Life slowly revives in troubled Aceh Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post, Lhokseumawe/Banda Aceh It is already 10 p.m., but residents of Lhokseumawe, some 300 kilometers east of the provincial capital Banda Aceh, still flock to the town's only recreation park. Some come by becak (pedicab), while others arrive on foot. In the park, several children are playing on the swings, accompanied by their parents.

Moving towards the Free Trade Zone era in Batam Legal certainty for investors An industrial zone with international scope such as Batam absolutely requires sufficient area for further expansion in the future. The Batam Authority has anticipated this requirement by launching various efforts, such as diversifying land use and appropriating land allocation. All these efforts are related to legal certainty pertaining to investments in Batam.

Batamindo Industrial Park: One of the huge industrial zones in Batam. Trans-Barelang bridge: A panoramic view of one of the six high- tech bridges that connect Batam and the surrounding islands.

Tyrie's art adorns children's books Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Inside the hustle and bustle of Jakarta, where she has been living for the past 10 years, New Zealander Katrina, or Trina Bohan Tyrie has found an enormous inspiration for her paintings. The 49-year-old artist has poured the colorful environment and rich cultural vibes into the richly colored Jakarta Kitchen series.

Mudslide survivors lose hope for relatives Fidelito Ahmad, The Jakarta Post, Mojokerto Mulyadi, 41, a resident of Jl. Ngagel Tirto, Mojokerto, East Java, burst into tears when a forensic expert at Surabaya's Dr. Soetomo hospital confirmed on Friday that one of the seven unidentified corpses in the hospital morgue was his wife, Sri Utami. The sad confirmation ended his one-day wait from the time the corpses had been taken to Surabaya from Dr.

Indonesia's growing trade in wild animals John Aglionby, Guardian News Service, Jakarta "You name it, we can get it for you," Baki said simply, waving his mobile phone as if to show delivery was just a quick call away. "Monkeys, tarriers, cuscus, birds of paradise, eagles, cockatoos, turtles, gibbons, orang-utans, leopards, panthers, whatever you want.

TV Program: Sunday, December 15, 2002 TVRI 6:00 a.m. News 7:30 Sports 8:00 Quiz 8:30 Children's Program 9:00 Cartoon 10:30 Music 11:00 Maskum Show 12:30 p.m. Traditional Comedy 3:00 Documentary 3:30 Religious Teachings 5:00 Sports 6:00 News 7:00 TV Drama 9:00 News 9:30 Variety Show 11:00 Theater TPI 5:00 a.m. Religious Teachings 6:00 News 7:00 Cartoon 9:00 Entertainment News 10:00 Variety Show 11:00 TV Drama 12:30 p.m.

Young family remodels house stylishly Maria Endah Hulupi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta As a young couple expecting more additions to their new family, they wanted to create more room in their standard house. They also wanted to give their home a different look as all the houses in the neighborhood where they live look alike.

On The Shelves A Club of Small Men, A Children's Tale from Bali; By Collin McPhee; Periplus Editions Ltd, 2002; 48 pp "This is the story of how some small boys in Bali decided among themselves to have a club and learn to play music, and how they became so clever that the Raja (King) invited them to play at his palace when he married a beautiful princess." That is the opening paragraph of A Club of Small Men, A Children's Tale from Bali, presented by author Colin McPhee to lead his readers,...

Disabled with abilities: The ultimate test Debbie A. Lubis, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Disabled people face denial and discrimination daily from their families, society and even the government. They must also deal with a lack of public facilities, public services and opportunities. Most people would buckle under the pressure. But for Nine Rahma, who is blind; Mita, who is deaf; and Opy who is a paraplegic -- their high spirits and bright ideas have enabled them to overcome their limitations.

Kopassus has a special place in RI history Endy M. Bayuni, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Kopassus - Inside Indonesia's Special Forces, By Ken Conboy, Equinox Publishing (Asia), 2002, 320pp Some see them as heroes, others as villains. Some fear and hate them, others admire and hold them in high esteem. However one views Kopassus, no one can deny that the Indonesian Army's Special Forces (Kopassus) are special indeed.

Kolev urges players to shrug off pressure in Myanmar game Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Indonesian soccer team coach Ivan Kolev admitted that the team was suffering from pressure from playing as a host in the Tiger Cup, but assured that his players could cope with it to focus on the game when they take on Myanmar in the opening match at the Bung Karno Stadium here on Sunday. "Suffering from pressure is natural, but we have to work hard to quash it.

Favorite destination for Indonesian tourists Sudibyo M. Wiradji, Contributor, Jakarta For many years, Hong Kong has been a favorite destination for overseas travelers, including Indonesians, who go there not only for business but also for holidays.

Batam Center Grand Mosque: A Rp 15 billion mosque with gorgeous architecture to create a dynamic religious atmosphere. Novotel Batam: One of Batam's star-rated international-standard hotels that is a favorite among expatriates. Global Indo-Asia school: An international school for children of expatriates residing in Batam.

Children drowned on building site INDONESIA: Two children were killed on Saturday while trying to swim across a flooded pit on a construction site next to the Menara Imperium building on Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said, South Jakarta. Mohamad Makjun, 8, and Feri Ardianto, 7, died while three other children were rescued by a passersby. Both victims' bodies were brought to their family homes on Jl. H. Cokong, Pedurenan, South Jakarta. The tragic incident took place at 10 a.m.

How can we help the disabled? The office of outspoken minister Kwik Kian Gie found a simple way to commemorate the International Day of Disabled Persons which fell on Dec. 3. The National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) office on Jl. Taman Suropati, Central Jakarta, just hung a banner on its fence that read: "The government is committed to providing equal treatment for disabled people" (forgive me if I haven't quoted the slogan accurately).

Apartheid for disabled still persists Debbie A. Lubis, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta There are millions of people Surviving in a boundless labyrinth Since all the doors are almost closed Should our heart and soul be as feigned as this plastic flower? While actually we...

(Caption for Spotlight column. Approved by client: Metro Department Store) WISHES COME TRUE AT METRO DEPARTMENT STORE: To celebrate Idul Fitri and Christmas, METRO Department Store is giving its customers the opportunity to win various prizes through its "Wishes Come True" lucky draw, which they write their desired presents on the "Wishing Ketupat" for Idul Fitri and the "Wishing Leaf" for Christmas. The first lucky draw was held on Nov.29,2002 (photo above).

A Prayer Mat By Hawa Arofah "Come home, quickly, Nduk. Your son wants a prayer mat. He wants to join tarawih at the mosque this month. He only wants to use a prayer mat from you," said Emak in her letter which had just arrived in the house I rented. "I would pity him if he refused to join tarawih 'cause you hadn't bought him a prayer mat." I had difficulty breathing. Iwan, my only child, is quite an insistent boy. He does not stop asking for something until his request is granted.

Ba'asyir transferred to Nat'l Police HQ The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Ujung Pandang Abu Bakar Ba'asyir was transferred to the National Police Headquarters' detention center on Saturday after undergoing treatment for almost two months in the Kramat Jati Police Hospital in East Jakarta.

Towards the enforcement of Free Trade Zone in Batam Batam, a comfortable place for investment and settlement Batam is known not only as an industrial estate but also as an attractive tourist resort. The region can also attract investors with its qualified human resources. For these reasons and more it is the correct place for the enforcement of the pending Free Trade Zone Law. Batam boasts modern and international-standard facilities, such as hotels and apartments.

Where to go in Jakarta: Sunday, December 15, 2002 Exhibitions * Jukung-Boats from the Barito Basin, Maritime Museum, Jl. Pasar Ikan No. 1, North Jakarta (Tel. 6693406, 6602476), Tuesday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., until Dec. 23. * Mask by Gallis and Rakidi, The British Council, S. Widjojo Center 1st floor, Jl. Jend. Sudirman Kav. 71, South Jakarta (Tel. 2524115), until Dec. 31. * Photo Nyanyian Periferal by Oscar Motuloh, CCF - French Cultural Center, Jl. Wijaya 48, South Jakarta (Tel.

With her skillful technique, illustrator Trina Bohan Tyrie adds color and nuances to children's books Balinese Children's Favorite Stories and A Club of Small Men. Living here for the past 10 years, Tyrie finds that the hustle and bustle of the capital inspires her. Page 3 The grand tour Capture the varied charms of Brisbane, capital of "beautiful one day, perfect the next" Queensland.

Arranging your own air travel allows more flexibility Rikza Abdullah, Contributor, Jakarta Tourists pursuing special interests generally arrange their own travel to ensure that they have unlimited flexibility on their trip. Flying with an airline or staying at a hotel of their own choice will suit them most both in terms of budget and length of stay.