Vietnam Interested in CN-295 aircraft Made in Indonesia

Vietnam has expressed interest in purchasing CN-295 military transport aircraft manufactured by Indonesia’s state-owned airplane company PT Dirgantara Indonesia (DI) and Spain’s Airbus Military.

Vietnamese Defense Minister Gen. Phung Quang Thanh also plans to send a delegation to study Indonesia’s aviation industry, Antara news agency reported on Monday.

Thanh recently met with Indonesian Deputy Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin in Hanoi.

Sjamsoeddin and other officials from the ministry and PT DI flew to Vietnam for a three-day visit as part of a six ASEAN country road show to promote CN-295 aircraft.

The delegation will also visit the Philippines, Brunei Darussalam, Thailand, Myanmar and Malaysia from May 22-31.

What award winning President SBY should say

It’s not every day that a world leader whose country frequently makes the news for sectarian violence wins a religious freedom award. 

But on May 30, the Appeal of Conscience Foundation in New York City will honor Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono with its World Statesman Award, given annually to an individual who supports “religious freedom and human rights throughout the world” and “promotes peace, tolerance and ethnic conflict resolution”.

In light of the deteriorating situation facing religious minorities in Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, news of the award came as a surprise. But in accepting the accolades, President Yudhoyono has an opportunity to transform an event likely to cast a harsh spotlight on Indonesia into a genuinely positive occasion.

To do that, here is the award speech Yudhoyono should give: 

“Members of the Appeal of Conscience Foundation, distinguished guests, citizens of Indonesia and citizens of the world:

“Thank you for this award. Indonesia has come a considerable way since the end of the repressive New Order policies of the late President Soeharto. Over the past 14 years the country has made great strides in becoming a stable democracy with a strong civil society and an independent media.

“But I wish to focus my remarks this evening on the issues of promoting religious freedom and tolerance and ending ethnic conflict.

“Awards such as this can serve two purposes. They can honor an individual for their past accomplishments. And they can publicly exhort, cajole and inspire an individual to future actions. 

“US President Barack Obama acknowledged this when he received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009, just months after taking office. ‘I would be remiss,’ he told the Nobel committee, ‘if I did not acknowledge the considerable controversy that your generous decision has generated. In part, this is because I am at the beginning, and not the end, of my labors on the world stage.’

“I would be similarly remiss if I did not recognize the controversy that surrounds my receiving this award. Efforts to promote the equality of all religious beliefs in Indonesia, and to stop the discrimination and violence against minority religions, cannot even be said to have begun, let alone reached an end.

“This evening I will briefly share with you the threats to religious freedom that persist today in Indonesia and, more importantly, my concrete plans to address them. In this way, I hope not only to give meaning to this award, but also set the stage to improve the lives of all Indonesians. 

“In recent years, Islamist militant groups in Indonesia have committed increasingly aggressive harassment and assaults against members and houses of worship of religious minorities, including Ahmadiyah, Christians and Shia Muslims. Many people have been killed or injured just for practicing their faith. Local authorities and police often respond slowly or not at all to this violence. And few perpetrators have been adequately punished by the courts.

“Tonight I wish to announce my government’s ‘zero tolerance’ policy regarding attacks on religious minorities. I pledge that every attack on a religious community will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. 

“Second, government officials, instead of being part of the solution to sectarian violence, have all too often been part of the problem. Local authorities have responded to acts of arson and other crimes by blaming the victims. While some national officials have spoken out in defense of religious minorities, others have made discriminatory and disparaging statements. I must admit that I stood silent as my own minister of religious affairs has called for the banning of the Ahmadiyah religious community. 

“I pledge to take immediate disciplinary or legal action against all government officials, no matter how senior, who make statements or engage in actions that promote religious discrimination or condone violence against religious minorities. 

“Lastly, Indonesian authorities enforce discriminatory laws and regulations against religious minorities, including a blasphemy law that officially recognizes only six religions. These laws have facilitated harassment and intimidation of religious minorities by officials who refuse to issue building permits for minority houses of worship and who pressure their congregations to relocate. In two cases, local officials even refused to implement Supreme Court decisions granting minority groups the right to build houses of worship.

“My government will undertake a review of existing laws, regulations, and decrees on religion to identify provisions at odds with the rights to freedom of religion and conscience. I will then work closely with parliament to revise or repeal those provisions that are contrary to the constitution or Indonesia’s international legal obligations.

“As soon as I return to Indonesia I will establish an independent national taskforce on protecting the rights of religious minorities composed of experts and influential individuals who are committed to religious freedom. And I will begin a public education campaign to promote tolerance of all religious beliefs. 

“Ending harassment and violence against religious minorities in Indonesia is an important prize still to be won. Tonight I believe we are making a start. Thank you.”

The writer is legal and policy director at Human Rights Watch.

SBY told to be more decisive in resolving intolerance cases

Presidential advisor on human rights, Albert Hasibuan, has asked President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to be more decisive with his subordinates, including regional leaders, in resolving prolonged discrimination and persecution cases against minority groups.

Albert, who recently submitted a report to the President on the management of the rising number of cases of intolerance, said that he had found that police officers, as well as regional leaders, did not intend to resolve the cases even though the President had ordered them to address the incidents.

“I’ve made a field observation and I found that the President’s orders were simply ignored. I think the President should now act more decisively otherwise such cases will continue and this is dangerous for the nation,” Albert said at his office on Monday.

Among the cases included in Albert’s observation were the hundreds of displaced Shiites in Sampang, East Java, who have been sheltering in a sports building for months following violent attacks on their village; the forced church closure and intimidation of the HKBP Filadelfia congregation in Bekasi regency despite a court ruling in favor of the congregation; the forced closure of the GKI Yasmin church by the Bogor city administration despite a Supreme Court ruling in favor of its congregation; and the recent attack at an Ahmadiyah village in Tasikmalaya, also in West Java.

“In Sampang, for example, the regent bluntly said that he did not want any Shia followers there and asked the displaced community members to leave,” said Albert, adding that the regent’s act was just like an open rejection of the President’s calls for resolution. 

Noah Bands are Parallel to the international Group Band

Noah Band is arguably one of the big bands in the country, their concert was a success everywhere and managed to siphon thousands of visitors. But if Noah had arguably the band equivalent foreign musicians?

While many may doubt it, Noah Ariel seems very confident that his band worth equated with bands from abroad. This he expressed when Noah came to Makassar and held a press conference on Saturday (27/10) and prior to a concert in the city.

"We try to make history for the music lover in Indonesia and abroad. Band Noah have said, the level of foreign bands, especially seeing the admission price is almost the same with foreign musicians, "said Ariel.

It is undeniable that the current carries the name Peterpan, Ariel cs did manage a top band in Indonesia. After the release of Ariel from prison and was renamed Noah, the band still exists as it once was. For Ariel, even this success can not be separated from the support of the fans and the number of parties that always helps Noah to work.

"We are proud of the people standing behind us and encourage us, to be up with the work and achievements of the best," said Ariel.


Sunday (28/10) yesterday, Noah just had a concert in the building Celebes Convention Center, Makassar. Although previously had marred the protests and boycotts of students, Ariel cs remains a concert and managed to anesthetize thousands Friend Noah in the

Wenda fire and Devi, Cherrybelle Not Confident Earn Awards

After ejecting two personnel namely Winda and Devi, girlsbandCherrybelle seems to be a little less confident as a nominee for'Best Girlband Ngetop' at SCTV Music Awards 2012. But the singer of hits such dilemma was still getting the hearts of his fans. The proof they won the award and beat arch-rivals, 7 Icons.
"It feels very special for us. And we had baseball confident whensomeone goes out, we fear that they chose our baseball again. But it is still selected," said Cherly when found in JITEC, Mangga Dua,North Jakarta, Friday (27/4 / 2012) evening.
Anisa added that these awards are the spirit and motivation for thepersonnel Cherrybelle or commonly greeted with Chibi. "The victorycould spur innovation in our order to be more forward again, so thatlater will be the trophy again," he explained.