Are You There God? Kids Share Their Beliefs

Jakarta Globe, AdeMardiyati, August 02, 2011

Putu Ambalita Pitaloka Arsana, 5, is a Hindu who says she prays
everyday in the hopes that God will give her a baby brother. (JG Photo)

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With thestart of the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims across the country are fasting,praying and reflecting on their spiritual lives. The Jakarta Globe talked tofive youngsters to learn more about the next generation’s religious views andwhat God means to them.

Frompraying for a little brother to praying in different places of worship, thesechildren open up about their personal beliefs. Coming from different religiousbackgrounds, their views offer an interesting glimpse into our diversemultifaith society.

Abdul RafiRamadhan, 10, 4th grader

I am Muslimand I believe in God. I don’t know what or who God is but I believe. From whatI learned in pengajian (Koranic studies), God created the earth and the sky,the whole universe.

My teachersaid that God is invisible and does not come in a form or shape.

I went topengajian from 2007 to 2010. It was my mother who told me to learn how to readand study the Koran outside of school so that I would do well in the subject[at school].

My fatherdoesn’t work. My mother earns money by working at people’s homes washing theirclothes to pay for my school and the pengajian. I work in the evening sellingcelengan [piggy banks] here in Menteng with other kids. I have a littlebrother.

I enjoyedmy activities at the pengajian because I made a lot of friends there. Anotherreason is because I want to go to heaven. My teacher taught us about heaven andhell, and he said that you have to pray five times a day and read the Koran,otherwise you will go to hell. But I haven’t prayed lately because I don’t havea sarong to wear.

I also havenon-Muslim friends. You can tell which of my friends are not Muslims from theirnails. They usually paint their nails black.

PutuAmbalita Pitaloka Arsana, 5, 1st grader

I am Hindu.I believe in God because God is nice. God is nice because I know he can give mea baby brother.

Every day Ipray to God at the prayer place upstairs in our home. I have to take the stairsto go there. I don’t know what I say in my prayers but I just say what I want.

I havefriends who are not Hindu. They are Muslim and Catholic. I think people have topray to let God know that we are talking to God.

I also makea wish before I go to sleep. I usually make a wish for my father, my mother andfor the baby brother that I really want to have. I don’t have any other wishwhen I pray. I just want to have a baby brother.

ArifYunando, 14, 2nd year junior high

If you askme what my religion is, I don’t know. My father is Buddhist, my mother isCatholic and I go to a Christian school where I only learn about Christianity.

My parentsnever taught me about religion because they think it is enough that I studyabout one religion at school. But maybe if I had to choose one, I would chooseto become a Christian because that is what I have learned about so far.

I may nothave a religion but I believe that God exists. It is all said in the Bible. Igo to church by myself, but I also go to temple a lot. I pray when I am in bothplaces and what I say in my prayers is pretty much the same. But when I pray atthe temple, I speak in Mandarin a little bit.

In myprayers, I ask God to give me the ability to do well at school, I ask for a lotof good friends and I also ask God to protect me so I don’t get yelled at toomuch by my mother and older brother [laughs].

I think itis important for people to have a religion because it is part of them beinghuman. A person is not complete without religion. When you don’t have areligion, you only have the bod, but you have no soul. The body decays whilethe soul is immortal.

LucyVicendese, 10, 4th grader

I don’thave a religion and I don’t believe in God. I don’t know what God is. Maybe aspirit or something like that. I don’t know. I just don’t believe in that kindof stuff.

I havefriends at school who are religious. They are Muslims and Christians.

I have beento a Catholic church. I went there with my friend about a month ago.

MuhammadHilmy, 12, 1st year junior high

Religion isour belief toward God. I am a Muslim. If you ask me why I am a Muslim, it isbecause Islam is the religion that I have known since I was a kid. I alsolearned about Islam at school. I go to an Islamic school and so does my littlesister.

I believein God because God is the one that created all the living things and theuniverse. Yet I have never imagined what God is like. God does exist butdoesn’t have a shape. There is proof for that. We have the moon, the sun, humanbeings and the earth.

My parentstaught me and my sister about Islam. They taught us how to pray by showing usthe movements, and they taught us how to read the Koran. My parents also expectme to finish reading whole chapters [in the Koran] and I’ve done that already.

My parentstold us that prayer is compulsory. It is a must and it is not right if youdon’t do it. It is a sin. They also said that we go to hell if we don’t pray.

My fatheralways emphasizes the importance of religion. There are also people withdifferent religions from what we believe and that is OK. People who fightbecause other people have a different religion don’t respect the rights ofothers. We should all live in peace no matter what others believe.

Interfaith youth help with Easter security in Kupang

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta, Fri, 04/22/2011

Youth from various religious backgrounds will help with the increased security efforts for Easter celebrations in the East Nusa Tenggara capital of Kupang, the police say.

"There will be around 200 youth of different religions helping secure the Easter celebrations," East Nusa Tenggara Police spokesman Comr. Antonio Pah said on Friday as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.

The youth, according to Pah, will cooperate with the police, the army and local transportation agency officers to ensure safe celebrations.

He added that the total number of personnel deployed for Easter security in Kupang reached 559, including the youth. Among their tasks are organizing traffic around the churches and securing church attendants.

"Churches will also be sterilized by the Gegana bomb squad," Pah said.

Frans Lebu Raya, the governor of East Nusa Tenggara, urged people to play a role in creating a peaceful Easter atmosphere. "The people also have to participate in securing Easter celebrations this year," he said.

World youth assembly in Ambon to have strategic impact

Antara News, Otniel Tamindael, Sat, April 9 2011

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Jakarta (ANTARA News) - A World Assembly of Youth (WAY) scheduled to be held in Ambon, Maluku, in July this year is expected to have a strategic impact on the promotion of Maluku province abroad.

Maluku`s Regional Executive Council of the Indonesian Youth National Committee (KNPI) chairman Zaharuddin Latuconsina said in Ambon on Friday that preparations were being made for the success of the World Assembly of Youth in the provincial scenic city of Ambon.

Zaharuddin said technical matters relating to the preparation were being made for a big success of the event.

"Around 120 youths from around the world are scheduled to attend the meeting and therefore we are determined to be a successful host to yield a world peace recommendation in Ambon," Zaharuddin said.

Maluku Governor Karel Albert Ralahalu said the provincial government would fully support the event and to this end had issued a decree on the formation of the meeting`s organizing committee, chaired by the head of the local national education office, Salim Kairoty.

"From Maluku`s 2011 regional budget we have allocated a certain amount of funds to support the holding of the international conference in Ambon," Ralahalu said.

Two other international events, namely World Peace Day was held in Ambon on November 25, 2009 then in less than a year Ambon again organized the international marine event of Sail Banda from July 24 to August 17, 2010.

"It means Maluku has been trusted to hold other events like the World Assembly of Youth and therefore it should be supported optimally by all people in the province," the governor said.

Ralahalu also called on his people to make every effort to support the success of the international meeting because it has a strategic impact on the promotion of the province abroad.

"It will have a strategic significance because the participants will promote the real condition of Maluku to their relatives, including the government, investors, and even non-government organization upon returning to their respective countries," Ralahalu said.

Menwhile Zaharuddin pointed out that the Central Executive Council`s Chairman of the Indonesian Youth National Committee, Ahmad Doli Kurnia, who is also the Deputy Chairman of the World Youth has said Maluku has been designated as the site of the 34th World Peace.

The decision was made related to the holding of World Peace Day in Ambon on November 25, 2009 which was attended by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Zaharuddin noted, the World Youth Organization agreed to choose Maluku as host because the region was torn by a three-year sectarian conflict from 1999 to 2002 but it was overcome by social institutions through the promotion of local culture namely "Pela and Gandong."

The "Pela and Gandong" culture is the glue of brotherly life as a heritage which should be preserved and promoted to the international world, then became a model of social life with a plurality of society and religion.

Zaharuddin said, the brotherly ties between the Batumerah village people (Muslim majority) and Passo (Christians) will also be shown to the participants in the World Youth meeting to discuss the world youth program of handling the global warming.

Youths and young leaders from 120 countries who were grouped in World Assembly of Youth at an International Youth Forum On Climate Change 2011 (IYFCC 2011) from February 21-27, 2011 in Jakarta, South Sulawesi, Central Kalimantan and East Nusatenggara also spoke out on climate change and global warming.

With the selected theme "Listen to us, Sense Our Worries", the event gave an opportunity to the youth and young leaders to speak out

out on climate change by improving, understanding and inspiring the necessary actions to fight global warming and other related factors.

The event at the time was organized by Indonesia National Youth Council-Central Board in collaboration with the World Assembly of Youth (WAY), Asian Youth Council (AYC), Indonesia National Youth Council-South Sulawesi Board, Indonesia National Youth Council-Central Borneo Board, Indonesia National Youth Council-East Nusa Tenggara Board and the support of the Indonesian Government.

The World Assembly of Youth promotes the work of youth organizations in areas such as: democracy, environment, human rights, population, health, drugs, community development, leadership training, and cultural and religious tolerance.

It provides opportunities for youth representatives from different countries to exchange ideas and experiences, to coordinate program plans, and to reach a better understanding of each others` problems due to differences in racial, religious and national backgrounds.

Since its formation, WAY has increased its membership of national youth councils to the present 93 full members, from as many countries from all continents. Furthermore WAY has 7 associated members and 22 organizations of observer status.

According to Zaharuddin, the the upcoming international youth forum in Ambon in July this year would an honor to Maluku province.

He expressed hope that such an international event could motivate motivate both Indonesian as well as international community to be more concerned about climate change issues.

He explained that efforts to build awareness of youth as the pioneer in addressing climate change would be discussed in that international forum.

Editor: Jafar M Sidik

RI to implement UN resolution on women

Antara News, Mon, March 14 2011

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian government through the ministry of women`s empowerment and child protection will soon implement UN Security Council resolution 1325 on women, peace, and security.

Speaking after opening a seminar themed "Implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security" at Balai Kartini here on Monday, Women`s Empowerment Minister Linda Amalia Sari Gumelar said her office was drafting a national action plan on the implementation of the resolution.

The seminar was also attended by former Finnish Defense Minister Madame Elisabeth Rehn.

Linda said the national action plan was made up of integrating gender issues into policy, programs and activities, data collecting mechanism, and reporting system at each ministry and related institution.

"It will start from prevention to conflict termination phase, and recovery of social conflict both at central and regional levels," Linda said.

She added that the national action plan would be completed this year.

Linda also explained that the United Nations Security Council Resolution gave an important emphasis on four issues namely the increased representation of women at all levels of decision-making and participation in peace development and conflict prevention, integration of a gender perspective in post conflict process and gender perspective improvement training, main concern for the special protection of women including action against sexual violence, and the integration of gender perspective in the program activity and UN peace operations report.

Editor: Aditia Maruli

House expected to pass gender equality law soon

Antara News, Sat, February 26 2011

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The House of Representatives (DPR) is expected to pass a law on gender equality soon, Minister of Women`s Empowerment and Child Protection Linda Gumelar said.

"The House already has the draft of a law on gender equality, and I hope it can be passed this year," the minister told ANTARA here Friday.

Linda said a developed country was one that was successfully applying gender equality values. "If a country has reached equilibrium in gender, then it may be rightfully called a developed country," said Linda in opening remarks at a seminar themed "Regional Development from the Gender Perspective" held by the Association of Islamic Students Alumni (Kahmi).

Linda also said she hoped that after the law on gender equality was enacted, the Indonesian public should be properly familiarized with it.

"Although it takes time to get a bill passed into law but I hope this can be done soon. So my ministry will support every effort or movement to make the public aware of the importance of gender equilibrium in a country," Linda said.

Meanwhile, Yoga Mauladi, the Head of Kahmi, said the seminar`s aim was creating harmony between central and regional administrations on gender equality.

"Through this seminar , I hope there will be good coordination among officers to optimize people`s participation, either men or women, as well as aiming to the effective, efficient and sustainability human resource in Indonesia," he said, here Friday.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Women (UN Women) had set five priority issues to be developed in five years ahead, including expanding women`s voices, participation and terminating violence against women. The UN Women allocated 500 million US dollar for developing education for women in order to support the gender equilibrium in Indonesia.

Editor: B Kunto Wibisono

active

Various parties declare commitment to peace in Indonesia

Antara News, Otniel Tamindael, Wed, February 16 2011

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Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Too many people think of "Peace" as some sort of will-o`-the-wisp thing that can be discovered through a constant and relentless search.

(ANTARA News/Eric Ireng)

Acts of violence and the issue of peace in Indonesia are not just political and religious matters; they are moral and spiritual issues that have to be solved properly.

Accordingly, many parties in various parts of the country in the last couple of days have called for and declared their commitment to peace, following violence triggered by religious issues recently.

At the Bajra Sandi monument area in Denpasar, Bali, hundreds of Balinese women on Tuesday declared an "Indonesian Women`s Association for Global Peace (IWAG-Peace)."

"The declaration of IWAG-Peace is intended to neutralize violent conflicts in the name of religion in various areas across the country," event coordinator Putu Sri Puji Astuti said in Denpasar on Tuesday.

According to Putu Sri, the declaration of IWAG-Peace in Bali was one of four similar events, organized simultaneously in four Indonesian cities namely Denpasar, Surabaya, Yogyakarta, and Jakarta in conjunction with Valentine`s Day.

She also called on the government to act decisively to resolve conflicts that occur and to prevent them from becoming serious and complicated problems.

Putu Sri pointed out that if the government failed to neutralize emerging conflicts, the IWAG-Peace would unhesitatingly bring them to the United Nations.

"If the government fails to solve emerging problems, the Indonesian women will rise to bring the problem to the international community," she said.

Therefore President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Tuesday called on all Muslims in the country to solve any arising problem in a peaceful and dignified manner.

In his address at a so-called Dzikir Akbar, a mass religious gathering for joint prayers to observe the Prophet Muhammad`s birthday at the south square of the National Monument here on Tuesday, the president called on Muslims to emulate the prophet who used to overcome problems peacefully.

"The prophet set examples from which can conclude that to make great changes in the right direction and to solve problems, it should be done in a peaceful and dignified manner," the president said.

President Yudhoyono pointed out that if all Muslims in Indonesia seriously followed the examples of Prophet Muhammad, the country would be blessed and all its struggles would succeed.

"Let us make the prophet`s nature and personality as our model, his leadership, his wisdom, and his nurturing nature in our effort to march to a better future," the president said.

The head of state also called on all of his countrymen not to easily give up in facing severe tests and trials.

"Even in a difficult situations, we have to be more cohesive, stronger, and more united instead of making noise and blaming each other," the president said.

Meanwhile, Majelis Rasulullah (prophet-led council) leader Habib Munzir Bin Fuad Al Musawa in his sermon at the gathering also reminded the Muslims in Indonesia of religious tolerance.

The Muslims in Indonesia, according to Habib Munzir, have to get used to living in peace and harmony with the people of different faith.

In Bandung, West Java, religious leaders on Monday also declared peace following violent acts triggered by religious issues in the country.

The declaration was read out directly by the chairman of the West Java chapter of the Indonesian Council of Ulemas, KH Hafidz Utsman, before hundreds of community members from different religions attending the event.

In the declaration they expressed concern over the conflict between Ahmadiyah Islamic sect members and a mob in Cikeusik, Pandeglang, Banten, recently.

They also expressed determination to build inter-religious harmony especially in West Java and settle any inter-religious problem through a dialog.

Not only in West Java, but also in Gunung Kidul district, Yogyakarta, tens of people grouped in Gunung Kidul Interfaith Forum also staged a walking-backwards action and joint prayers recently to call for peace under the slogan of "Unity in Diversity."

"The walking-backwards action is the symbol of our concern over the emergence of various violent acts in the name of religion in this country," the interfaith forum`s coordinator Aminudin Azis said.

He said the bloody violence triggered by religious issues in the country and the burning of several houses of worship recently were truly heartbreaking.

According to him, the second precept of Just and Civilized Humanity in the state philosophy of Pancasila seemed to have no real sense of the words.

Then in the eastern Indonesian city of Ambon, young artists and men of letters of Maluku origin voiced "The Peaceful Sound from the East for Indonesia" recently as part of their solidarity against relentless violence in the country.

Such a humanitarian activity at the World Peace Gong monument area was initiated jointly by music groups Bengkel Seni Embun, Ambon Bergerak, Komunitas Manis Pait, and Kalesang Maluku social group.

Hundreds of Ambon residents from various corners of the city packed the monument area to participate in the event where the singers of Maluku origin sang their songs.

"The songs we sing can motivate all of us as the young people of Maluku and of Indonesia to continue to march forwards and maintain peace and security in our country," said a vocalist of Semang band group, Marioni Serhalawan.

"We oppose all kinds of violent acts in the name of any religion in this country," Rudi Fofid said.

After he read out the resolution, children`s choir from Amahusu village came to the stage and chanted the song, "Children of Maluku Love Peace."

Yet they realized that the real peace is not simply the absence of conflict, violence, or any artificial state the world has to offer. Rather it is the deep, abiding peace only the "Prince of Peace" can bring to the heart.

Editor: Priyambodo

Maluku Set to Hold World Youth Assembly 2011

Antara News, Fri, February 04 2011

Ambon, Maluku (ANTARA News) - Maluku`s Regional Executive Council of the Indonesian Youth National Committee (KNPI) is ready to hold the world assembly of youth scheduled on February 27 and 28, 2011, chairman of KNPI Maluku, Zaharuddin Latuconsina, said here, Friday.

He said preparations are being made for the success of the meeting.

"We are completing the technical matters relating to the preparation in order to make the international event a big success," he noted.

Zaharuddin explained, delegates from 120 countries are scheduled to attend the meeting so that Maluku is determined to be a successful host, both in terms of implementation as well as declarations which are needed for coaching the youth.

The Central Executive Council`s Chairman of the Indonesian Youth National Committee, Ahmad Doli Kurnia, who is also the Deputy Chairman of the World Youth said, Maluku has been designated as the site of the 34th World Peace.

The decision was made related to holding the World Peace Day in Ambon on November 25, 2009 which was attended by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Zaharuddin noted, the World Youth Organization agreed to choose Maluku as host because the region is in post-conflict phase in 1999 that its handling of social institutions to promote local culture.

"The `Pela and Gandong" culture is the glue of brothers life as a heritage which should be preserved and promoted to the international world, then became a model of social life with a plurality of society and religion," he said.

Zaharuddin said, the brotherly ties between the Batumerah village people (Muslim majority) and Passo (Christians) will also be shown to the participants in the World Youth meeting.

"We will demonstrate to the international world the brothers who prior to social conflict became the target of study and social researchers, both within and outside the country that the conflict could not destroy the heritage," he said.

The meeting is scheduled to produce a declaration to promote peace which will be distributed internationally.

"So, the world youth will witness the presence of living brothers, then capture the strategic input in order to issue the Declaration of Maluku which speaks of world peace," Zaharuddin hoped.

He added, the meeting will also discuss the world youth program to address global warming which has an increasing impact on the climate and life on earth.

Editor: AA Ariwibowo

Muslim youths guard Christmas celebration in Kupang

Antara News, Friday, December 24, 2010

Kupang, E. Nusa Tenggara (ANTARA News) - Muslim youths in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, joined security personnel to secure Christmas and New Year`s eve celebrations, a police spokesman said.

A total of 530 security personnel consisting of policemen, servicemen and members of the society, including Muslim youths, had been deployed to guard the celebrations, Kupang police chief Adjunct Senior Commissioner Bambang Sugiarto said here Friday.

Those involved in this joined security scheme had agreed to set up security checks in 14 security-prone locations with each secured by four guards, he said.

Besides this, 116 churches in the East Nusa Tenggar province`s capital of Kupang would also be secured by policemen and servicemen to ensure that they were free from security disturbance, he said.

The security personnel would effectively work from Friday to December 31, he said.

"This security measure has been taken in response to the national police chief`s order," he said.

The security threats and situation that need to be anticipated included acts of terrorism, conventional crimes, traffic jams, use of fire crackers, and natural disasters, he said.

The same security procedures were also taken by policemen in the West Java town of Cirebon.

Each church in the town would be guarded by ten policemen to secure Christmas eve and celebrations, Cirebon police chief Adjunct Senior Commissioner Herukoco said.

At least 600 security personnel had been deployed to secure Christmas and New Year holidays in the city, he said.

In Tasikmalaya, West Java, 17 churches were also secured by 481 security personnel ahead of Christmas eve.

The presence of policemen and servicemen was expected to create a secure and peaceful condition for church goers, Tasikmalaya district police`s spokesman Commissioner Yono Kusyono said.

Indonesia has been fighting terrorist cells since 2000. On December 24, 2000, a string of attacks on churches were carried out by terrorists on Christmas eve in several Indonesian cities.

The attackers targeted a number of churches in the Indonesian cities of Batam, Pekanbaru, Jakarta, Sukabumi, Pangandaran, Bandung, Kudus, Mojokerto, and Mataram.

Two years after the Christmas eve bombings, terrorists attacked Bali Island in 2002, claiming 202 lives, including 88 Australian holiday makers.

The latest deadly incident happened on July 17, 2009 when two suicide bombers attacked JW Marriott and the Ritz-Carlton hotels in South Jakarta.

National camp

The Jakarta Post, Antara, Pidie, Aceh | Tue, 11/30/2010

National camp: President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (second right) accompanied by First Lady Ani Bambang Yudhoyono (right), together with Aceh Governor Irwandi Yusuf (left) talk with scout participants in the opening of Wirakarya national camp at Seulawah Scout Camp in Pidie, Aceh on Tuesday. The camp will run from Nov. 29 until Dec. 6 with 8,600 participants. (Antara/Ampelsa)

Indonesian Cleric Gets 4 Years Jail Over Sex With Child Bride

Jakarta Globe, November 24, 2010

Jakarta. An Indonesian court sentenced a wealthy Muslim cleric to four years in prison on Wednesday for having sex with a 12-year-old girl he took as his unofficial wife.

Pujiono Cahyo Widiyanto, center in white, a wealthy
Muslim cleric was sentenced to four years in prison
on Wednesday for having sex with a 12-year-old girl
he took as his unofficial wife. (AFP Photo)

Pujiono Cahyo Widiyanto, 45, from the Central Java city of Semarang, sparked nationwide controversy over his decision to wed Lutfiana Ulfa in August, 2008.

"The defendant has been proven to have had a sexual relationship with an underage girl, Lutfiana Ulfa. We sentence him to four years in prison," judge Hari Mulyanto said.

Lutfiana screamed hysterically when she heard the sentence read out in court.

"We'll appeal against the decision," Widiyanto's lawyer OC Kaligis said.

Widiyanto — also known as Sheikh Puji — said the girl had reached puberty when he married her in an unofficial religious ceremony, and claimed his actions were acceptable under Islam.

The age of consent in Indonesia is 16 for married females and 18 for males.

Indonesian law has harsh penalties for pedophilia, but unregistered marriages between older men and under-age girls are common in rural areas.

Agence France-Presse

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First lady tells children to love Merapi

Antara News, Monday, November 8, 2010 01:09 WIB

Sleman, Yogyakarta (ANTARA News) - First Lady Ani Yudhoyono has told children staying in refugee shelters at Maguwoharjo sports stadium here Sunday, to love Mt Merapi.

First Lady Ani Yudhoyono

"We all have to love Merapi since it is God`s creation," she told the children during her visit to the refugee shelters here Sunday.

Ani Yudhoyono appreciated a picture of Mt Merapi with hot clouds that Tejo, one of hundreds of children staying in the stadium, had made.

"This is Mt Merapi and these are hot clouds," Tejo explained his picture to Ani Yudhoyono.

After receiving the picture from Tejo, Ani asked the boy about the condition of his house after Mt Merapi eruption.

"Is your house destroyed?" asked Ani.

Besides visiting the children in the shelters, Ani also visited the other evacuees.

Ani went to Yogyakarta with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and several top officials to set up the state office in Yogyakarta.

Mount Merapi is seen as sacred in the region

The First Lady and her entourage arrived at the shelters at 10.30 AM to see the condition of the women and children evacuees in Maguwoharjo, Sleman, and distribute aid packages including books and stationeries for the kids.

Ani Yudhoyono`s visit was marked with a minor incident to local journalists who wanted to report the First Lady`s inspection of the shelters.

The military personnel guarding the First Lady and entourage prevented journalists from entering the venue for security reasons.

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RI issues law on discrimination of women

Antara News, Friday, October 22, 2010

Yogyakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian government has issued a law on convention of abolishing discrimination of women and girls (CEDAW), chairwoman of the Indonesian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development Sri Utari Setyawati said.

"This law and the law on violence in households, the law on eradication of people`s trade, and the law on marriage," are discussed at an international parliamentary workshop on women in Yogyakarta on Thursday.

She said all these laws need to be reminded of by the policy makers to see whether these laws are still carried out effectively.

In the marriage law, for instance, there is an article which needs to be revised, namely girls must be at least 16 years of age to get married.

"However, mentally and spiritually, 16 years are not yet ideal, and needs to be raised to 18 years, but then it will become a subject of controversy, because according to Islam 17 years is quite adequate to enter matrimony," she said.

Indonesia Prosecutor Seeks Jail for Cleric who Married Child Bride

Jakarta Globe, October 21, 2010

Ungaran, Indonesia. Indonesian prosecutors on Thursday demanded a wealthy Muslim cleric who took a 12-year-old girl as his unofficial wife be convicted of sexually abusing a child and given six years in prison.

Indonesian prosecutors are demanding a six-year prison
sentence for Muslim cleric Pujiono Cahyo Widiyanto, 45,
pictured, for sexually abusing a child after he took a
12-year-old girl as his unofficial wife. (Antara Photo)

Pujiono Cahyo Widiyanto, 45, from the Central Java city of Semarang, sparked nationwide controversy over his decision to marry poor village girl Lutfiana Ulfa.

“We recommend six years prison for him. He has been proven legally as being sexually abusive towards women, especially towards this underage person,” prosecutor Suningsih, who goes by one name, said.

“As the owner of a religious school he doesn’t set a good example” she said.

Widiyanto, also known as Sheikh Puji, married Ulfa in August 2008.

He had defended the unofficial marriage, his second, saying that the girl had reached puberty.

Widiyanto previously said his actions were acceptable under Islam but critics said he should abide by state law, which sets 16 as the minimum age for marriage.

Indonesian law has harsh penalties for pedophilia, but unregistered and therefore unofficial marriages between older men and under-age girls are common in rural areas.

Agence France-Presse

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My Jakarta: Natalia Tjahja, Founder of the Maria Monique Foundation

Jakarta Globe, Aisyah Hamid | September 02, 2010

The Maria Monique Foundation has two main
 objectives: To help unfortunate children and to bring
 together people who want to help these children.
 (JG Photo)

After Natalia Tjahja lost her 7-year-old daughter to heart disease in 2006, she created the Maria Monique Foundation to grant last wishes to terminally ill children around the world.

Four years later, the foundation, named after Natalia’s daughter, has helped put a smile on the faces of more than 7,000 boys and girls all over the globe. 

Natalia tells us a little bit about what she does and why she can always use your help — and not just your credit card. 

What inspired you to establish the Maria Monique Last Wish Foundation?

One hundred days after my daughter passed away, I visited her tomb to pray and to bring some flowers. While I was praying, I could hear her talking to me in my heart, telling me to be at peace and give happiness to other children.

I realized that God wanted me to fight for the unfortunate children. Monique’s death was just the start.

What is the goal of the foundation and how do you try to achieve it?

There are two main objectives: We want to help unfortunate children and we want to bring together people who want to help these children.

Together we try to make critically ill children happy by fulfilling their last wishes. There’s nothing in the world that is more beautiful than seeing the smiles on those children’s faces.

What do you mean by bringing together people who want to help? How do you do that?

We do it through fund-raisers. We don’t accept online donations or anything. If people want to donate or contribute, I want them to know the children they’re helping; their story and their pain.

It’s not about just giving away your money to unfortunate children who you don’t even know. It’s so easy to swipe your card; it doesn’t make you special.

From time to time people around the world hold fund-raisers for us. That’s what we want to see.

Don’t you think that people would be more inclined to donate if they could use their credit card online?

People try to convince me all the time to accept online donations. But then again, my objective here is also to find people with sincere hearts.

I’m not saying that people who donate their money with their cards don’t have hearts, but I want them to know the children they’re helping.

That’s why we have our representatives around the world.

So if there is a wish you have to grant how do you let people know about it?

Thank God, I’ve built a worldwide network, which continues to grow by the day. I simply send them a message via BlackBerry, SMS or e-mail.

And if there is a child or children who need help, word-of-mouth helps to get people to react quickly.

How did your foundation end up being a global one?

It all started in Singapore when I took Maria Monique to be hospitalized there. I did everything; I struggled to get money for my daughter’s medication in a country where I didn’t know anybody.

A newspaper journalist heard about me and Maria Monique and wrote a moving story, which garnered attention and help from people in Singapore.

After Maria Monique died and I finally started the foundation, I’ve had media outlets from around the world help me tell the story.

Have there been any last wishes that you just couldn’t fulfill?

There was one that was pretty tough, but in the end we managed to fulfill it. There was a girl named Risma Anggraeni. She was 15, and she had her feet amputated because she had bone cancer.

Her last wish was to be able to walk again. We initially thought it was impossible, but we didn’t give up.

We spread the news through e-mail and SMS and one day the director of Ortopedi Hospital in Solo heard about what we were trying to do and told me that he would donate artificial legs he brought from Germany.

So we flew Risma to Solo to get the artificial legs and she was able to walk again, if only for a moment, before she died.

What’s the last wish you granted in Jakarta?

That was the case of a 17-year-old boy who was bed-ridden for almost a year because of a traffic accident. Unable to walk, talk or move his body, he ate and breathed through tubes.

So we gave him a wheelchair, because he wanted to go outside and feel the warmth of the sun.

And then there was a boy from Banjarnegara, Central Java, with brittle bone disease.

His father had to carry him everywhere to make sure he didn’t get hurt. They only had a handmade wheelchair, but we gave them a decent one.

Where can we find the foundation’s main office?

Don’t expect too much. Maria Monique doesn’t have some big office here. It’s 16 square meters and we only have three employees. All of our volunteers are spread across cities and areas around Indonesia and the world.

Even our representative offices in other cities and countries look much better than the headquarters [laughs].

How can we buy your book, ‘The Beautiful Journey — True Story of Maria Monique’?

The book is not for sale at any bookstore here in town, but we do use it as a way to raise money. It costs Rp 80,000 [$9], if people are interested.

What’s up next for the foundation?

We will make a musical based on Maria Monique’s story in Jakarta sometime in February 2011. This is a charity show dedicated to the unfortunate children as my VVIP guests. 

If you want to help, visit www.mariamonique.org