|
Bush May Face Religious Wrath in Indonesia
Bogor Palace was a particular favorite of President Sukarno.
Ironically, this is where Indonesia's first president lived under
house arrest from 1967 to his death in 1970, after the 1965
US-backed military coup brought General Suharto to power in a
bloodbath that took the lives of between 500,000 and 3 million
Communists, leftists, atheists, teachers and bystanders, crushing
all progressive trends in Indonesia. Understandably, President
Bush prefers not to stay the night at Bogor Palace: his visit is
planned to last
just ten hours.
Indonesia Suspect Not Linked to al-Qaida
Washington Post
Indonesia fined $30,000 for failing to play in Israel
Rubies, Ceramics
1,000 Years Old for Sale: Contact Indonesia
Indonesia is putting as many as 250,000 treasures up for
auction, salvaged from a 10th-century shipwreck off the island of
Java. Rubies and sapphires, glass ornaments with Arabic
inscriptions, and ceramics from China's Five Dynasties period may
fetch as much as $40 million, the government estimates. Rarest of
all may be the first certificates of authentication to be issued
by Indonesia, which started cracking down on modern-day pirates
looting its
wreck-rich waters in 2000. (Bloomberg)
Singapore: Did you say 'bomb'?
A 65-year-old Australian man was fined $6,423 by a
Singapore court for uttering the word "bomb" on a flight to
Indonesia, The Straits Times reported on Wednesday. Riccardo
Paulin, a retiree, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to having asked a
flight attendant "Where do you keep the bomb?" on a flight
operated by Singapore regional carrier SilkAir to the Indonesian
city of Surabaya, the newspaper said. The newspaper said he made
the remark after trying to find space in the overhead lockers.
Paulin was charged under the United Nations anti-terrorism
regulations, which carry a maximum fine of S$100,000 or up to five
years in jail or both. He apologized to the court for his remark,
saying it was meant as a joke. (CNN)
FROM
THE EDITOR:
 I
had just handed him the envelope with his Idul Fitri bonus, when
he proudly showed me his gun. It was a huge and impressive gun
that the little man had dangerously stacked in his pants. I
wondered if it didn't make walking uncomfortable. Our 'intel'
security guy bowed forward while covering the gun with his shirt
again. He whispered: 'in 15 minutes I can have 60 brimobs ready
for you.' I looked around in the bar. Hans was having his beer
in the corner, making his standard jokes in Bahasa Sunda.
'Aya na-oen? Aya na-oen? What happened, what happened!?'
Risa laughed loudly, too loudly, while stamping a Capriosca with
power. A mixed couple at the other side of the bar were studying
the BuGils Bucks they'd just received. Some English teachers were
enjoying their discounted beer prices over the pool table.
"Against the wind' from Bob Seeger on the background. No, I didn't
need 60 Brimobs right now. Maybe another time. 'KITA SIAP!'
(we are ready) the security man jumped up in military style. He
now showed me his identity card and I in return I gave him the
idea that I was impressed. I slowly returned his ID cards with
both my hands. He was a proud man. When he finally decided to
leave, I asked him to be careful on the steps; that gun was not a
toy and fully loaded. A final salute and he jumped out of BuGils.
Not sure if the area is safer with or without him...
One week later, I was sitting at the BuGils terrace on a Sunday
afternoon, I suddenly heard the rattling sound of metal
chain and a bit later a steady hammering of metal on metal. An
Indonesian sweating heavily while trying to break a lock with a
hammer. They tried to unchain the scaffolds of Rico that he had
stored next to the BuGils premises! Before I could ask anything, a
guy explained: 'Kontrak finished. Kontrak mister Rico habis dan
kunci hilang (and we lost the key).' I now recognized
Sugeng, one of Rico's workers. Two small trucks were standing
ready around the corner to upload the materials. I tried to call
Rico to check but he was still in Spain.
I decided to make some pictures. I just had the feeling
something was not correct. Even a policeman was helping to lift
stuff on the truck.
 The
next day I received a call from Rico, who had just returned
from Spain a few hours earlier. He wondered if I knew where his
equipment was. Not only were his goods in Taman Ria gone, his
house had been emptied as well. His servant told him she had been
hypnotized by Sugeng.
I called the gun weary security man of Taman Ria. 'KITA SIAP!'
he shouted through the telephone. 'We will investigate this. We
will find him, we will punish him and get the stuff back! HABIS
DIA! (he is finished)" But a few days later nothing had
happened. Rico had already paid an extra 'deposit' (to buy
bullets), but still no results. Rico went to the police. Going to
the police means you end up paying anyway. Result or no result.
Now the management of Taman Ria started to get worried, so they
called for a meeting. Under the worried looks from the
BuGils staff we grouped together: our intel man with assistant,
the management from Taman Ria, a TNI guy, two police men, Rico and
myself.
The Intel man stood firm. He said it was a
matter of time before they would catch the leader of the gang.
They were already posting in front of the 80 year old mother of
the thief. "If he comes we will catch him, we will .. we will.."
He was almost hyperventilating. The Taman Ria management
interrupted him. They showed a falsified letter that was used as
permission to ship the goods out of the complex. They also
introduced us to the policeman that I had captured on photo while
helping the thieves. His excuse was that he saw me talking to the
culprits, so he taught it was all right. So now the blame was on
me. Why did I not stop them? Why was I shaking hands with them?
The intel man stepped in my direction with his eyeballs turning
wild, his hands slowly lifting to his hips. I was sure he had his
huge gun below his - and this was funny - BuGils shirt
he was wearing. Where the hell did he get that T-shirt from!?
Stolen? It didn't matter. It was now all my fault. Rico tried to
support me, but for them it was clear. Bartele was the reason that
Rico's goods were stolen.
 Now
a few weeks later Rico still does not have his goods back. When he
calls the Intel man, he says he is on top of it with his army of
60. But he needs more money to cover for the costs. Also the
police needs just a bit more money to enable them to catch the
thieves. They already caught the helpers of Sugeng. They had all
been hypnotized by Sugeng and they were all afraid of Sugeng's
super natural powers. A valid alibi.
On the picture: A hypnotised policeman and on
the back ground psychic Sugeng sitting on a bench
Aya na-oen? Aya na-oen?
I wondered. Human right activist Munir was poisoned by
nobody. A cashier in Hilton was shot through the head because he
refused a credit card that didn't work. Killing a supreme judge
was not that wrong. Is everybody
hypnotized...!?
Bartele
====================================================================
A short newsletter today. Maybe a special edition on Friday.
On Thursday WINE & CIGAR TASTING
in the ONE TREE BAR. For
more info, contact Erlin at 081318736478
|
