About Justice

" Justice has been done! "  That's what U.S President Barack Obama told reporters after he announced that the world terrorist leader Osama Bin Laden has been killed by U.S naval Seals in Pakistan last Monday.

By saying those words, he made it sound as if the killing was legitimate based on the verdict of the court of law, while actually it was based on executive order to avenge the death of thousands of U.S citizens killed by the suicide bombings of the World Trade Center, New York, on 11 September 2001, allegedly instructed by Osama.

The above words reminds me of the lyrics of a song of one of my most favorite rock band YES i.e. Hold On, as follows : 

Justice to the left of you 

Justice to the right

Speak when you are spoken to

Don't pretend you're right

Life is not for living

It's for fighting and for war

No matter what the truth is

Hold on to what is yours

Jigsaw puzzle traitors

Set to spill the beans

Constitution screw up

Shattering the dreams

Blood flow in the dessert

Dark citadels burning too

Watch! Look over your shoulder

This one is strictly for you

Hold on, hold on

 More lyrics ....

During his recent visit to Jakarta, U.S President Barack Obama has properly pronounced several sentences in the Indonesian language, and also mentioned the Indonesian basic principle of Bhineka Tunggal Ika i.e. Unity in Diversity. .

This makes me wonder whether Putri (Miss) Indonesia 2010 Nadine Alexandra Dewi, born in England in 1991, came to Indonesia three years ago, cannot speak Indonesian language properly, is the right person to represent Indonesia in the Miss Universe Beauty Contest 2010. 

In order to find out the answer, I have read the following article on the blog Finally Woken authored by Anita, an Indonesian lady married to a Scottish gentlemen, now living in Perth, Australia. Happy Reading!

What Makes You An Indonesian?

Indonesia — By Finally Woken on September 1, 2009 12:00 am 

Somebody posted intriguing threads on twitter on the other day. I wasn’t sure what subject that triggered her posting, but she was ranting about Indonesians living overseas who pretend to know more about Indonesia [compares to those who are inside the country], who only like to criticize but do not help. She surprised me when she then said these people should stop being self-righteous, and should do something real to help Indonesia. If they think that the country is beyond help, these people should just stop being Indonesians.

Her threads about being Indonesian – or stop being one, for that matter – got me thinking: what actually does make you an Indonesian?

It is the same question asked to me by a researcher from Glasgow University a couple of weeks a go. The research is looking into the nationality and immigration aspects in Scotland, but half of the questions were about me being an Indonesian. Her questions have opened up my eyes on issues I have never thought about before.

So, what does make you an Indonesian? Is it by birth, by ancestry, or by domicile? Do you have to have all three aspects to be a true Indonesian?

I was born in Indonesia, my parents are Indonesian, I have spent most of my life in Indonesia, but have been away from the country since a couple of years a go. Does it make me an Indonesian, still?

How about my friend Rose*, who was born in Indonesia from Indonesian parents, has spent most of her life in Indonesia but since she is married to a British, she has been living overseas for a couple of years and is holding another country’s passport. Is she not Indonesian anymore? No? Then what is she, British? Do you think British people will call her British?

Read More ..

The Controversial Handshake

A photo (courtesy of The Jakarta Globe) showing the Minister of Information and Communication Tifatul Sembiring (middle) reaching out to shake the hand of Michelle Obama (right) during U.S President Barack Obama's recent visit to Jakarta.

Obama's Mesmerizing Visit

"Bakso, Nasi goreng, Kerupuk, Emping, Semuanya Enak" these are Indonesian words which in English means "Fried rice, Meatball, Crackers, they are delicious"

Those words were mentioned by U.S President Barack Obama when he spoke at a dinner banquet hosted by President Susilo Bambang Yudoyono in Jakarta, yesterday evening.

For me and million other Indonesians who watched the event on TV, those words, and other words uttered by Obama when he visited the Istiqlal Mosque and the University of Indonesia the next morning, implied that Obama has a good memory about his childhood days in Jakarta from 1967 until 1971.

This perception has made me and other Indonesians understand and accept the Indonesia-U.S.A Partnership Agreement signed earlier by both presidents, and also the granting of Indonesia's Highest Civilian Award to the late mother of Obama i.e. Anne Dunham.

Obama's 18 hours visit to Jakarta has also made surprising changes to two Indonesian public figures, i.e former president Megawati finally show up at the State Palace after her six years of refusal, and Minister of Information and Communication Tifatul Sembiring shook hands with a lady, U.S First Lady Michelle Obama, something that he did never before.

For me, what Obama said and done during his 18 hours visit show that he is friendly toward Indonesia and the Indonesian people, something that cannot be matched by any other foreign leaders. And this is very good for Indonesia, because Obama is the President of the most powerful country on earth today.

I therefore hope that our leaders would be able to use this very good opportunity for the best interest of Indonesia.

Sources :
-  How Obama Charmed Indonesia in Just 18 Hours (The Jakarta Globe)
-  Bakso, nasi goreng ... semuanya enak (The Jakarta Post)
-  Tifatul Sembiring, Michelle Obama, and A Raging Online Debate (Kompas)

Photo : Courtesy of The Jakarta Post.

Is Obama too Scared to come to Indonesia?

Earlier today, TV stations reported that U.S President Barack Obama has once again postponed his trip to Indonesia which has been scheduled on 14 June.

Please find below a news report about this matter that I have quoted from Kompas .

Considering that no clear reason has been mentioned for this postponement, I wonder whether Obama is afraid to come because of the current wide spread protests in Indonesia against the Israeli deadly attack on a humanitarian ship.heading for the Gaza Strip - Palestine.  

Is Obama Too Afraid of being in Indonesia This Month?

Jumat, 4 Juni 2010 | 16:49 WIB

 

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - News on the postponement of US President Barack Obama’s upcoming visit to Indonesia from June to November 2010 was no surprise to some Indonesians. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told Reuters in an email that Obama postponed the trip again in order to deal with the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and other important issues.

    
In Jakarta, presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal confirmed  the postponement, saying "President Yudhoyono and his US counterpart agreed to set right date for the visit either in November or before that."  Patti Djalal said , adding the two presidents spoke about it on the phone  on Friday morning.
      
It was the second time in a little more than two months that Obama canceled a trip to Indonesia and Australia. He previously was due to have come to Jakarta in March but later decided  to stay at home to give a final push to his healthcare overhaul plan in Congress. He  later rescheduled his trip for mid-June but he had again informed Jakarta he could not make it.
    
Although it was not mentioned by the White House spokesman, some political observers had earlier predicted that besides the oil spill disaster, the shootings by Israeli military of  humanitarian activists aboard the Freedom Flotialla’s MV Mari Marmara last May 31, would  add pressure on Obama if he continued his plan to visit  Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim majority country, this month,
    
Since the Israeli attack on the Gaza-bound humanitarian aid-carrying ship where 19 activists were killed and tens of others were wounded including two Indonesians,  demonstrations have been staged in Indonesia’s capital city  and regions daily, to condemn  not only the Zionist country, but also Uncle Sam as the Jewish state’s closest ally and protector, for doing nothing to stop the violence.  One day after the Israeli assault  in international waters, some 1,000 Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) members staged a rally outside the US embassy in Jakarta, on June 1, to condemn Israel’s attack and reject US President Barack Obama’s planned visit to Indonesia. 

The protesters unfurled a number of banners which among others read "Wipe Out Israel," "Reject Obama," and "Send Troops to Palestine,".  HTI orator Salman Al Farisi said Obama was Israel’s ally and therefore, he did not deserve to visit Indonesia, a staunch supporter of Palestinians’ struggle for an independent state.  He also called on the Indonesian government not to be cheated by  various policies issued by the superpower country.
   
In a rally held in Makassar, South Sulawesi, Friday, the local HTI members also voiced their objection to the visit of President Obama for letting human right violations by Israel go unpunished. House of Representatives (DPR) Commission I member I Al Muzzammil Yusuf Muzamil who is also coordinator of the Indonesian Parliamentary Caucus for Palestine said in Jakarta, last Monday that  the Freedom Flotilla’s incident was also a test case for US President Barack Obama.

Obama’s efforts to reach out to the Islamic world could be  considered to have failed if his government did not defend humanitarian and human rights after Israel’s arrogant attack. Another legislator believed that the Indonesian government should urge the United Nations to lobby the United States to end the Israeli blockade of Gaza.


"The United Nations must lobby the United States to end the blockade of Gaza by Israel and Egypt for dispatching of humanitarian aid such as food and medicines," Chairman of the Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Body (BKSAP) of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) Hidayat Nur Wahid said in a rally participated in by thousands of members of the Prosperous and Justice Party (PKS) in Jakarta, Thursday (June 3).

If the UN fails to lobby the US, the international body should be dissolved, he said. Indeed, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had earlier intended  to take up the Israeli attack on the Freedom Flotilla early at his meeting with President Barack Obama in Jakarta later this month.

Presidential spokesman for international affairs Dino Patti Djalal said at a press conference at the presidential office in Jakarta on Tuesday (June 1), President Yudhoyono wished to raise the issue in the meeting with  US President Obama because he was very concerned about  the prospects of the peace process in the Middle East which was now  being revived through the proximity talks involving western countries.
 
"The problem will be one of the issues to be discussed by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and President Obama," he said.
 
Dino said the Israeli attack on the convoy of ships bringing humanitarian aid supplies to Gaza with activists from 50 countries on board would be a factual issue for discussion with President Obama because in a meeting with Palestine’s President Mahmoud Abbas in Jakarta last week President Yudhoyono had discussed the US position in the peace process to be undertaken.

Planned talks in Indonesia between Yudhoyono and Obama have to wait until November (God Willing!),  but for sure, for those opposing  the occupation of Palestine by the Zionists, Obama, as the head of state of the United States of America, which has been giving strong financial and political supports to Israel, is unavoidably  also responsible for human rights violations committed by the Jewish country.

Indonesia & Obama

U.S President Barack Obama, spent four years of his childhood, 1967-1971, living with his American mother and Indonesian step father in Jakarta, Indonesia.

This fact has made many Indonesians become over confident that Obama will be a very good friend of Indonesia.

From some of his speeches and books, Obama implied that he would be friendlier toward Indonesia than other US presidents. Because he realized that Indonesia is the world's largest Moslem country and third largest democracy, with a steady economic growth.  Moreover, our government adopted a constant friendly policy toward the US and its allies, and made very serious and successful efforts to eliminate terrorists.

However, I doubt that Obama will be our very good friend, because as a U.S President he has lots of things to think about and take care of in his own country. He also has to prioritize U.S allies like Great Britain, Germany, Japan, Australia, etc.

Besides, our country's non-align foreign policy, and existence few but vocal radicals who protested Obama's plan to visit Indonesia next June, would prevent Obama from becoming our very good friend.

In this era of globalization, Indonesia needs supports from other countries to develop successfully. Therefore I hope that our people, especially the government and the parliament, would maintain a positive attitude toward Obama. In the sense that we treat him like any other presidents of other friendly countries, but do not be overconfident that he will a very good friend.

Removal of Obama Statue

After more than 56,000 people in Facebook objected the placement of a statue of young Barack Obama,  Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo finally agreed to remove said statue from its present location at Menteng Park to Obama's former elementary school not far away at Jalan Besuki.                                                     

I hope that in the future the government would be extra careful whenever it wants to give honor to foreigners especially if he/she never made significant contribution for Indonesia.  

Please find below an article that I have quoted from The Jakarta Globe.

The Obama statue will be relocated from Menteng Park to the US president's former elementary school. (JG Photo/ Afriadi Hikmal)

Jakarta Obama Statue to Make A Move After Fauzi Bows   
                                                        
Bowing to public protests, Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo on Friday said a statue of Barack Obama as a child would be relocated from Menteng Park to a nearby elementary school where the American president once studied.

The almost life-size statue of the young Obama was unveiled in Central Jakarta in December, but immediately drew criticism from people who said there were more appropriate national figures to be celebrated in bronze.

A Facebook group, which has attracted tens of thousands of members, has been demanding the statue’s removal.

“I approve the people’s initiative to move the statue,” Fauzi said, adding that the city would relocate the statue as soon as possible to the school on Jalan Besuki in Menteng.

Obama, who spent four years in Jakarta as a child with his mother and Indonesian stepfather, is expected to visit his old school during his trip to the country next month.

“It will be ready,” Fauzi said of the school and the statue.

The work of sculptor Edi Chaniago, the statue depicts a 10-year-old Obama smiling and holding a butterfly in his outstretched hand. Obama went to the Besuki public elementary school in Menteng before he returned to the United States in 1971.

Jakarta-based US businessman Ron Mullers, chairman of the nonprofit Friends of Obama Foundation, which had the statue built at a cost of Rp 100 million ($10,700), told the Jakarta Globe that he was not upset by the decision.

“If the city administration said so, then we are up for it. They were the ones who approved the location in the first place,” he said.

The Facebook group Turunkan Patung Barack Obama di Taman Menteng (Take Down the Barack Obama Statue in Menteng Park), which currently has 56,541 members, filed a legal action against the city administration on Jan. 22 after they received no response to their request for a formal hearing with the governor and the City Council.

Abdul Hadi Lubis, the group’s legal counsel, told the Globe that the group wanted action more than words.

“We will follow through with the lawsuit because it has been filed,” Abdul said, adding that the group may yet decide to withdraw the suit once the statue had actually been relocated.

Heru Nugroho, the founder of the Facebook campaign to remove the statue, praised the decision, according to The Associated Press.

“It’s good — a little too late,” he said. “But I appreciate it.”

Do we need a Statue of Obama ?

On Thursday, 10 December, a 1.1 meter bronze statue of young U.S President Barack Obama was unveiled at a park in Menteng, part of Central Jakarta where Obama lived from 1967 until 1971.

The bronze statue cost about $10,000 and was paid for by eight Indonesian patrons, a private television station and a charity that helps the urban poor.

According to the Mayor of Central Jakarta, Sylvana Murni, the statue was erected in the hope that Indonesian children would be inspired by the idea that a little child from Menteng could grow up to become the U.S president.
While Ron Mullers, the chairman of the Friends of Obama Foundation, said that the unveiling of the statue was not a political event but purely inspirational. That is why the statue is not of Obama as a president, but as a child instead.

For further details, please click here, here and here.

I wonder whether we really need the statue of young Obama at this moment, considering that he has not done anything for Indonesia. He does not even bother to stop in Indonesia when he visited Asia recently.

Photo: Courtesy of The Jakarta Globe

Barack Obama & Indonesia

After the Cold War between Communist and Free countries ended in the late ‘80s, the Soviet Union has split into several independent countries, and the United States of America becomes the most powerful country on earth. As a result, the U.S President became the most powerful man on earth and people would pay attention to what he say.
(Photo: Courtesy of UPI)

That’s what happened when U.S President Barack Obama delivered a speech at the Cairo University in Egypt, last Thursday. Obama was quoted by The Jakarta Post as saying that Indonesia as the world’s largest Moslem country is a good example of religious tolerance which he saw first hand as a child in Indonesia, where Christians worshipped freely in an overwhelmingly Moslem country. He also highlighted Indonesia's successful promotion of gender equality, whereby its Moslem majority has elected a woman to lead.

According to Radio Australia, Obama’s speech drew mixed responses in Indonesia, i.e a country that has confidently emerged from its own struggles with authoritarianism, and to a lesser extent, extremism. Many people felt that his message was directed more towards the Arab world than Indonesia.

Further, U.P.I quoted some analysts as saying that Indonesia may be a key to help President Obama reach his goal of a new start with the Muslim world.

President Obama's above speech, as well as the previous speech of US Secretary State Hillary Clinton, show that the US government consider relationship with Indonesia as very important. I hope that this good sign would inspire our government & people to work much harder and make better efforts to develop our country.

A friendlier U.S.A

A great PR strategy! That’s what I thought this morning when RCTI shows U.S Secretary of State Hillary Clinton chatting with beautiful Actress Luna Maya & other Indonesian artists during her 2 days visit to Jakarta.

I am neither pro nor anti Hillary Clinton, or any other Americans, but seeing Mme. Clinton talked about non political matters e.g that she is a big fan of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, has brought me a feeling of sympathy for her and her country.

Actually that’s the second time that I got such feeling, the first one was several weeks ago, when our TVs show U.S President Barack Obama uttered some Indonesian words and explained that he lived 4 years in the ‘ugly’ part of Menteng, elite area in Jakarta, which he described as “Menteng below”. For me and many Indonesian citizens those words reflect Mr Obama’s humility. Because many citizens of Jakarta would be shy to admit living in a non luxurious part of town. Although I, like many Indonesians, was happy when Mr Obama was elected as president, but I never thought that Indonesia still mean something to him, considering that when he lived 4 years in Jakarta he was still very young.

The above incidents have brought a new hope for me and other Indonesians that the U.S.A would not only be friendlier with our country, but also help solve pending legal cases, e.g the murder of Munir (OkeZone). At a time when we are facing a global crisis, such hope is very important for us.

Pic: Seputar Indonesia