Nias: Between waves and stone age Nias hosted an international surfing championship between July 19 and 23. Located west of Sumatra, Unspoiled beaches, traditional houses and stone jumping are among the main tourist attractions of the island. Ibnu Basori gives the following account. NIAS (JP): Have you ever really looked at the Rp 1,000 note? The picture on one side depicts a man jumping over a high stone column and the caption reads Lompat Batu Pulau Nias (Stone Jumping of Nias Island).

Tears of joy for the Omar Dhanis JAKARTA (JP): "I want to be a child again," said Dian Sri Indrapuri, 37. Such a simple wish from a daughter who has been separated from her father by prison walls for nearly 30 years. Dian was only nine years old when her father, Omar Dhani, then an air marshal and air force chief of staff, was sentenced to death for his role in the Sept. 30, 1965 putsch that has been blamed on the Indonesian Communist Party.

ASEAN wants end to Bosnian arms-ban BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (Reuter): Foreign Ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) called yesterday for an end to what one described as the "unjustified and illegal" arms embargo against Bosnia. Malaysian Foreign Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, in a speech at the opening of a two-day meeting, said ASEAN should press the United Nations to take effective measures to prevent the "obliteration" of Bosnia.

Dr. Kahin is no ordinary historian By Endy M. Bayuni JAKARTA (JP): If there's one historian who can reminisce about the Indonesian revolution in great detail, objectively and passionately, it's American Dr. George McTurnan Kahin. Now 77 years old, Kahin is no ordinary historian. Not only is he the most authoritative foreign historian on the Indonesian revolution, he is also a living witness of the unfolding of a new nation.

What do really we get in life? JAKARTA (JP): Life if full of the threats of punishment, especially so for Indonesians. Even as babies they are faced with all kinds of punishment. Take the famous Indonesian lullaby entitled Nina Bobo, which closes with this sentence: Kalau tidak bobo digigit nyamuk (If you don't go to sleep, the mosquitoes will bite you). Call it an exaggeration, but this song reflects the reward-and-punishment concept Indonesian parents adopt in rearing their children.

State universities admit 63,090 people JAKARTA (JP): The government announced yesterday the 63,090 people who passed the entrance exams for the 89 state universities nationwide. The announcement, made through some local newspapers and lists distributed at the Senayan Sports Stadium, was greeted with elation by those who passed, and tears or indifference by some of the 412,638 people not admitted.

Feasting on king cobra: Danger of delicacy? By V. Anjaiah JAKARTA (JP): We have read stories about blood-sucking vampires. We have seen people eating fried chicken, goat, cow and pig blood. But have you ever seen anyone drink fresh cobra blood? If not, go to Jakarta's busy Jl. Mangga Besar, a street in West Jakarta filled with discos, karaoke halls, pubs, bars, massage parlors.

Disgusting, barbarous From Kompas Disgusting, barbarous, insane, sadistic... It seems that there aren't any more appropriate words to describe the rape of the wife and children of the Acan family in Bekasi. The rapists must be arrested. Don't let this story pass away just and be forgotten like other news on criminal cases, even though it is tough for the police to seize the rapists. We feel it necessary to consider changing the articles in the criminal law about the punishment of rapists.

Persib to play Petrokimia in national soccer league final JAKARTA (JP): The long, grueling and tense competition pitting 34 soccer teams will climax in today's match at the Senayan stadium when Petrokimia Putra plays Persib Bandung for the President's Cup, the symbol of national league supremacy.

Indonesians rank among top ten foreign spenders SINGAPORE (JP): An Rp 250,000 exit tax and an abundance of sprawling shopping centers at home don't deter Indonesian shoppers from hunting for bargains abroad. They still swarm into Singapore, particularly on the weekends. Most retailers know this all too well.

The coast of Nias: A paradise for surfers By Ibnu Basori NIAS (JP): The International Surfing Championship which ended on July 23 turned the quiet coast near Sorake on Nias into a fiesta. The competition, with the officious name Indonesia Open-Nias Pro, was actually a round of the Australian Championships. So the majority of the 58 participants came from Australia. Three surfers from Bali, one from Hawaii and a few from Nias rounded out the competition.

Environmental hazards of biotech, patents By Hira P. Jhamtani JAKARTA (JP): Biotechnology is essentially technology that utilizes life forms (organisms) which are engineered to provide goods and services for human beings. This is an age-old technology that is used to produce alcoholic beverages, fermented foods such as tofu and cheese, and antibiotics. Today, biotechnology employs genetic engineering through the DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid -- the building blocks of genes) recombinant technique.

Ruwiyati slumps to second defeat JAKARTA (JP): National champion Ruwiyati of Central Java had to eat humble pie again after being outpaced by her hometown rival Hanny Melon, this time in the women's 10,000m, on the third day of the Indonesia Open Track and Field Championships at the Senayan Madya stadium yesterday. One day before, Melon recorded 16 minutes 55.30 to beat Ruwiyati in the women's 5,000m by a difference of one hundredth of a second. Yesterday the difference got bigger.

Hariyanto, Susi skip U.S. Open c'ships JAKARTA (JP): The Badminton Association of Indonesia has decided not to include Hariyanto Arbi and Susi Susanti in the team for the U.S. Open badminton championships in Atlanta. Association secretary-general RAJ Gosal confirmed yesterday that world number one Hariyanto and Olympic gold medalist Susi will be rested and that the 20-strong Indonesian team will be comprised of less experienced players. "Let Hariyanto and Susi take a break.

The art of bargaining in Bukittinggi By Carl Chairul BUKITTINGGI, West Sumatra (JP): Skipping Bukittingi in a journey to West Sumatra is just like going all the way to San Diego without seeing the Sea World. Situated at the altitude of 1000 meters above sea level, Bukittingi is one of the most interesting tourist spots in Sumatra. While London has Big Ben, Bukittingi has Jam Gadang (clock tower), towering among the buffalo-horn shaped roofs of the surrounding buildings.

Honda riders take lead pole positions YOGYAKARTA (JP): Michael Machio of France led the Honda riders, with Jimmy Button of U.S.A. and Brian K. Jorgensen of Denmark making it one-two-three at yesterday's practice for today's World Motocross Championship. Machio clocked two minutes 34.76 seconds for the 14th lap and topped the ranking list, ahead of second-placer Button with the time of 2:35.30. Button produced his time for the 10th lap, while Jorgensen timed at 2:35.44 for third place.

Tears fill my eyes From Berita Buana My heart bled when I read the newspaper article on the rape by a group of burglars of a mother and her two daughters in Bekasi on July 24. Although I am a man, unconsciously, tears filled my eyes when I read the news. Their act is barbaric. I can't imagine the agony. I am empathetic to Acan's family. I hope that they will have the strength to continue. Having a wife and a daughter of similar in age, I hope that those savaged men will be immediately arrested.

Guess What? Djisman Simanjuntak Have you ever heard Djisman Simanjuntak talk about press freedom? Probably not. Simanjuntak is the executive director of the Prasetiya Mulya Graduate School of Management and he is popular for his sharp analysis in the field of economics. Therefore, it was quite surprising when he talked about the freedom of the press on Friday afternoon. He did not mean to have a lengthy discussion about the topic.

Architecture only surviving key to Nias origins Text by Ibnu Basori Photos by Arief Hidayat NIAS (JP): The origins of the Nias people are uncertain. But the elders of the island are convinced that one place, Gomo in Central Nias, is the origin of their ancestry. From this place, famous for its megalithic stones, the basic lines of Nias traditional architecture spread. It underwent improvements until the present form was clinched.

Guess What? Koos Arumdanie Collector of traditional Indonesian textiles Koos Arumdanie couldn't hide her disappointment upon seeing that the Borobudur Inter-Continental Hotel's Flores room -- where a one-day seminar on Indonesian traditional woven cloths was held on Thursday -- was almost empty. Not more than 50 people occupied the room which has a seating capacity of 500.

Rendra: When love borders ruin, failure and death By Johannes Simbolon JAKARTA (JP): Rendra, "The Peacock", strutted out of his socio-political garden to read his collection of love poems this week. "Amidst the uncertainty over the social, economic and political life nationally and internationally, we need to get back to the essence of our life, that is love...

ASEAN told to move faster on free trade By Oei Eng Goan BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (JP): Brunei leader Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah urged the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) yesterday to move faster in implementing free trade in the region. To deal with growing global competition, ASEAN should quicken trade liberalization measures and tariff cuts among member countries, the sultan said while addressing the annual ASEAN foreign ministerial meeting.

Asia-Pacific Film Festival lacks focus and direction JAKARTA (JP): The Asia-Pacific Film Festival (APFF) must develop a specific focus in order to become respectable. Indonesian film critic Marselli Sumarno said the APFF does not have any particular character or theme. Entries are therefore so varied that judging becomes a complicated task and prevents the festival from becoming vocal.

Guess What? Toeti Adhitama Some people are against lotteries, which are considered gambling. But not Toeti Adhitama, editor of Eksekutif, a business monthly. She organized a special lottery during the launching of the two volumes of The Eksekutif Interview Friday in conjunction with the magazine's 16th anniversary. A luncheon was held right before the book launching, which took place at Grand Hyatt Hotel. The third and fourth volumes of the book are still in process.

Grief hangs heavy over Bekasi farmer's modest home By Johannes Simbolon BEKASI (JP): Grief hangs over the house which stands a stones throw away from the dirty river that separates the Bekasi and Bogor regencies. It is only one kilometer away from the Jagorawi toll road, in the middle of a vast field which a developer wants to turn into a housing estate.

Rape, violence rock the country By T. Sima Gunawan and Rita A. Widiadana Reports on the brutal rape of a mother and her two teenage daughters in Bekasi, east of Jakarta, on Monday had not yet died down when police announced they had arrested four teenagers several hours after allegedly raping a junior high school girl in South Jakarta last Thursday.