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Three die in tsunami
Three people have been killed and another is missing
after an earthquake triggered a tsunami that struck eastern
Indonesia, wiping away a village on a remote island.
Separately, 10,000 villagers living close to a smoking
Indonesian volcano have been put on alert of a possible eruption
after sensors detected
increased activity in its
crater. Mount Merapi on Java could erupt within days. A New
Zealand conservation worker is missing after a volcano erupted on
the island of Raoul, 1000 kilometres north-east of Auckland.
(SMH)
Indonesia upgrades Java volcano alert status
 Residents
living near the 2,911 meter (9,606 feet) volcano were put on alert
Thursday after it emitted 180 tremors during the past week. "The
status upgrade followed a significant increase in the volcano's
activity," vulcanologist Ratdomo Purbo was quoted as saying.
Merapi, which has been rumbling intermittently over the past four
years, looms above a plain located in the southern area of Central
Java province, north of the cultural city of Yogyakarta. Indonesia
sits on the "Pacific Rim of Fire" noted for its volcanic and
seismic activity. The country has more than 100 active volcanoes.
Indonesians kidnapped on Orchard Road
-The suspects met the Indonesians outside their hotel.
There, they got into an argument. The suspect claimed that one of
Indonesians owed him money and demanded to be repaid. The victims
then called their families in Indonesia to
raise the money.
 Papua
protest leaves four dead
Protesters demanding the closure of
a huge gold mine in
Indonesia's Papua province have beaten to death three policemen
and a soldier. (BBC)
Corruption concerns stop Aceh aid
"It's basic theft. We are not giving any more details as the audit
investigation has only just begun, but it's that rather than
anything more complicated," Oxfam spokesman Brendan Cox said.
More...
U.S. blasted for pushing Jakarta for court
treaty (IHT)
One in 10 Indonesians back suicide bombings:
survey
Indonesians Arrested After Bloody Protest
Murders will not close mine, vows Yudhoyono
Blair to visit Indonesia to boost trade, investment
Villagers living close
to a smoking Indonesian volcano were put on alert Friday for a
possible eruption after sensors detected increased activity in its
crater, a volcanologist said. Mount Merapi on Java Island "could
erupt within days if the current activity continues,'' said
Subandrio, from a monitoring station overlooking the 2,968-meter
(9,737-feet) mountain.
 Three
men, three tigers dead this year in Indonesia's Sumatra
- Conflicts between humans and tigers in Indonesia's
jungle-clad West Sumatra province have left three people and three
tigers dead this year in
six separate incidents. (Reuters)
Only 13 rhinos found in Borneo, WWF says
Pop legend Richie to croon his golden
oldies in Jakarta
Three killed in Indonesian tsunami
FROM THE EDITOR:
'I am at the airport now. I enjoyed my time in Indonesia, but
well... you know.... Let's stay in touch'. It was his final
message before stepping on a plane back to Europe. For one year
he tried to live here, and in that year he even managed to set up
a business that started to do reasonably well. But he couldn't
cope. He couldn't cope with the countless irritations that he
faced day in day out. And the people so often didn't
understand him. I knew it would go wrong when he started to talk
to himself. 'I can't cope anymore. Go back. Go back
where you belong!' he was quite often overheard in the BuGils
toilets, talking to himself
in a desperate voice. He had bottles with his name on it in a
number of bars around town. On a night out he would go -not from
bar to bar- but from bottle to bottle. His first stalker was a
lady-boy. His average taxi fair from Hotel Mulia to BuGils was
Rp.100.000.- After being tired of the cheating taxi drivers, he
bought a Vespa. In one trip, on his way to BuGils, he had to bribe
the cops three times. The third time he refused to pay, so the
police took him to their office. Later, when he arrived in BuGils,
he realised his handphone was stolen. He immediately went back to
the police station to see if he maybe left it there. When the
police said they didn't find anything, he decided to file a lost
property report. These policemen must have had the laugh of their
lives.
Three nights ago he called me in the middle of the night. His
voice was desperate. 'Bart! Get me out of here! Help me!'.
I tried to calm him down but he was in panic. 'They are all around
me! Twenty of them! They are in my car, around my car and on top
of my car! They are now opening the hood!' Apparently his car had
broken down, just opposite Blok M plaza. It was not difficult to
figure out he was intoxicated and he needed immediate help. He was
about to give up as his voice kept on repeating the same sentence:
'I can't cope with it anymore... I need to go home..'. I
urged him to smile to the people around him. He mumbled something
unclear while on the back ground I heard the noise of a crowd and
cars pressing their horns.
I quickly speeded to the scene. He had not exaggerated. There
were at least 20 people in and around his car. I asked for the
senior security man of the area and an older man was pushed forward.
Now, with giving one Indonesian some responsibility, he had to live
up to his position and he managed so. The crowd backed off. Our
dazzled friend took a stack of Rp.100.000 notes out of his pocket,
immediately bringing the group around us closer again. I quickly pushed the money back
in his pocket. Once things were under control we decided to have a
drink in nearby Blok M to relax a bit. Arriving in Jalan
Falatehan, at least ten street children grabbed our poor friends'
arm. Again he took his money stack and started to hand out money. More kids came and he started to loose it again.
'Go
away! Why me!' he now started to shout. 'Hungry Mister!' was the
innocent reply. 'I
don't care anymore! I am out of here! I've had it!' He never made
it to his waiting bottle inside Topgun or the one in Everest. It
was his last night out in Indonesia.
Another colorful person has gone. It was a good guy though. But it
normally never takes long for the next one to arrive. In the
meanwhile I better go around the Blok and finish his Johnny Walker
bottles. IF, after that, somebody hears me talking to
myself, please call Yde en Aaltje Santema in Wijtgaard, Friesland
and ask them to get me out of here..
 TONIGHT
(SATURDAY) in BUGILS CAFE:
THE DALTONS from
Bandung.
The best country band
of Indonesia!
I asked for a picture of the band to promote them in
this newsletter, but their manager advised me not too. 'They
are just too ugly', he explained. We are prepared for another
fun night. Hopefully not a Johnny Cash like the Mick Jagger
lady boy we had last time... (BuGIls Daily)
More about
Indonesian Cowboys (ABC News
Online)
Jakarta
Highland Gathering
Jakarta Highland Gathering 2006
 Plans
are well under way for this year's Highland Gathering. Be a part
of this great occasion - the unique annual multi-cultural fun
day out featuring a wide range of attractions and events for all
ages from around the world and around the archipelago. The
Gathering is a great way to entertain your family, your friends
and/or your clients. In addition to the traditional pipers,
dancing, heavies, tug of war and sports competitions and the
spectacular Up-Helly-Aa finale, attractions being organised for
this year include human fussball, woodcutters, pony rides and
much more. Watch this space for more information.
 Surplus
funds are distributed to various charities in
Indonesia. Amongst other things, over the years the JHG has
assisted many orphans with their schooling - all the way to
university. Help us do more. For corporate sponsorship please
contact Hilary Munro on
hilary@munromail.net To participate in other ways or if
you want to help in organising the event please contact Bob
Park on
Robert_Park@cnooc.co.id
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ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD:
Psychics to try contacting Lennon in TV
seance
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At
Few
public relations officers would deem a ghost with a fondness for
green bathing suits as a great selling point for a beach resort,
but don't tell that to the hoteliers of Pelabuhan Ratu--one of
Jakarta's favorite getaways.
Heading
along the coast from town you will find yourself on a gorgeous, 20
odd kilometer beachside run from Pelabuhan itself to the town of
Cisolok. The road takes in long deserted beaches, paddy
fields, avenues of trees and various cheap(ish) hotels and
restaurants. About 12 km down the coast is a placid strip of sand
known as Sunset Beach, which is a good option for the
non-surfers. Here one can stay at
Wisma
Tenang, a low priced hotel that opens out onto the beach and
is run by Dutch expat Mr. Charles. Opposite Wisma Tenang is Any's
Tavern ( 
FOR
SALE
