition which makes tsunami generation more likely. The major quake this morning is not considered an aftershock, but a separate event. Its epicenter was much closer to Padang, map is here.

Labels: Indonesia

- posted by Agam @ 9:02 PM 0 comments

 
ACEH - JAVA TRIP REPORT

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our humble correspondent has returned from yet another wonderful time in Indonesia. My apologies, for being away from the site longer than anticipated, are hereby offered to my last few remaining faithful readers.

As I wrote last month, my mission was to serve as guide to my Very Important Guest, who is in Asia during the term break from her studies in Asian Art and Archeology and using the opportunity to further her own research. In addition to all that, she is also my daughter -- of whom I am very proud.

We spent the first few days in Jakarta, arranging our onward transport to Aceh and acquiring her longer term visa (longer than the one month granted on arrival) for her summer research in Thailand. We were able to submit the application on the same day we arrived in Jakarta, and to pick up the passport two days later from the Thai embassy, enroute to Soekarno - Hatta Airport for the flight to Medan, in North Sumatra. During the three days in the Indonesian capital, my daughter (whom I'll refer to as "K" here) eagerly began practising her Indonesian language and trying all the new foods on offer. Streetside ketoprak vendors became a quick favourite.

We stayed at the only hotel I've ever used in Jakarta, where I first found accomodation 17 years ago -- Losmen Kebun Sirih. It's pretty basic, but the people there are great, the three rooftop rooms have a common patio (a nice place to get to know your neighbours), and the built in warung serves a wide variety of food. I thought the spartan but purely Indonesian environment would be a good preparation for Aceh, and in my view staying away from other foreigners always makes for a more enjoyable experience. This was proven true once again, as we made good friends with our rooftop companions, a couple of fellows from Surabaya. Long evenings of conversation with them helped K not only in picking up more of the language, but in experiencing the easy-going openness which has always impressed me about the Indonesian character.

We flew to Medan in a late afternoon, arriving just after sunset (and a spectacular view of Lake Toba from the air). I had been sms'ing my friends in Tapaktuan after picking up an Indonesian sim card for my phone in Jakarta (for about a buck and a half!), and Azirwan had arranged for his friend in Medan to meet us at the airport and take us to the place where the Toyota Kijangs depart for Tapaktuan. Azir used to drive this route and knows all the drivers (he now works for a Japanese NGO, the Association of Medical Doctors of Asia). After a short wait around the terminal office, we were on the way to Aceh and a ten-hour drive across the rugged spine of Sumatra.

The steep climbs and hairpin curves on this narrow highway begin a short distance out of Medan, and continue all the way to the west coast. It can only be compared to riding a wild rollercoaster ... for about 9 hours. Sleep is difficult, though for me that might be attributed to the excitement of returning to my beloved Tapaktuan as much as to the vertigo-inducing g-forces in the vehicle. Our driver on this trip was careful though, and had a very good taste in music, for which I was thankful. Indonesian pop is often quite good indeed.

The highway was in much better condition than it was when I made the trip last year, but the rest stops were still very welcome -- first at a bustling fruit market outside Berastagi, in the Gayo highlands, and another around mid-journey at a roadhouse / restaurant near the Aceh- North Sumatra provincial boundary. This lone outpost, cold and damp in the high rainforest, was to be the site of a strange occurrence on our return trip. When dawn finally broke, we were driving up the south Aceh coast.

Tapaktuan seen in the distance, from Mohammad Hatta's Rest Panorama. (click on images for a better view)

Before reaching Tapaktuan the road climbs once again, hugging the steep mountainsides high above the rugged coastline, punctuated by sheltered bays and perfect beaches. It was this geography, I believe, which saved this section of the coast from the catastrophic tsunami on Dec. 26, 2004. Further to the south as well as to the north, where the coastal land is relatively flat, the successive tsunami waves crashed ashore with a height well above the palm trees.

At Tapaktuan, and for at least 10 km in both directions, the mountainsides drop right into the ocean -- and it seems reasonable to assume that this geography continues beneath the water. While the massive waves were taking tens of thousands of lives (possibly as many as 200,000 in Aceh alone), the people of Tapaktuan (as near to the epicenter as devastated Meulaboh) were more concerned with the earthquake itself. They say the seawater just filled the creeks and canals briefly before receding again. They initially had no idea how bad it was elsewhere.

When we reached Bang Hamdani's place, the family was waiting (he'd already texted me two minutes before we pulled up, asking "Where are you now?"). I call him Bang (rhymes with "rung") because he's the elder brother of my late friend Uddin (who was killed by GAM almost eight years ago) even though he's younger than I. Abang is elder brother, and after all, Agam only came into existence 17 years ago. Both of Uddin's brothers are abang to me. But Dani's son Krisna, who is in his 20's, calls me Om (uncle), so go figure. I get "Pak Agam" quite a lot now too, heh heh.

Our welcome was warm and emotional, although it had only been a year and a half since I'd seen them last. They were all so happy to finally meet my daughter, who they'd been bugging me for years to bring with me. Both Dani and his wife Ade made it clear to her right from the start that she is part of the family now too. She has a home in Tapaktuan and a family there, and the connections I made with them so long ago will continue after I'm gone. This is a very wonderful thing.

For K, this would be a period of total immersion in family life, with everyone pitching in to teach her basics of Indonesian (although the local dialect is considerably different). We spent some time getting caught up on each other's news before the weary travellers caught up on a few hours of sleep, and by midday and well rested, enjoyed a succession of visitors joining the conclave on Dani's front porch. Bang Heri, Uddin's other brother (and mine), Azirwan who dropped in between driving duties for AMDA, and other old friends came to meet Agam's anak.

Air Dingin is a popular recreation spot.

Later in the afternoon we all piled into Dani's jeep for a drive up to Air Dingin (Cold Water) -- a popular recreation spot, with a waterfall pouring into a deep pool. Little Jerli, Uddin's youngest son (only two months old when his father was killed, he is being raised by Dani and Ade as their own) couldn't resist, and stripped down to his underwear to enjoy a swim. The waterfall is next to the coastal road, so a wonderful beach is right there as well.

The next morning Bang Heri came early to take me out for kopi (you should be able to guess that one). We went out to a little warung outside town next to the beach, where the coffee-drinkers play chess (Heri is a certified champion at this game). Afterwards, he pointed his motorcycle northwards and we headed up the coast for a while, then turned inland passing through small villages and following a river into the interior. There were some small housing projects recently put up to give relief to families displaced when this river recently flooded and destroyed many homes (as well as the road we were using).

As much as I was enjoying being with Heri, part of my mind was worried about K, who had still been sleeping when we left. Nobody at home spoke English (in fact Ade told me that I should be speaking only Indonesian with her so she would learn faster -- which is how it was for me way back when), and I didn't want her to feel isolated. Heri and I had been gone for hours on our kopi break, and headed back towards town.

And just as we're about to turn into the street, who's that blasting past us in the other direction? Why it's Ade on her motorcycle with K on the back, heading out for one adventure or another! I had time for a quick wave and a nod, as one does approximately every three minutes riding around this town in any case. I felt extremely gratified that on only the second morning, K is already going off for adventures without ayah, totally comfortable with people she can barely understand, and totally safe.

She had a lot of experiences like that during our time in Tapaktuan -- going with Ade and some other ladies to visit a newborn in a nearby town, going swimming with Jerli and Ade at another popular spot, Lubuk, and attending a wedding ceremony and meeting lots of new people in a more distant town, Labuan Haji. This made me very happy indeed.

Batu Hitam.

We did of course have many adventures together, and one of the best was a motorcycle trip south to Batu Hitam ("Black Stone") and beyond -- I riding with Heri and K riding with Azir. One of the most spectacular places in the area is just above and behind the town of Batu Hitam, called Tingkat Tujuh (Seven Levels) -- a seven stage waterfall, each falling into its own pool, and each pool an idyllic swimming spot. It's a long, hot climb up the little river's course, through an environment of pure, lush beauty. We four only ascended as far as the fourth stage, though other swimmers were seeking a higher experience and kept on climbing.

Tingkat Tujuh, the seven stage waterfalls.

We eventually dragged ourselves away from this little piece of heaven, back to the motorcycles and continued south along the coast. Travelling this way produces an awesome sense of exhilaration in these surroundings, and with these companions. Being enveloped by such impossible beauty makes one want to throw their arms into the air and shout with joy -- and I have a picture of K on Azir's motorcycle doing exactly that!

We rode on the broad beach at Air Pinang and stopped for a while, watching a lone net fisherman in the surf before turning back toward town, taking a rest at Hatta's Panorama (where the first picture above was taken). This is high upon a coastal prominence, with spectacular views along the coastline in both directions. The country's first vice-president, and co-declarator of independence, Mohammad Hatta, took a rest here during a visit to Aceh in 1955. A good place for some more of that fine Aceh coffee and some snacks, before going back to Batu Hitam to visit my old friend Pak Syafran.

We had made a very strong connection, Pak Syafran and I back in 1990, and I make a point of visiting him every time I return. He always tells me I haven't changed, but he's actually the one who never seems to age. We both get a little teary-eyed whenever we meet again. He was quite tickled to meet my daughter after all these years, and was coaxed into trying his English with her -- which he picked up years ago by listening to BBC shortwave. We had a good visit with he and his family, and headed home at dusk.

Tapaktuan as seen from the platform of the old Dutch light tower on Gunung Lampu.

Another of our excursions was to climb up Gunung Lampu (Mount Lamp), which towers above the rocky point that shelters Tapaktuan harbour, again with spectacular views far along the coast in both directions. At the top is an aid to navigation lamp tower next to a much older tower built in Dutch colonial days. We climb the old tower and sit on the platform, accompanied by Krisna and Agus, another friend of the family who's staying with us, from Banda Aceh. From here one has a view of the town basically "from the air." Attempts are made to create a photographic 360° panorama (K took the best series, but I haven't tried to stitch them together yet - I'll post it later when I have).

We can also see the locations of many of the remnants of local legend, the battle between Tuan (a giant man, guardian of the place) and one of a pair of nagas (dragons). Tuan defeated the naga, spilling his guts hither and yon; parts of naga innards landed on the south side of the bay, becoming Batu Merah (Red Stone), and his heart landed further away to become Batu Hitam (Black Stone). A large, barely submerged rock offshore from where we stood, was Tuan's cap, and another underwater stone feature, apparently a tall rock column breaking waves offshore, was his tongkat (staff). Far below us, in the rock formation at the rugged shore, is Tuan's tapak or footprint. He was a big guy indeed, and this is why the place is known as Tapak Tuan.

Our days were filled with such great experiences with our wonderful family and companions, a time that K will surely never forget and will hopefully draw her back again and again, as it has with me since what seems a lifetime ago. Getting to know Agus and Pak Wajir, who were both staying with us at Bang Dani's place, and working together with them on a house extension project, or having conversations together on the porch into the wee hours of the morning -- all so memorable. Pak Wajir is a fount of knowledge on Aceh's history and culture, and there is much to learn.

Is there any prettier place to pick up your dinner?

With an amazing variety of fish on the menu at home (breakfast, lunch and dinner - though Ade, originally from Yogyakarta, remembered my liking for nasi pecel - leafy greens and sprouts over rice with spicy peanut sauce - and tempe - a fermented soybean cake - and she treated us to these dishes as well), it was only a matter of time before we all went fishing. So one afternoon we filled Dani's jeep with people and headed south to Panjupian, where the fishing ponds are. Numerous little ponds nestled in a small valley behind the village and closely surrounded by verdant mountains, are stocked with fish. The ponds are fed by a mountain stream, water is continually flowing in and out of each pond producing a chorus of gurgling brooks in the soundscape. Fix your float, hook and a worm to the line, tie it to a thin branch for a rod, and away you go. Does it look like heaven? It sure felt like it. Dinner was delicious.

But even this timeless time in Tapaktuan had to eventually come to an end -- K and I had an appointment with a flight out of Medan, and research yet to be done in Central Java. As luck would have it, Azirwan also had a mission in Medan that weekend, and would travel together with us (enjoying free fare for sharing the driving duties on the trip). So the evening before our flight, we bade goodbye to our family amidst many stifled tears. I think K was surprised at how attached she had become, and it's always so difficult to leave them all. We would enjoy continued contact through sms during the remainder of our time in Indonesia, particularly from Ade who had assumed a motherly protectiveness toward K. "Where are you guys now, is K healthy and happy? Reply." They made a great connection, those two.

The long rollercoaster drive back to Medan was uneventful but for one incident at the aforementioned roadhouse / restaurant in the cold and damp high country. We reached it about 1 am for a w.c. and snack break. Azir would spell off our driver from here to Medan, and as I walked back to the Kijang, the first driver said to me, in English, "Let's go!" All passengers aboard, but I expected the fellow to take Azir's seat next to me. Where'd he go? Azir opens the driver's door, looks around, and disappears too. We wait.

We waited for eight hours. The driver had taken an empty seat in another Kijang, the better to stretch out and sleep. Our keys were still in his pocket. There was no cellphone service in this remote place. His number was hurriedly given to other drivers about to leave, that he could be contacted when they reached a cell service area. Surely he would soon realise his mistake, and return with the keys? Or hand them off to another driver coming our way? What to do but wait, and hope he came to his senses? K began visualizing the keys becoming hot in his pocket, to no avail. But it seemed reasonable that one of the other drivers would soon establish phone contact with him.

Except that this fine fellow had gone immediately to sleep, comfortably stretched out on somebody else's back seat, and with his phone turned off. By 4 or 5 am, most of the other passengers stranded with us had flagged down other vans with spare seats, and were on their way. If we didn't get underway by 11 or so, I'd have to do the same. I sat up with Azir while K slept in the car, and then I tried to sleep some until the banging of Charles Bronson mechanics attempting to dislodge the ignition assembly made that impossible. K and I retreated into the cafe for some instant noodles and coffee, when... what was that? The Kijang's windshield wipers moved a few inches. The turn signal flashed momentarily, and then the engine kicked over! Azir and his bystanding advisor had hotwired the thing, and we were mobile again at 9 am. Ayo!

About one hour down the road in Sidikalang, who do we pass going the opposite direction, but old sleepy-head himself. We stop, and he gets out of the car he'd had to hire after arriving in Medan four hours earlier and well rested, turning on his phone to discover waiting messages about what had happened. He was pretty sheepish, looking at me imploringly before blaming Azir for "not asking for the keys." The guy had taken off before anyone knew he was leaving in another car. Whatever, let's get going -- we still have plenty of time to make our flight, and for Azir to do his errands in Medan.

The positive side of this mishap though, was that we passed through the spectacular Karo (or Gayo) Highlands in daylight -- and I was actually seeing this route for the first time. K was enthusiastically taking photos through the open window as we passed many fine examples of the distinctive Karo architecture in homes, large buildings and churches. This is a predominately Christian area in Karo land, and I noticed many roadside signs offering babi panggang (roast pork).

We had plenty of time to rest at the transport office in Medan while Azir ran his errands. He and his buddy took us to the airport, and I bade farewell to my good and loyal friend. K and I would spend one more night in Jakarta at the trusty Losmen Kebun Sirih, and fly on to Yogya the next afternoon.

When we trudged up to the roof at the losmen late that evening, our previous companions from Surabaya were still there -- and it was like a long lost friends' reunion! This is Indonesia. I went out to get some take home fried rice for us, and another night of wonderful conversation followed.

The next morning was the kick-off of the Jakarta governor's election campaign, and nearby Kebun Sirih Avenue was closed to traffic for the party. K and I headed down that way to see the festivities and look for some breakfast -- delicious ketoprak (anything with spicy peanut sauce is a hit in this family). While we were sitting at the bench enjoying our food on the fringe of the crowded street, a reporter approached and asked me a few questions regarding whether we felt safe amid this big gathering of people. When he found that I speak Indonesian, he asked if he could interview me on video. Boleh saja! (of course) So apparently we were on RCTI news that day.

The flight to Yogyakarta (everyone still calls it "Jogja") is under an hour, and we had spectacular views of some of the volcanoes of Central Java peeking out above the clouds. I had the taxi drop us in Sosrowijaya, a good location near famed Malioboro Street and the railway station, and full of small guesthouses and hotels. We checked out a few places but I was not yet satisfied -- I wanted to find a place that had something of that real Yogya charm, maybe with a small garden or courtyard, and the songbirds the Javanese famously love.

We settled on a small, tidy establishment called Hotel Monica (no jokes now) on the periphery of the Sosrowijaya tourist enclave. The place had mostly foreign residents, but at least it wasn't one that turned away Indonesian guests (like many do), so we would have Indonesian neighbours as well. Our room fronted on a small, enclosed courtyard full of plants with a fish pool and fountain. This would be a pleasant place to base ourselves for excursions around Yogyakarta. We planned for a free day the next day, and arranged for transport to Borobudur and Prambanan the following day.

Borobudur, ancient three-dimensional Buddhist mandala.

Borobudur is a massive Buddhist monument constructed during the 8th century and completed early in the 9th. It remains a place of pilgrimage for Buddhists today, in addition to tourists and academic researchers. It was built on a natural rise in the broad plain between two sets of twin volcanoes -- the most perfectly symetrical of Indonesia's many volcanoes, Mt. Sundoro and Mt. Sumbing to one side, and Mt. Merbabu and Mt. Merapi on the other. Merapi is the most active volcano in the country (one of the most active in the world), and the land in this vicinity is among the most fertile.

One of the laticed stupa-enclosed Buddhas on the upper levels has been left open, to cast his gaze at Mt. Sumbing.

We arrived at the site shortly after 6 am, as the government has ceased allowing visitors a pre-dawn entry (they used to be able to watch the sunrise from the monument), due to terrorism concerns. In the mid 1980's a Muslim fundamentalist group carried out a number of bombings on the temple, damaging nine of the upper stupas. The monument seems to have weathered the May 27, 2006 earthquake which hit the Yogyakarta region, with perhaps only a few stones shaken loose. One section appeared to be undergoing a rebuild, with three stone Buddhas sitting in a row nearby, awaiting replacement into their niches.

72 laticed stupas surround the large central stupa on the three upper levels. A statue of the Buddha resides within each one.

There are more than 500 Buddha statues residing on the monument -- 72 in laticed stupas on the upper three circular levels, and 432 housed in niches above the galleries of the lower levels. These galleries contain a phenomenal amount of pictographic bas reliefs which tell the story of Buddha's life, and former lives, and depictions of karmic law, the future Buddha, and I don't know what all -- it's just so much. There are more than 2,600 bas relief panels, nearly 1,500 of which tell the narrative as one circumambulates each level. The narrative panels comprise a combined length of about 3 kilometers.

Which is the main reason why the two hours allotted (being part of an organised trip) was simply not enough time for the documentation that K wanted to do. She resolved to return another day, and to spend most of it doing her study. We picked up the pace and circled each level, enjoying the atmosphere of this ancient structure and the phenomenal vistas in every direction, right up to the top levels where the tourists were already sunbathing around the central stupa. Sheesh. Try that in a mosque, eh?

By 8:30 it was time to go down for the included breakfast at an open restaurant in the bustling market area outside the park, and meet up with our transport. After brief stops at the nearby Mendut and Pawon temples (constructed in perfect alignment with Borobudur itself, each of these were, and are still, preparatory stops for the pilgrim), we were off to the opposite side of Yogyakarta city, and the ancient Hindu monument Prambanan.

Mount Merapi dominates the countryside of Yogyakarta Special Region.

Mount Merapi was showing some modest activity during this period, and has apparently shown increased activity since we left -- the alert status for Merapi, as well as other volcanoes in West Java and Sulawesi Island, was raised on August 5. On a later excursion, we drove with a friend up the opposite side of the mountain, to within about a kilometer of the highest village on its slopes. The most recent eruption had destroyed a seismologist's bunker there, still partially visible amid the lava flow. Two men had been killed, a rescue worker and a villager who sought refuge in the bunker during a volcanic event in June last year, just a month after the Yogyakarta earthquake which killed around 6,000.

Prambanan, a Hindu temple complex dating from the 9th century.

Prambanan, located to the east of Yogyakarta on the road to Solo, is of a similar age with Borobudur and believed to have been built around 850 A.D. It is one of the largest Hindu temples in southeast Asia, comprised of eight central shrines or candis ("chandees") surrounded by more than 250 individual smaller candis. The three principle shrines form the Trisakti, dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma. Three others are dedicated to the mounts of these three gods -- Shiva's bull Nandi, Brahma's swan Angsa and Vishnu's eagle Garuda.

Prambanan didn't have an easy time of things when last year's earthquake struck. Considerable damage was done to the structures, and the central area is now fenced off to visitors. The temple is also rich in bas relief stories (though not as overwhelming in quantity as Borobudur), telling the Ramayana legend of Rama, Sita and Hanuman. The Ramayana is performed on stage with the illuminated temple as backdrop, on full moon nights during the summer.

Wayang Kulit (shadow puppet plays) with Gamelan orchestra.

There is a lot to do in Yogya besides visiting archeological sites, and a very good way to spend an evening is to take a becak ("bechak") ride down Malioboro toward the Kraton (Sultan's Palace), to a place called Sonobudoyo. Every evening at 8 pm, the Wayang Kulit show starts. This performance art has been practiced in Java (and Bali) since before the entry of Islam many centuries ago. The stories are derived from two sources -- the Ramayana and the Mahabarata. The Mahabarata stories are by far the most popular in Java, and in traditional performances (often outdoors, with throngs of people enjoying the show and abundant snack and drink vendors in attendance) they will continue throughout the night until dawn. These marathon performances will tell only a small fragment of the epic, interspersed with comedy vignettes and social commentary.

At Sonobudoyo the program is more dedicated toward introducing foreigners to the art form, and the show wraps up at a modest 10 pm. I was looking forward to once again being enveloped by that delicious gamelan music, and seeing some more of the adventures of Arjuna, Krishna, Bima and Gatokaca. But Pak Olot, who gave us an early arrival introduction to the gamelan and some of the shadow puppets, explained that the show that night (and every night) would be from Ramayana. I asked why, given how much the Javanese love their traditional Mahabarata? The tourists just complain, he said, if they don't see Hanuman (the monkey hero of Ramayana). "We tried Mahabarata for a while but the tourists just complained, so we give them Ramayana instead."

Well, they don't understand what they're missing. They've heard of one character -- Hanuman the heroic monkey -- and go away disappointed if they don't see him. They've written off the vastly more complex epic, the one most loved by the culture they're supposedly here to experience, in favour of the story whose outline can be told in about 15 minutes. Because they like the monkey, and complain when they don't get him. Typical.

The show was great in any case, and we did return for more. It's customary to watch the performance first from the dalang's (puppet master's) side of the screen until the action really gets going, and then to get up and move to the shadow side where one can observe the characters' true "inner essence." It's perfectly fine to wander around during the show, taking a close look at the gamelan players, watching the dalang do his stuff, around to the other side of the screen where the puppets seem to come alive. Or simply close your eyes for a moment, and be carried away by the waves of the gamelan and the sweet voices of the singers (seen at right in the photo above).

Musicians entertain patrons of the lesehan outdoor restaurants along Malioboro Street.

Malioboro Street at night is a treat, when many of the souvenr vendors have packed up for the day, to be replaced by open-air lesehan restaurants. Grass mats are spread over the broad sidewalk and one sits at low tables, almost Japanese style. Grilled fish, barbequed chicken, and nasi gudeg -- a Yogya specialty -- are favourites here. Solo musicians and small troupes entertain the diners for small donations, and many of them are very good. It's also common here to see people playing music outdoors just for their own enjoyment. Malioboro isn't just a strolling street, but a major hangout for just about anybody.

The Sultan's Palace, or Kraton is a fascinating place to spend a morning or afternoon. The current sultan is a thoroughly modern man, and the tenth in his line. He functions much like the governor of this special province, with many added traditional duties to perform. Hamengkubuwono X is greatly respected across Indonesia, and has been frequently speculated upon as a national leader -- a role which seems not to interest him. The people of Yogya are greatly attached to their sultan.

The horse-drawn andong is a popular transport along Malioboro Street.

And so I will wrap up this long narrative, though there are still many of our experiences left untold. Indonesia is simply an awesome county, and I have taken you here to but two places outside the capital. I always tell people I meet there -- and they normally express their pride at hearing it -- that their country is so rich in natural beauty of incredible varieties, a wealth of distinct cultures and traditions, and there is so much for a new visitor (or an old visitor, like this one) to experience. But the absolute best thing about it, whether we are in a teeming metropolis like Jakarta or some small village where they've never even seen a foreigner (and I've been in places like that), is the genuine openness and friendliness of virtually everyone. It's quite easy, in fact, when away from the congregations of tourists in particular places, to actually forget that one is a foreigner here. One simply cannot go out in the morning, and not make some new acquaintances -- if not new friends -- by lunchtime. It's just impossible.

The very last conversation I had before boarding our return flight, with the taxi driver to Yogya's airport, was along these lines. He completely agreed with me, saying that when he travels to another part of his country, even to another part of Java, he feels somewhat like a foreigner. But this common characteristic, in every part of this country, quickly makes him feel at home. The stranger as brother, what a concept. The taxi driver knew exactly what I was talking about, as he'd experienced it for himself. We talked non-stop all the way to the airfield -- another great connection made. He like many others have, thanked me for my observations and told me he was proud of his people for this quality. And rightly so.

Labels: Aceh, Indonesia

- posted by Agam @ 2:37 PM 0 comments

 
GUS DUR HOSTS RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE CONFERENCE

Hindu spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (L) and Rabbi Daniel Landes (R) with former Indonesian president Abdurrahman Wahid at the Bali conference, June 12, 2007. (Photo: Firdia Lisnawati / AP)

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n interfaith conference on religious tolerance was held earlier this week on the Indonesian island of Bali, sponsored by the Libforall Foundation and its patron, former Indonesian president Abdurrahman Wahid -- affectionately known in his country by the nickname "Gus Dur."

The one-day conference brought together figures from the world's major religions, including Hindu spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Director of the Pardes Institute of Jewish studies Rabbi Daniel Landes, a Jesuit priest and Buddhist teachers, as well as other moderate Indonesian Muslim leaders and a survivor of the Nazi holocaust in Europe. Victims of jihadi violence in Indonesia also attended.

The remarkable thing about this event, is that it took place at all. The organisers, clearly concerned about what mischief hard-line Islamist groups might get up to -- given the participation of Israelis -- were careful not to publicise the event in advance to the Indonesian media. In fact, since hearing about this event earlier in the week, I've been watching MetroTV news for any coverage at all -- there has been none. Certainly if the "Islam Defenders Front" and other like-minded groups had gotten wind of this beforehand, there would have been demonstrations aimed at denying visas to -- at the very least -- all the Jewish invitees. Only a month or two ago, Israelis had to pull out of participation in a parliamentary conference to which they had been invited, for that very reason.

The purpose of the conference was to discuss the larger issue of religious freedom and mutual acceptance, however Gus Dur applied another layer to the event's agenda by making it the "contra-Ahmadinejad, Holocaust-denial rebuttal" conference.

The Iranian president is by now famous for his Holocaust-denial shindigs in Teheran, and bigotted anti-Jewish editorial cartoon contests. Gus Dur, acknowledging that Ahmadinejad is a "friend," nevertheless firmly stated that the Iranian was absolutely wrong on this issue. Gus Dur is a longtime member of the Tel Aviv-based Shimon Peres Peace Institute (since 1984), and has been an advocate for normalising relations between Israel and Indonesia. For which he of course gets a lot of flack from some of his radical detractors in Indonesia -- a situation which leaves the nearly blind Muslim leader absolutely undeterred.

The conference heard from a survivor of Europe's Nazi genocide, Sol Teichman, who had lost 70 members of his family in the death camps during World War II. He said that it was Ahmadinejad's Holocaust-denial conference last December which made him want to "push a little harder to meet Muslim leaders." The Simon Weisenthal Center was a co-sponsor of the event.

"All too often, hatred and violence replace peace as religion is manipulated for political purposes," the conference wrote in a final statement.

It said religious leaders have a special obligation to reject such manipulation and to "mobilize their communities to not only respect, but also defend the rights of others to live and worship differently."

Earlier in the week, Indonesia refused to sign a UN Security Council statement condemning the Iranian president for making statements that encourage the destruction of Israel. The government had experienced severe criticism in parliament from Islamist-oriented politicians (and the usual thuggish street gangs) for having supported an earlier UNSC resolution against the Iranian nuclear weapons programs.

Gus Dur is a real Muslim leader who stands on truth, and has no inclination to be afraid of fanatics who use religion for political purposes. He remains a moral and spiritual leader for the great majority of Indonesian Muslims, and remains as the most respected figure in the largest Muslim social organisation in the world, the Nahdatul Ulama, with over 30 million members. You can find out more about him, including articles about him in the international press, information about the Wahid Institute, as well as his own writings (and jokes!) at GusDur.Net.

Labels: Indonesia

- posted by Agam @ 12:35 PM 0 comments

 
INDONESIAN LEGISLATOR BARRED FROM CANADA

Tamsil Linrung, Indonesian member of parliament was barred from boarding his flight to Canada.

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diplomatic flap is developing between Indonesia and Canada after legislator Tamsil Linrung was barred from boarding a Cathay Pacific flight in Jakarta last week. He was to be part of a 12-member parliamentary delegation doing research on new regulations regarding management of coastal and island territories. Mr. Linrung is apparently on a black-list for his associations with terrorists and terror groups, and he's not happy about it. As far as I can find, the Canadian press has yet to report on this -- although the Indonesian press, as well as Muslim figures in the country are raising quite a stink about it.

Although the travel ban came from the Canadian embassy in Jakarta, the MP and his supporters are finding ways to blame the US for his problems. Linrung visited the US embassy on Monday to request clarification.

Tamsil Linrung is a prominent South Sulawesi representative in the national parliament, the DPR, having been placed in the number one spot on the "party list" for Makassar by the Islamist-oriented PKS (Partai Keadilan Sejahtera, or "Prosperous Justice Party"). In earlier times he was a prominent activist in the hardline faction of HMI, the Muslim Students Organisation, national chairman of the Islamic "charity" KOMPAK, and treasurer of the (much more moderate) National Mandate Party (PAN) of Amien Rais. He left that last position not long after being arrested in the Philippines in 2002, along with two comrades, on terrorism charges. Linrung, along with Agus Dwikarna and Abdul Jamal Balfas, were caught with detonating cord, blasting caps and the explosive C4 in their luggage (Time Asia: April 1, 2002).

Agus Dwikarna was sentenced in the Philippines to 10 - 17 years but Linrung and Balfas were sent home a month after their arrests, following appeals from then-President Megawati Sukarnoputri. I am suspecting that it was her Vice President, the notorious terrorist apologist Hamza Haz who was the driving force behind springing these guys from Manila.

A big wai to the excellent Indonesia Matters for picking up on this story. Patung reports on reactions to the travel ban among the political class and national Muslim figures. A prominent foreign affairs commission member complains that "the matter was an outrageous insult and humiliation for the Indonesian parliament and the entire nation, and a violation of Tamsil’s human rights," following up with an ultimatum for the US embassy. A former Muhammadiyah leader demands firm action against Canada, while a former Islamic University rector says that it's very easy to understand the situation -- Canada is the US' largest trading partner, and therefore has to do everything the US tells it to.

More background also from Riccardo at JakChat, who notes that Linrung's release from Filipino custody (by Indonesia's intervention), came just 6 months before the country's national state of denial regarding terrorism came to an abrupt end with the massive October 2002 Bali bombings. His return was a triumphant homecoming, and he was welcomed by a "who's who" of Indonesian terror groups.

Robert Spencer made note of Linrung's entry into the Indonesian parliament under the PKS banner just two years later. Spencer quoted at length from an article in The Australian (the article has now apparently expired from their site), including reference to KOMPAK (chaired by Tamsil Linrung) and Jemaah Islamiyah.

A report released in February by the International Crisis Group, titled Jihad in Central Sulawesi, refers directly to Kompak. "From the beginning, Kompak had one foot in radical violence and one foot in the Muslim establishment," the think tank's report says.

It focuses on the Mujaheddin Kompak, a Muslim militia set up by a branch of the charity, and how it both competed and co-operated with JI in Poso. Mujaheddin Kompak was joined by former JI members impatient for action and was "leaner, meaner and quicker" than JI, the report says.

I have some of the ICG reports on jihadist networks in Indonesia. These are very well researched and contain a wealth of detail on the subject. [ICG now requires registration (free) to retrieve its older reports.] In Asia Report N°43 (11 December 2002), there is an account of Tamsil Linrung's association with Jemaah Islamiyah, the smiling hatemonger cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, and the formation of a new jihadi umbrella group.

In late 1999, Ba’asyir as head of Jemaah Islamiyah called a meeting at the International Islamic University (Universiti Islam Antarabangsa) in Malaysia to set up the International Mujahidin Association (Rabitatul Mujahidin or RM). [page 8] From footnote #36:

Present in addition to Abu Bakar Ba’asyir, according to another person who was there, were the JI inner core of Hambali, Abu Fatih, Ustadz Muklas, A. Umar, Aziz Kahar Muzakkar, Ali A.T. and Hasan Kamal; Agus Dwikarna and Tamsil Linrung; Eri Djunaidy, Lamkaruna Putra (Fauzi Hasbi’s son), and Faturrahman from Republik Islam Aceh; Tk. Idris, and his younger brother, Tgk. Muhammed from MP-GAM; a man known as Abu Huraerah from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front; Ustadz Salim Ullah, another Afghanistan veteran, from the Rohingya Solidarity Organisation [Burma - ed.]; Nik Adli and one other man from PAS, Malaysia [Islamist political party - ed.]...

Another four individuals listed by ICG's source were opposed to the use of violence. They were two from Thailand representing PULO (the "old" Pattani separatist group), one from Darul Islam of Indonesia, and another Rohingya rep from Burma. All those listed above favoured violent action. Quite the international gathering there in Malaysia (where of course, several of the planning meetings for Sept. 11 were also held around the same time period), and note the prominent guest list including Hambali and the Jemaah Islamiyah "inner core").

In Poso (central Sulawesi), the mujahideen groups were known as Laskar Jundullahs, or "Allah's Armies" (in other words, Indonesian for "Hizb Allah"). From page 20 of the same report:

The best-known of the Laskar Jundullahs was created in September 2000 as the military wing of KPPSI, the Preparatory Committee for Upholding Islamic Law, under the command of Agus Dwikarna, now detained in the Philippines as a JI member. It was originally conceived of as a religious police that would enforce Islamic law among KPPSI members. In setting up Laskar Jundullah, Dwikarna worked closely with Syawal, the JI member with close ties to the southern Philippines, and with Tamsil Linrung, the man later arrested with Dwikarna in the Philippines in March 2002.

Tamsil Linrung is believed to continue on the advisory board of KPPSI.

The ICG's Asia Report N°74 (3 February 2004) focuses on jihad in Central Sulawesi, as referenced in the article from The Australian cited above. From page 4 of the report:

From the beginning, KOMPAK had one foot in radical violence and one foot in the Muslim establishment. After Ambon exploded, it became a conduit for funding jihad activities, purchasing arms, and producing videos of Muslim victims of violence that were then used to raise funds among Muslims abroad, reportedly with the help of men with al-Qaeda connections. At the same time, its genuine assistance to Muslim victims of floods and conflict-related displacement drew the support of senior politicians such as Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra.

And from footnote #22 of that page:

KOMPAK at the national level was headed by Tamsil Linrung, a businessman from Makassar who until late 2003 was also the national treasurer of the National Mandate Party (Partai Amanat Nasional or PAN).

A little further into the report, page 11:

Laskar Jundullah was formally set up in Makassar in September 2000 as the security force of the Committee to Prepare for the Upholding of Islamic Law (Komite Persiapan Penegakkan Syariat Islam, KPPSI), under the command of Agus Dwikarna. It quickly established branches across South and Central Sulawesi and began systematically recruiting people to fight in Poso, as well as engaging in more mundane activities such as attacking sellers of alcoholic drinks. A main donor and fund-raiser was Tamsil Linrung, national head of KOMPAK.

Linrung's role in the setting up and funding of Laskar Jundullah in Makassar is discussed in an Indonesian intelligence assessment, which ICG has obtained.

If a national political party, such as the Prosperous Justice Party, sees fit to promote an individual like Tamsil Linrung into its upper echelons, and the people of south Sulawesi see fit to vote for them, that is clearly an issue for the people of Indonesia, and especially south Sulawesi. The vast majority of the good citizens have been shown repeatedly to oppose violent terrorist groups of the type Tamsil Linrung apparently supports. The issue then becomes one of information and education, and of jihadist politicians pulling wool over people's eyes. But when such people expect to travel to other countries, those countries now have an interest in the issue. If some Indonesians feel "humiliated" by the attention, they need to consider who is really causing all their embarrassment.

Labels: Indonesia

- posted by Agam @ 7:11 PM 0 comments

 
MORE TROUBLE IN POSO *UPDATED*

Indonesian anti-terror police came under fire during a security operation yesterday in Poso, Central Sulawesi. Eleven persons were killed, including one officer. Photo: MetroTV News

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the situation in the troubled Indonesian town of Poso, Central Sulawesi has been heating up in the past few weeks. The police anti-terror unit and Mobile Brigades have been making efforts to track and capture 29 individuals specified on a wanted list, focusing mainly on the Gebang Rejo district of Poso City. Two weeks ago an arrest operation was met with considerable resistance, resulting in a gunbattle which left two suspects dead and four arrested. Following the funeral of one of those killed, a mob attacked and killed a police officer.

Subsequent security operations in Gebang Rejo last week were met with a general resistance by residents, who fought police and blocked roads with rocks and trees in apparent attempts to protect fugitives still in the area. Yesterday morning security forces attempted to raid another house in the district, sparking another gunbattle which left 11 dead including one police officer, 21 wounded including 3 officers, and 18 captured suspects. The sounds of gunfire and explosions at the scene went on for several hours, witnesses said. Later in the afternoon, 6 more individuals from the wanted list surrendered themselves to police.

Police found caches of weapons at the hideout consisting of dozens of homemade bombs, 179 rifles, 1500 rounds of ammunition, stores of bomb making materials and "important documents." Poso was said to be quiet last night, without further gunfire or explosions, and schools have been closed today.

Police have said that some of this armed group had trained in Afghanistan and Mindanao terrorist camps, and that several of them are suspects in the beheadings of three young Christian girls in 2005 as well as other violent incidents going back to 1998.

Most of the preceding account has been compiled from watching reports on Metro TV yesterday and this morning, which I receive via satellite dish here in Bangkok. Earlier wire service reports here and here.

UPDATE:

A new report from AFP says that 2 additional companies from the police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) will be deployed in Poso to enforce security. Following a ceremony for the fallen police officer, the local deputy police chief also revealed that his department had requested support from the military earlier this month.

See Indonesia Matters for a more detailed account of the violence earlier this month in Poso. In summary, on January 11 police raided the home of one of those on the wanted list. As in yesterday's incident, those inside fought back with guns and home made bombs. Two people, including an Islamic teacher, Ustad ('Teacher') Rian were killed, and four suspects detained. Following the funeral for Ustad Rian, a policeman was attacked and killed.

Police later said the raid was aimed at arresting members of Jemaah Islamiyah, and named several Muslim clerics from Central Java who they claimed were teaching their followers to conduct violent jihad against the non-Muslim population in the area. One of those named was the slain Ustad Rian, and police were hunting for another four Javanese clerics. Police said those arrested in that raid had been planning to bomb a sports complex in the nearby, mainly Christian town of Tentena.

I'm very happy to see the authorities finally zeroing in on the radical clerics who are promoting this violent jihad garbage. After all, no one is more responsible for keeping the violence going, than those whose clear mission is the indoctrination of hatred toward non-Muslims. Before the fighters arrived in the early waves of Laskar Jihad ('Jihad Brigades') to this area (soon after the fall of Suharto), Muslims and Christians lived together with good relations.

As I recall, the earliest violence was ignited out of a contrived sectarian conflict arising out of a traffic accident, and before you could say "Allahu Akbar," Muslim men (mainly from Java) were signing up with the (now defunct) Laskar Jihad to go and kill Christians in Sulawesi. Christians fought back, and atrocities have been committed by both sides in the years since. Each time communal dialogue results in a tentative peace, skilled manipulators manage to puff on the embers and get the fire going again.

Back in Java -- the home base of the fugitive "Islamic teachers" in Poso (and also home to a highly refined and civilised indigenous culture which bears no resemblance to those intolerant sort of creeps), the well known radical cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir last week claimed that the United States is secretly behind all the strife which has wracked Central Sulawesi all this time. Ba'asyir, who is the "Amir" of the "Muhahideen Council of Indonesia" and is based at his pesantren (Islamic boarding school) near Solo, said the troubles between Christians and Muslims in Poso are provoked by America in order to keep Indonesia weak and divided, and dependent upon the United States.

Which, after all, he's just being consistent. His "teachings" revolve around the idea that everything wrong in the world is because of Jews and Americans, and their sinister conspiracies. He claims to believe, and promotes the idea that the 2002 Bali bombings (which killed more than 200 innocent people) was caused by an American "micro-nuclear device," rather than by the massive car-bomb constructed and detonated by a few of his students. The explosives-packed van was merely a convenient "cover" used by the diabolical Americans to mask their nuclear weapon. At a crowded bar in Kuta Beach, Bali.

By the way, if Barack Obama actually did attend a Muslim school at the age of six in Jakarta (about 40 years ago), it would be a point in his favour as far as I'm concerned. Radical Saudi Wahabist pesantren (not "madrasas") certainly do exist in Indonesia now, as evidenced by Ba'asyir's ravings. But in those days the pesantren were all run by either Nahdlatul Ulama or Muhammadiyah, both very moderate and indigenous Muslim social organisations.

Ba'asyir, if he was in the country at that time (he's originally from Yemen) would never have been permitted to teach his poison under the Suharto dictatorship. He lived for years in self-exile in Malaysia, returning only after Suharto's downfall. The indoctrination of children with his type of hatred and intolerance is a relatively recent phenomenon in Indonesia, and isn't something the young Barack Obama would have ever been fed at his school (which, as I calculate, would have been 1969 - 1971).

UPDATE: CNN sent a reporter to the Jakarta school, and Allah has the video here. It's not a radical pesantren now, and it wasn't a radical pesantren when 6 year-old Barack Obama attended in the 1960's. The segment on the school itself begins at 3:40, so start there if you'd like to skip the politics on this one. Nice school, if a bit more affluent than the average Jakarta school. I love how Wolf introduces it: "We actually conducted an exclusive, first hand investigation, inside Indonesia..."

Not a headscarf in sight, boys and girls attending classes together, including Christian, Buddhist and Confucian religion students. Meet a man who attended the school with Obama -- they even found a photograph of his teachers. The comments by the deputy headmaster and the former student are both great examples of what I love about Indonesia.

Labels: Indonesia

- posted by Agam @ 3:41 PM 0 comments