INDONESIA RECORDS HIGHEST NUMBER OF NATURAL DISASTERS IN 2016 -- by Fardah

Jakarta, Dec 31, 2016 (Antara) - Indonesia was battered by 2,342 natural disasters in 2016, the highest in the past 14 years, making it one of the most violent years in recent memory.

         According to data from the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), the number of natural disasters increased by 35 percent during 2016 from 1,732 in the previous year, with flooding, landslides and whirlwinds still dominating.

            As many as 522 people were killed, and some three million others were affected or displaced in the disasters, which also damaged at least 70 thousand houses. The nation lost tens of trillions of rupiahs due to the catastrophes.      
      Ninety-two percent of the natural disasters that hit Indonesia during the year were hydro-meteorological in nature -- floods, landslides, and whirlwinds.

           The country was stricken by 766 floods (up 52 percent from 2015), 612 landslides (up 19 percent), and 669 whirlwinds (up 15 percent).

          Flooding claimed 147 lives and affected 2.72 million people. Landslides killed 188 people, an increase from 135 in 2015.

          "Natural disasters have caused a lot of suffering, mostly among the poor," Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman of BNPB said in a statement issued on Dec 29, 2016.    
      "Surveys in several regions show that the poor people have suffered more because of the natural disasters. Imagine, those living along Bengawan Solo River have been hit by floods five times a year, and in Sampang (Madura) 15 times a year, on average," he said.

CENTRAL SULAWESI TO REVIVE TOURISM THROUGH TOUR DE CENTRAL CELEBES by Fardah

 Jakarta, Dec 29, 2016 (Antara) - Tourism in Central Sulawesi is now back in business as the provincial government has planned an international cycling and tourism event called Tour de Central Celebes (TdCC), starting next year.

       Celebes is the former name of Sulawesi, one of the four Greater Sunda Islands, and the world's eleventh-largest island, situated between Kalimantan (Borneo) and the Maluku Islands.

        Sectarian conflicts in Poso, Central Sulawesi, from the late 1990s to the early 2000s, had slowed down the tourism industry in Central Sulawesi Province.

       But now, peace has returned to the province, which was once known for its inter-faith harmony and tolerance before the conflicts were provoked.

       In March this year, the total solar eclipse phenomenon turned into a free tourism promotion event for the province. Many domestic and foreign tourists came to Sigi District, some 15 km from the Central Sulawesi capital of Palu, to watch the rare natural phenomenon.

        In addition, Central Sulawesi has a number of popular tourist destinations, including mountainous areas, lakes, beaches, and forests. The tourist attractions include Lake Poso; Lore Lindu National Park, which is filled with mysterious megaliths and has a wildlife-rich jungle; Togean National Park; the Salodik and Saluopa Waterfalls; the Morowali Nature Reserve where the Wana people of the jungle live; Talise Beach; and the white-sand Tanjung Karang Beach for divers and beach bums alike.

HOSTAGE CRISIS FINALLY ENDS WITH RELEASE OF LAST TWO INDONESIANS by Fardah

 Jakarta, Dec 27, 2016 (Antara) - The year 2016 was tainted by five hostage-taking incidents, occurring between March and July, with a total of 24 Indonesians being kidnapped for ransom by the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group hiding in the Philippine forests.

       The first incident occurred on March 26, when 10 Indonesian ship crew members were abducted in waters near the Philippines.

       They were released in May as a result of effective cooperation between the Philippine and Indonesian governments, according to President Joko Widodo (Jokowi).

        Flanked by Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi and Commander of the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) General Gatot Nurmantyo, the head of state revealed that both formal and informal approaches had been deployed to secure the release of the abducted Indonesians.  
   The latest incident occurred on July 9, when three Indonesians were abducted from a Malaysian-flagged trawler, LLD113/5/F, in the Felda Sahabat waters, Tungku, Lahad Datu, Sabah State, Malaysia.

        Most of the captives from all incidents were gradually released unharmed in September and October, except for two persons identified as Mohammad Nazer, 62, and Robin Peter, 32, taken hostage with five other crew members of the tugboat Charles on June 22, off the waters of Sulu.

SOCIAL SOLIDARITY CALLED POWERFUL TOOL FOR DEALING WITH NATIONAL PROBLEMS by Fardah

Jakarta, Dec 24, 2016 (Antara) - Having more than 1,300 ethnic groups and 400 distinct languages and dialects, are certainly challenges for the 250-million population of Indonesia, the fourth most populated nation in the world, after China, India and the US.

         Moreover, the country comprises some 17,000 islands and lies between the Ring of Fire and the Alpide Belt, resulting in the country being prone to volcano eruptions, earthquakes and subsequent tsunamis.

         The Ring of Fire is a major area in the basin of the Pacific Ocean where a large number of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur annually. With its 40,000 km horseshoe shape, it is associated with a nearly continuous series of oceanic trenches, volcanic arcs, and volcanic belts and/or plate movements. It has 452 volcanoes, including more than 75 percent of the world's active and dormant volcanoes.

         Indonesia has experienced among the world¿s deadliest natural disasters, such as the 1883 eruption of Krakatoa Volcano, and a magnitude-9.3 earthquake off Aceh waters that triggered a massive tsunami on Dec 26, 2004.

        The Indian Ocean earthquake and its resulting tsunami killed an estimated 225,000 to 230,210 people, mostly in Aceh Province and Nias Island (North Sumatra Province), as well as several other countries in Southeast and South Asian regions.

PEATLAND RESTORATION HELPS PREVENT FOREST FIRES by Fardah

Jakarta, Dec 24, 2016 (Antara) -  Set up nearly a year ago, Peatland Restoration Agency (BRG)  has wasted no time in protecting and restoring peatlands and, consequently,  preventing wildfires in Indonesian forests.   
   The destruction of peatlands and forest fires are closely linked, because clearing and draining peatlands for oil palm and pulpwood plantations are major causes of Indonesia's recurring fire and haze crises.

        Last year, haze produced by forest fires impacted the health of thousands of people in South-East Asia, particularly in Sumatra and Kalimantan Islands, and cost Indonesia's economy an estimated $16.1 billion, according to data from the World Bank.

        And this year, Indonesia remains haze free, after two decades of experiencing annual forest fires that triggered haze and chocking much of the public, Environmental Affairs and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya has confirmed.

        "For the first time, in 2016, we did not experience major forest fires, thanks to the joint hard work of many in the regions. The number of hotspots decreased by 80 to 92 percent, according to the NOAA and Terra satellite methods," the minister said on Dec 10, 2016.  
   The government has set up an integrated forest fire control team comprising, among others, military and police officers, as well as a preventive and early detection mechanisms to curb forest fires.

        Additionally, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), under Presidential Regulation No. 1 of 2016, dated January 6, 2016,  established BRG to prevent forest fires, particularly those affecting peatlands, and to restore areas destroyed by fires.

WEST NUSA TENGGARA TO BOOST YACHT TOURISM by Fardah

Jakarta, Dec 22, 2016 (Antara) - West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Province is blessed with beautiful white-sand beaches, forest-covered mountainous areas and a distinct culture. The province comprises islands of Lombok, Sumbawa and hundreds of smaller ones.   
   Located not far from Bali and scenically no less beautiful than Bali, NTB attracted 2.25 million tourists in 2012, 2.49 million in 2013, and 2.51 million in 2014.

        The NTB administration has set a target of attracting three million tourists in 2016, and is expected to generate Rp750 billion in revenue from tourism.  Besides, the province also hopes to attract 3.5 million visits by 2017 and four million by 2018. 
   The target has been incorporated into the provincial Medium Term Development Plan 2018.

        Lalu Moh Faozal, head of the NTB Tourism and Culture Office said recently that the target was determined after taking into account the number of tourists staying at hotels and those who visited the region via any entry point, be it the Lembar seaport in West Lombok, Sape seaport in Bima, Bangsal seaport in North Lombok, or the Lombok International Airport in Central Lombok district.

        "Those are the mainstays through which tourist enter West Nusa Tenggara," Faozal added.

        The number of visitors coming to the province for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) was also factored in while setting the target.

       "Currently, the number of tourists has reached 2.9 million. Before the close of the year, we are optimistic that the target of three million tourists will be achieved," he assured.