Five of the Islamic faction (ICMI) member of Indonesian ruling party Golkar rejected as Member of House Representative (MPR). The rejection give early signal of weakening power of Minister of Technology Habibie, also the ICMI Chairman. The bargaining power of Islamic faction in this country soon will show diminishing progress. Check out our coming issues.
editor's
letter
This weekly (but updated frequently with big issues) newsletter intended to provide the current issues in Indonesian political situation. The fifth edition review the Islamic role in Indonesia and continuing expose of East Timor Development. If you have interest on Indonesia, stay tuned and check out our coming editions. See our back issue on our archive.
If you encounter something interesting in Indonesia that you think is worthy of the indonesia weekly, please send email to editor.
The indonesia weekly is published informally by Center of Indonesian Political Studies.
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indonesia weekly
Fifth Edition - 13 August 1997
special coverage: east timor development
The beautiful scenery of Fatucama beach, East Timor.
rice development in east timor
The East Timor province with 14,000 sq km area progressing to fulfil region consumption of rice, the basic meal of Indonesian people. Bobonaro, one disctrict of East Timor even proclaim to be rice self-sustained and send their rice product to other district after 15 years of intensive agriculture development. The intensive rice production development was only introduced in 1982 after 450 years of painstaking and standstill Portugues occupation.
The fast growing development shown by increasing of Bobonaro's rice production in 1992 produced 21,630 tonnes on 5,388 hectare or 4 tonnes per hectare compared in 1985 which only produced 14,185 tonnes from 5,293 hectare rice field or 2.68 tonnes per hectare. Last year, it was reported that Bobonaro producing 4.5 tonnes per hectare with 6,888 hectare rice field.
witness from germany
A social worker from Bonn, Germany, Wolfgang Sphon-Haniel (36) said, Portugal is the oldest colonialist country as well as the most "stubborn" on decolonization, including its stubbornness about East Timor issue. According to him, reports in Germany about East Timor have often been negative and unfriendly.
"Therefore, it is better for us if we come ourselves to the former Portuguese colony and see with our own eyes the progress attained by residents, especially by those in remote villages," said he.
Having travelled for one week in rural East Timor, Wolfgang
testified to have received many information from religious
leaders living among the people. The religious leaders
admitted that lives of East Timor people were now better
than during Portuguese colonialism.
While in East Timor, Wolfgang was accompanied by the leader
of Franciscan Order in Indonesia, Father Aloysius Murwito.
On his arrival in East Timor (July 28), he was picked up
by Bishop of Dili Diocese, Dom Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo,
at Comoro Airport, Dili.
(Extracted from Apakabar)
graduate involvement
At least 25 university graduate of rural development start their community involvement in several village of East Timor. The graduate intended to increase the East Timor community development, that concentrated in four district: Liquisa, Aileu, Bobonaro and Dili. The graduate already equipped with the knowledge, skill, mature personality and enterpreneurship.
water supply
Like many Indonesian people, East Timorese still face difficulties to find water supply for the domestic use. Currently, East Timor water supply is declined due to continuing de-forestation and forest fire in the East Timor outback. Australian water supply development in 1992 also degraded quickly with deteriorating water debit and its quality with 40 percent water leakage. The pipe water in East Timor is affected most, and most East Timorese dig well to find clean water.
medical support
The medical support consisting medical practitioner and nurse in East Timor currently decreasing in number because they afraid of Clandestine provocation. The Fretilin movement through clandestine provoke the medical people when they visit East Timorese villager. Although with continuing clandestine provocation, 850,000 East Timorese still served by 158 medics consisting 12 specialist, 146 general practitioner, and 33 dentists.
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