Why poverty alleviation schemes fail By Rita A. Widiadana JAKARTA (JP): Heads of state, bureaucrats, employers and military leaders never starve when poverty grips an authoritarian society. Democracy, by contrast, would spread the penalty of famine to the ruling groups and the political leadership, said l998 Nobel Prize Laureate for Economics Amartya Sen. Siti Oemijati Djajanegara, a poverty expert from the University of Indonesia's Demographic Institute, shares a similar frame of mind.

38 rebel arrested in Lhokseumawe JAKARTA (JP): At least 38 followers of separatist leader Ahmad Kandang were arrested on Saturday morning in Lhokseumawe, Aceh, the military said, while Ahmad himself remains at large. The raid, part of the Wibawa '99 Operation led by North Aceh Police chief Lt.Col. Iskandar Hasan, started around 5 a.m. in the village of Kandang, where Ahmad was believed to be hiding, Antara reported Saturday.

Jakarta no haven for migrant workers By Stevie Emilia JAKARTA (JP): Glittering skyscrapers, fancy cars and luxurious malls full of shoppers might confirm Jakarta's status as a cosmopolitan city. The bright lights have lured many people from various parts of the country to seek a better life here. Some of the migrants find jobs -- mostly in the informal sector, but others end up living far below the poverty line and become a serious burden to the city.

First Lady opens cheap market JAKARTA (JP): Accompanied by her husband B.J. Habibie, First Lady Hasri Ainun Habibie opened a three-day cheap market on Saturday at the National Monument (Monas) Park aimed at providing city dwellers with food and other basic needs at very affordable prices for Ramadhan and Lebaran.

Landslide claims more lives in Garut after Bali tragedy JAKARTA (JP): Five residents, including a father and son, who were working to clear out mud from a landslide in Garut, West Java, died when another landslide hit them on Friday. As of Saturday at least two more were believed to have died. The tragedy was the second following a landslide in Gianyar, Bali, where the death toll reached 32 on Saturday as five more bodies were shoveled out of the mud.

Poor accept poverty as their lot in life By Fadjar, M. Achadi and Tjahjono Ep. YOGYAKARTA (JP): More than a year and a half have passed, but there is no sign that the crisis will soon be over. Life becomes more difficult and more and more people become poor. As the economic wheel gets stuck, many factories and companies have to lay off their workers, if they are lucky enough not to close down the business.

Crisis ruins poor people's dreams The crisis has shattered many people's dream, and it seems that there is no sign that it will be over soon. The Jakarta Post visited the home of some of the poorest people in different areas of Indonesia to see their real life situation, and talked with experts on the efforts to cope with the problems.

Entranced 'ebeg' dancers dance with death with feats Text and photos by Agus Maryono PURWOKERTO, Central Java (JP): In the beginning, Darsono's dance looks normal, rhythmic, amusing, and extremely dynamic. His dancing movement mimics that of a prognathous character, sometimes even that of a wild horse. As the dance goes on, his movements became more and more uncontrollable. With his eyes staring straight up, and a bamboo horse between his legs, his movements became jerky and erratic.

The terrible headache of the 'krismon' JAKARTA (JP): It must be the krismon (monetary crisis), why else would I be having more difficulty reading now? Newspapers are shrinking and the print has become smaller -- media moguls must also be economizing on printing ink too, because the letters have become less clear. The other day, Tanya said that I was shrinking because I held the piece of paper that I was reading so far from me in order to be able read it.

Balinese sculpture, from mysticism to handicraft By Putu Wirata DENPASAR, Bali (JP): More than 100 Balinese wooden statues are on display at the Puri Lukisan Museum from Dec. 19 to Feb. 4. The exhibition, "The Legacy," is presenting the historical development of sculpting from its initial concept as a worship- connected art, through to its current concept as a handicraft.

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Rural people admit defeat at hands of economic crisis By Gin Kurniawan and Teddy Novan GUNUNGKIDUL, Yogyakarta (JP): A young woman sat quietly in front of her modest house with a vacant look on her face. Nobody knows what she was thinking. But suddenly she stood up and repeatedly screamed in a barely audible voice: "Oh God, give me prosperity." The 28-year-old woman, just call her Sri, is suffering from a mental disorder.

Tennis body seeks world rankings boost JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Tennis Association (Pelti) has made the world rankings of national players' its major agenda for the year, the association's Secretary-General Sugeng Sarjadi said. Sugeng told a media conference on Friday that Pelti would hold 16 senior and 16 junior tournaments to give national talents a chance to improve their rankings.

Election monitoring In reference to a Jan. 7, 1999's news story in The Jakarta Post under the headline "Universities band together to form poll watchdog," the final part of which refers Dr. T. Mulya Lubis as "a founder of the Independent Election Monitoring Committee," allow me to give the following response: First, Mr. T. Mulya Lubis did not take part in the establishment of the Independent Committee for Election Monitoring (KIPP Indonesia) in March 1996.

Harvest failure, economic crisis make people poorer By Yacob. J. Herin MAUMERE, East Nusa Tenggara (JP): Harvest failure in the past year has driven more people in Sika regency, already suffering due to the economic crisis, to the brink of poverty. The drought made it difficult for the paddy to grow well. Grasshoppers made things worse. Mrs. Sanusi, 56, a farmer in Megepanda, about 25 kilometers west of Maumere, said that grasshoppers attacked their golden rice fields and destroyed the paddy.

Transport services to fit your needs Living in a cosmopolitan city like Jakarta, it is not always practical to be driving one's own vehicle. With its solid infrastructure and 24-hour services, Golden Bird, fills the space for car-hire needs. Golden Bird, a member of the Blue Bird Group, has more than 25 years experience in the land transportation sector. It is an all- Indonesian company with a reputation as a leader in land transportation needs.

Crisis drives wedge between families By Ainur R. Sophiaan SURABAYA (JP): For many people, this year's Idul Fitri won't be the same as before. There will be neither new clothes nor abundant food. Worse still, they might not be able to afford a family reunion, a very long-standing tradition in the country. "What's the use of going home if you don't have any money? It's a shame, and it's also difficult," Sunaryo, 37, a resident of Sambikerep subdistrict, Lakarsantri district, West Surabaya, said.

Soldiers on alert in Karawang JAKARTA (JP): Soldiers were still on guard on Saturday around the devastated business district in Karawang, West Java, which was hit by a major riot the day before, to prevent any possible fresh outbreak of unrest. Hundreds of residents and youngsters were seen flocking to the mouths of alleys around the Johar area on Jl. Suroto Kunto. Local police said the situation in the city had been brought under control since Friday night and no curfew had been imposed.

Private stations suffered during New Order By Brillianto K. Jaya JAKARTA (JP): The oppressive political climate in the New Order era meant that the freedom of private television stations was severely hampered. They had to bow to the wishes of the authorities and toe the official line on all sensitive issues. The authoritarian ruler took repressive measures against private television stations to defend his own existence. In 1997, the then Minister of Information R.

Ramadhan time for Jakarta Sunday Maghrib 6:16 p.m. Monday Imsak 4:14 a.m. Subuh 4.24 a.m.

Avoiding potential hassle down the road HIGHWAY robbery has come to mean much more in Jakarta recently than being woefully overcharged for a trinket by a sidewalk vendor. Road safety in the capital once covered dodging the mine field of potholes in the city streets, or eating the dust of Michael Schumacher wannabes. Sadly, it's not so simple anymore.

Spotlight Photo A: Sheraton Sheraton Nusa Indah Resort ABOUT TIME TOO!: Sheraton Nusa Indah Resort's General Manager Lothar Pehl (with glasses) and the resort's recreation manager Wayan Sujana release two 25-year-old endangered sea turtles into the Indian Ocean. The recent stunt took place to mark the opening of the resort's Little Stars Club for Kids.