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Reflections on the Recent Religious Violence in Indonesia
On Sunday (6 February 2011), a mob attacked the home of a local leader of the minority Islamic sect Ahmadiyah in the remote area of Cikeusik in Banten province. There is terrific coverage in The...
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The Aceh Governor’s Election Heats Up **
After months of speculation the leaders of the GAM conglomerate—here defined simply as the combined leadership of KPA (Komite Peralihan Aceh, or the Aceh Transitional Committee, which lobbies on behalf...
View ArticleConfucianism Gets the Short End of the Joss Stick in Hanung Bramantyo’s “?”
In one of the opening scenes in Hanung Bramantyo’s new film “?” (“Tanda Tanya,” or “Question Mark”) we meet one of the main characters, Rika, who is busy cleaning up and organizing the shelves in her...
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Book Club: Kedai 1001 Mimpi by Valiant Budi
I stumbled upon Valiant Budi’s Twitter feed (@vabyo) thanks to a recommendation from another Indonesian writer who mentioned that his stories from Saudi Arabia were the funniest serial tweets she had...
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Krakatau Day Trip
Krakatau Islands (circa 2000) This past weekend my friends Chloe, Simon, Rob and I learned that if you’re willing to hit the road at 5am then it is possible to have a complete, unhurried, outstanding...
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Notes on ICG’s Latest Indonesia Report: “GAM vs GAM in the Aceh Elections”
ICG Report Header: "Indonesia: GAM vs GAM in the Aceh Elections" A few days ago the International Crisis Group (ICG) issued their latest Asia Briefing titled “Indonesia: GAM vs GAM in the Aceh...
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Puncak in Ruins, Part 1: Arrival Scene
“there is no document of civilization which is not at the same time a document of barbarism.” — Walter Benjamin Villa Kota Gardenia entrance sign Driving through Puncak Pass in the mountain resort...
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Puncak in Ruins, Part 3: The Year of Living Dangerously
This post is the third of five in a series. The first is: “Puncak in Ruins, Part 1: Arrival Scene” The second is: “Puncak in Ruins, Part 2: Lost Detour” Movie Poster In the middle of Peter Weir’s 1982...
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Puncak in Ruins, Part 4: Return to Villa Kota Gardenia
This post is the fourth of five in a series. The first is: “Puncak in Ruins, Part 1: Arrival Scene” The second is: “Puncak in Ruins, Part 2: Lost Detour” The third is “Puncak in Ruins, Part 3: The Year...
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Puncak in Ruins, Part 5: The AnthroLOLogist in Ruins
This post is the fifth of five in a series. The first is: “Puncak in Ruins, Part 1: Arrival Scene” The second is: “Puncak in Ruins, Part 2: Lost Detour” The third is “Puncak in Ruins, Part 3: The Year...
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