[Marinir] Indonesia Digest No: 13.06 ; 28 - 04 - '06

[Yap Hong Gie]

INDONESIA DIGEST
Indonesia's complex Issues in a Nutshell
By: Ms. Wuryastuti Sunario
Published by: TBSC-Strategic Communication
No.: 13.06 - Dated: 28 April 2006
In this issue:

MAIN FEATURE:
KARTINI DAY : FIGHTING FOR GENDER EQUALITY

NEWS AND BACKGROUND:
1.      Tourism and Transportation:
Tourism Summit 2007 to restore Image and boost Investments
Measuring Domestic Tourism to Bali

2.      Culture and the Environment:
Mt. Merapi Increases activity but refuses to Erupt
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MAIN FEATURE:

KARTINI DAY : FIGHTING FOR GENDER EQUALITY

In Indonesia, the 21st April is commemorated as Kartini Day. On this day 
each year, Indonesian women express their aspirations for recognition and 
equality between men and women. During the New Order regime under President 
Soeharto, the day was celebrated by girls wearing national and regional 
costumes. Today, however, women organizations hold parades down city's main 
streets pushing for gender equality.

Around the last quarter of the 19th century, at a time when girls born into 
the aristocracy were kept in closed confinement as was dictated by the 
patriarchal tradition on Java, Kartini already wrote these words to her 
Dutch confidante: I dream of a Javanese girl, who, holding her head high, 
will step out lightly and confidently into the world. At time of writing, 
Kartini was only a young woman of 23.

Born on 21 April 1879, Kartini was the daughter of a Javanese prince, regent 
in the regency of Rembang, Central Java. Being born and raised in the 
aristocratic ways, Kartini wrote of the lot that befell girls and women in 
those days. Living in confinement as in a golden cage, she was not allowed 
to even step out onto the front porch of her house. Most of her days were 
limited to playing and communicating with her two sisters indoors or in her 
back yard. Yet, she was lucky to have been allowed to attend primary school. 
Later, her father chose a private Dutch tutor, to teach the girls reading, 
writing, embroidery and western cooking. Through her tutor, Kartini received 
women's magazines from Holland, and newspapers, which she read most avidly.

Being kept in this golden cage and reading about women's emancipation in far 
off Europe, Kartini dreamt of Javanese girls being allowed to enjoy 
education similar to boys, but most of all, Kartini dreamt of freedom. For 
Javanese society at the time was, and still is, very patriarchal, especially 
among the aristocracy, where women's role was confined to the kitchen and to 
bearing and rearing of children.

Later, through her friendship with the wife of the Dutch Director of 
Education, JH. Abendanon, Kartini began to write articles to newspapers in 
Holland, some of which were published. But she poured out her innermost 
thoughts, dreams and suffering to Mrs. Rosa Abendanon, her confidante. 
Kartini started the first school for girls on Java, teaching some twenty 
girls to read and write in her home. Nonetheless, faithful to her Javanese 
tradition, she was married off to a neighbouring regent, - to become his 
fourth wife, - although in the position as his chief wife. At the age of 25, 
Kartini gave birth to a son, but four days later, the life of this 
remarkably intelligent and socially sensitive young woman, who had wanted so 
much to unshackle herself from the chains that bound her to age-old 
traditions, but was never able to do so - ended tragically.

Upon her death, Abendanon bound and published Kartini's collection of 
letters under the title "Door Duisternis tot  Licht" - "From Darkness into 
Light". In these letters, Kartini - then still a relatively young girl in 
her early twenties -  showed her outstanding intelligence, but above all her 
inner rebellion shone through against traditions that shackled the 
potentials of women. She had dreams that women would be free to make their 
own choices in life, and no longer follow the same fate that was forced upon 
them by tradition.

Much of Kartini's dreams for the Indonesian woman have been met and 
surpassed today, but plenty still needs to be done to allow the Indonesian 
woman to be accorded due appreciation and respect equal to men, especially 
by men - or even by women themselves.

Indonesian Women in Politics and Society Today

Today, Indonesia has had a constitutionally elected woman President in the 
person of Megawati Soekarnoputri. In past decades, women cabinet ministers 
were entrusted with the (traditionally female) portfolios of Women's Affairs 
or Social Services. In today's cabinet, however, four women serve as 
Ministers, who are entrusted by President Bambang Yudhoyono with the 
strategic portfolios of Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Trade, Ministry of 
Health and Ministry of Women Empowerment.  Four areas that belong among the 
main global concerns within the Millennium Goals. Indonesia also has women 
Members of Parliament at national, provincial and district levels. Indonesia 
now also has popularly elected women district heads, and Deputy Governors. 
There are also women film producers. The acting and singing professions are 
wide open to women. There are women judges, lawyers, scientists, bankers, to 
bus drivers, in fact, almost all fields of employment are now open to women.

In the fight against polygamy, among the most public are film and TV 
celebrities. Actress Dewi Yull was the first woman, who, when her husband 
wished to take a second wife as is a man's right under Islam, Dewi declared 
that she accepted that this was allowed in her religion, however, she could 
not live with this situation, and, therefore, she asked - and was given - a 
legal divorce. Many actresses in similar quandary have subsequently followed 
her example. This showed that women with economic capacity can make the 
choice that she considers will bring her better happiness.

But, against these positive developments, the number of cases of violence 
and abuse against wife and children seem to hit the headlines almost daily. 
In East Java, a jealous husband threw erosive chemicals in his wife's face, 
thus completely deforming her appearance. This abuse came to light when 
doctors performed a historic "face-off" operation on Lisa. Violence in the 
home is still too rife. In too many instances a wife has been beaten to 
death because of the husband's jealous rage or the wife's apparent constant 
nagging. Children are too easily abused and beaten to death because of a 
father's frustrations with his work or with his wife. But with the enactment 
of the Law on Violence in the Home, more women now dare to report their 
abusive husband to the Police, especially when it involves abuse and 
mistreatment of children.

Poverty and unsanitary environments, especially in dense urban areas, also 
bring too many cases of malnutrition, polio, paralysis and other diseases 
especially in infants.   Poverty also causes trafficking in humans, 
especially in women and children. Prostitution and child prostitution most 
often come as a result of poverty. Thus it seems that to reduce 
discrimination and exploitation of women and children, the issue of poverty 
must also be addressed.

Mme. Erna Witoelar, who is Indonesia's Special Envoy for the Millennium 
Development Goals (MDG) said that the Millennium Summit in New York agreed 
to raise the following eight issues as the world's development goals, to 
which Indonesia is also committed.

These are: (1) Eradicate extreme Poverty and Hunger; (2) Achieve Universal 
Primary Education (3) Promote gender equality and empower women. In this 
regard eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education 
preferably by 2005, and at all levels by 2015. (4) Reduce Child Mortality; 
(5) Improve Maternal Health (reduce by three quarters the maternal mortality 
rate); (6) Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; (7) Ensure 
environmental sustainability, and (8) Develop a Global Partnership for 
Development.

In Indonesia the problem lies in the disparity of development among the 
provinces, says Erna. Last year, 72 million of the population are among 
Indonesia's poor who have no access to clean water, sanitation, jobs, 
education nor health services. Even in relatively rich provinces, such as in 
Jakarta, and Riau, there are also pockets of extreme poverty.  However, 
Indonesia is confident to be able to achieve the goal in education by 2015.

Seen from this total perspective, then Indonesia and Indonesian women still 
have a hard struggle ahead. But, Kartini was there at the forefront to 
inspire and spearhead the emancipation of Indonesia's women in the fight for 
her right to gender equality.
(Sources: Metro TV, Bisnis Indonesia, Media Indonesia, UN MDG)
(Tuti Sunario)
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NEWS AND BACKGROUND:

1.                  Tourism and Transportation:

Tourism Summit 2007 to restore Image and boost Investments

The Government plans to stage the Tourism Summit 2007 in January of  2007 in 
efforts to boost Indonesia's flagging tourism image and to attract 
investments, said Coordinating Minister for Welfare, Aburizal Bakrie 
recently. Through concerted efforts, Indonesia aims to achieve the 10 
million tourism arrival mark by 2009, and double revenue from the tourism 
sector to US$ 10 billion from US$ 4.6 billion earnings the country received 
in 2005.

Over 700 international stakeholders are expected to attend the Tourism 
Summit, which will be held on the resort island of Bali. The Summit will be 
followed and enhanced by Sports events and international music concerts.

For 2007 a total budget of US$ 50 million is earmarked for activities 
coordinated by the Indonesia Promotion Board, whose duty will be to promote 
tourism and investments. This budget will be garnered from various budget 
allocations that are now scattered and with various department agencies. 
Minister Bakrie hopes that the Summit will also attract investments in 
tourism and related sectors, especially in those able to open up significant 
employment opportunities.

Measuring Bali's Air Passenger Traffic

Balidiscovery.com in its most informative Bali Update reports that in 2005 a 
total of 3,162,426 passengers arrived through Bali's Ngurah Rai airport on 
both domestic and direct international flights. Compared to 2001, when the 
number of inbound passengers totaled 2,237,189 - this represents a 41.4% 
increase in passengers handled by Bali's airport in just 5 year's time.

. Arrival figures also demonstrate the major impact the deregulation of the 
Indonesian domestic air system and the resulting increase in new budget 
carriers with special fares have had on Bali's tourism. From 2001 to 2005 
the number of domestic passengers arriving in Bali increased 111%, reaching 
1,651,245 in 2005.

. In terms of market share, domestic inbound air passengers jumped from just 
35% in 2001, to a dominant 52.2% share in 2005.

Comparing seasonality between international and domestic travel patterns, 
balidiscovery.com came to the somewhat surprising conclusion that the 
pattern of both domestic and international passenger arrivals share the same 
seasonality with matching cyclicality.

. Bali's high-season extends from July through September/October for both 
international as well as domestic tourists, re-emerging again for the last 
half of December each year.

. Bali's lowest season is from mid-January through April, although it is 
important to note that arrivals during this period by no means "bottom out", 
reports Bali Update.

This being the case, Indonesia Digest feels, therefore, that the hope to 
fill international low season arrivals to Bali with domestic tourists and 
vice versa becomes a more difficult enterprise, since both market segments 
share the same holiday times, and therefore, will compete for the same fully 
booked flights and hotel rooms. If, on the other hand, seasonality 
complement one another rather than falling together, then such pattern could 
even out tourist arrivals to Bali throughout the year.

2.      Culture and the Environment:

Mt. Merapi increases activity but refuses to Erupt

Although Mt. Merapi has emitted more energy than during its eruption in 1992 
and 2001, the volcano, standing astride the provinces of Central Java and 
Yogyakarta still has not erupted. Until 25 April, Merapi has emitted energy 
measured at 238,000 x 1,012 erg, which compares to 200,000 x 1,012 erg. 
previously. One of the most active volcanoes in the world, Merapi has still 
not erupted, caused by a mass of magma that sits on top of its crater acting 
like a stopper. Therefore, to be able to erupt, it needs even more energy. 
All indicators, however, are that the volcano will erupt soon. These 
indicators include the more than 200 quakes occurring a day, a high SO2 and 
deformations increasing daily. On its south side, for example, deformation 
has grown to 12 centimeters, while, before the alert signal deformation was 
only 3.4 cm. On Wednesday, experts say the magma dome has shifted between 
half a meter to one-and-a-half meter.

Nonetheless, an eruption of Mt. Merapi will not be as powerful as the 
Krakatau, said Head of the vulcanological office, Radomo Purbo. The eruption 
of Mt. Agung on Bali, for example is seven times more powerful than that of 
Merapi. The main problem here, however, is that Merapi is located  right 
amidst Java's most densely populated areas. Up to now, however, experts do 
not expect the city of Yogyakarta to be fatally affected by an eruption.

Meanwhile, both governments of Central Java and Yogyakarta are still making 
all efforts to persuade villagers to leave danger zones, where they live 
within a radius of 12 kilometers from the crater. Temporary evacuation 
shelters have already been built to take in the expected 30,000 villagers. 
Old people and children have been housed in these shelters for some 5 days 
now, but they are getting bored with waiting and doing nothing, despite the 
fact that they are provided with adequate meals and simple amenities.

For your comments or further inquiries, please e-mail to: 
tbsc:strategy at indo.net.id