Female artist, NGO help fight against human trafficking Sri Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Gunungkidul, Yogyakarta The fourth grade students looked very happy as renowned TV presenter Dewi Hughes "taught" in front of their class. "So, what do you think is the moral of the story, dear students?" she asked tenderly while waving a piece of purple paper with a comic strip on it.

Part 1 of 2 Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono Jakarta Some 57 years ago, in 1948, Vice-President Mohammad Hatta made a speech titled Mendayung di antara dua karang or rowing between two reefs. The reefs that Vice President Hatta referred to in his historic speech were, the growing antagonism between two opposing Eastern Communist and Western Capitalist Blocks. Vice-President Hatta argued strongly that, Indonesia must avoid choosing sides between the two blocks.

President's anti-corruption drive From Koran Tempo President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's move to fight corruption offers hope for tougher action against graft practices. He has started with the formation of a coordinating team for corruption eradication. The step has received a mixed reaction from the community, but at least it reflects the government's strong commitment. So we should not be overly skeptical or pessimistic because this measure has a positive aim.

Relief aid still stranded in Belawan port Apriadi Gunawan The Jakarta Post/Medan Hundreds of containers of humanitarian relief aid are still stranded in Belawan port in North Sumatra despite central government instructions that all of them be taken immediately to tsunami and earthquake victims in Aceh and Nias island.

Singapore Embassy responds I refer to the article S'pore a 'killing field' for RI migrant workers: Study, published in The Jakarta Post on May 16. The article, based on a "study" carried out by the Institute for Ecosoc Rights (IER), contains unsubstantiated allegations and factual inaccuracies concerning the working conditions of Indonesian domestic workers in Singapore. In particular, the use of the term "killing field" is irresponsible and reprehensible.

Businessmen could take their own interests into the public sphere, a common phenomenon during the Soeharto era. ;JP;CD; ANPAk..r..

Residents block Ambon street AMBON, Maluku: Residents from the Batumerah subdistrict blocked a main street in Ambon city from Friday night to Saturday morning to protest police detentions of several locals. The blockade of a main thoroughfare leading into the Batumerah area caused large traffic jams. It was voluntarily called off after Ambon police Adj. Sr. Comr. Leonidas Braksan spoke to the demonstrators on Saturday.

UNICEF sponsors children Jambore BANDA ACEH, Aceh: Achnese children will two days of fun and games on Monday and Tuesday when the Ministry of Social Affairs and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) hold the Aceh Children's Jamboree on May 23 and 24. The event, to be held in Syah Kuala University compound, will be participated in by hundreds of children who survived the tsunami disaster that swept through Aceh and North Sumatra on Dec. 26 last year.

Bandarlampung candidates fight to win support of paramilitary group Oyos Saroso H.N., The Jakarta Post, Bandarlampung Should a dangerous, paramilitary-style martial arts group be mixed up in the equally volatile world of politics? People are asking themselves this question in Bandarlampung, where the leader of the Paku Banten organization has come out support of a mayor candidate, angering some of his senior leadership.

Rector Forum to oversee Jambi poll JAMBI: Poll fraud is likely in Jambi as there is only one organization accredited to observe the June 26 election for the post of Jambi Governor, an election official says. "Three organizations had applied to help oversee the (regional) elections, but after thorough checking only one organization was found to be eligible ... the Rector's Forum," a member of the Jambi General Elections Commission (KPUD), Yasir Arafat, said on Saturday.

Lampung teachers wait three months to be paid Oyos Saroso H.N. The Jakarta Post/Bandarlampung Thousands of contract teachers in Lampung have not been paid in the last three months, with some no longer being able to afford public transport in order to go to work. Nur Aminah, a 24-year-old teacher at an elementary school in Bandarlampung, said that lack of money has put her in debt to an ojek (motorcycle taxi) driver who takes her to school.

RI democratic consolidation From Bisnis Indonesia The deepening and expansion of democracy, or democratic consolidation, needs behavioral and institutional changes that reflect socioeconomic demands and democratic values in society. Studies of democratization have mentioned several factors contributing to such consolidation: the quality of civil society, the levels of consensus and nonconsensus among elite circles, the bureaucracy's capacity and effectiveness, and the rule of law.

Substandard pay in Jakarta From Republika I am a courier for a leading joint venture between Indonesia and Britain, and have to go to work early every morning, and I originally expected to earn a decent salary. However, it turns out that all I receive is a wage no better than the regional minimum wage (UMR) already fixed for the Jakarta region.

SBY is on his way to Washington Strengthening Indonesian- American ties Hasjim Djalal Jakarta 2. ICWA -- 1 X 30 Revisiting our foreign policy Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono Jakarta A two-part article

;JP;MDS;CD; ANPAk..r.. A foreign affair JP/6/EDIT25 A foreign affair President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono embarks today on, arguably, his most important state visit since taking office. For the next 10 days, he will visit two global powers -- the United States and Japan -- along with fellow Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) member Vietnam. This will be the President's fifth foreign trip since taking office in October, and the most watched since his first overseas trip last year.

It would be realistic to assume that U.S. interests lie in the stability, prosperity and unity of Indonesia.

TNI and police still needed in Aceh In the May 14 edition of The Jakarta Post, critics asked why the government failed to withdraw troops from Aceh after lifting the state of civil emergency in the province. The most convincing answer to the critics was given by the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels themselves, by attacking the government recently, wounding two members of the Indonesian Military (TNI), and leaving two GAM members dead.