TSUNAMI SURVIVORS ACCEPT FATE WITH GREAT ENDURANCE by Fardah

     Jakarta, July 19, 2006 (ANTARA) - A magnitude 8.9 earthquake and subsequent tsunami which devastated Aceh and Nias (North Sumatra) on December 26, 2004, caused almost unbearable grief and suffering among the population. Many people were kiled or went missing while survivors had to cope with injuries, or the loss of loved ones or property.
     The deadly tsunami from the Indian Ocean killed around 168,000 people in Indonesian western-most province of Aceh and Nias (North Sumatra), rendered almost one million people homeless and destroyed around 80 percent of infrastructures in the worst-hit areas. Some 130,000 people were believed still missing due to the huge waves.

CLEAN WATER FLOWS TOO SLOWLY TO THE POOR'S HOMES by Fardah Assegaf

    Jakarta, March 22, 2006  (ANTARA) - A live dialogue with Vice President Jusuf Kalla is quite a rare opportunity for most of Indonesia's 240 million population, and of course if any one gets the chance to talk to the vice president, he will use it to voice his urgent need.
     A poor fisherman in North Jakarta, in last year's TV live broadcast interactive dialogue with Kalla following the government's decision to increase the fuel oil price, did not ask for a new boat, or cash donation in compensation for the fuel price hike,  but 'just' clean water, which is not at all a problem for most rich people.

PALESTINE WILL NEVER FORGET INDONESIA'S HELP, SUPPORT: ENVOY

      Jakarta, March 13, 2006 (ANTARA) - The Palestinian people will never forget the help of Indonesia which is the staunchest supporter of the Palestinian people's struggle for a sovereign and independent state, Palestinian Ambassador to Indonesia Ribhi Y Awad. said.
        "We will never forget Indonesia. We very much appreciate Indonesia's strong commitment to helping and supporting the Palestinian people. We are sure that the Indonesian people and government will remain consistent with that until the Palestinian people obtain their political rights and establish an independent and sovereign state," Ambassador Awad told ANTARA here Monday.

Palestina Hargai Dukungan Setia Indonesia: Dubes Awad

    Jakarta, 13/3/2006 (ANTARA) - Indonesia merupakan pendukung paling setia bagi perjuangan rakyat Palestina dalam mendapatkan kembali hak-hak politik dan kemerdekaan dari penjajahan Israel, kata Dubes Palestina untuk Indonesia Ribhi Y Awad.
        "Rakyat Palestina menghargai komitmen rakyat dan Pemerintah Indonesia yang tetap menjadi pendukung paling setia terhadap perjuangan Palestina dari duluh hingga kini. Saya yakin, komitmen itu akan terus berlanjut sampai Palestina mendapatkan kedaulatannya sebagai negara merdeka," kata Dubes Awad kepada ANTARA di Jakarta, Senin.

MESTINYA KEDUBES PALESTINA DI JAKARTA TUTUP 12 TAHUN LALU

     Jakarta, 13/3/2006 - Pada suatu hari pada tahun 1993, Dubes Palestina untuk Indonesia Ribhi Y Awad menerima informasi dari pejabat PLO (Organisasi Pembebasan Palestina) pimpinan Yasser Arafat bahwa Kedubes Palestina di Jakarta akan ditutup karena PLO bangkrut.
        PLO, yang ketika itu merupakan otoritas Palestina, akan menutup 26 kedubes Palestina di negara-negara Afrika dan Asia, termasuk Indonesia, karena kesulitan keuangan.

INDONESIA INTENSIFYING FIGHT AGIANST ILLICIT DRUGS TO SAVE YOUNGER GENERATION by Fardah Assegaf

      Jakarta, Feb 28, 2006  (ANTARA News) - Eddy, a security guard, still mourns the death of his only son. His son was only 23 year-old when he died two years ago due to a narcotic overdoze.

      He could not believe that his son, a good boy from a modest family, was a drug addict given the fact that the family was not rich and certainly could not afford "the luxury" of consuming narcotics or other illicit drugs.

      Thousands of young men have wasted their lives because of illicit drugs in Indonesia. They were mostly victims of a "cruel" environment, a broken home, poverty, ignorance, curiosity, or particularly of the illegal drug mafia.