Irian lacks
Irian lacks qualified teachers
JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: Puncak Jaya regency's dream of quality education will not come true in the foreseeable future because the local teacher training institute has failed to produce qualified teachers, an official said on Tuesday.
The regency established the institute in 1999 after migrant teachers fled the regency in the early 1990s when they were threatened by secessionist activists and rebels.
The institute, which offers a two-year course on elementary school teaching, was set up in cooperation with the Jayapura- based Cendrawasih University as part of a crash program that is expected to produce 200 elementary school teachers in two batches.
Puncak Jaya regent Elieser Renmaur told Antara news agency that the institute was established to compensate for the more than 100 teachers who fled the mountainous regency.
Scores of schools have been closed and hundreds of pupils have had to stay at home.
The regent said many of the first batch of 106 graduates that will graduate in October were unqualified.
"How can they teach? Many of them can hardly read. I am personally disappointed and will seek explanation from Cendrawasih University's rector about how this could happen," Renmaur said.
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Man too old to get married
BANDUNG, West Java: A 70-year-old man who went missing for four days after his children prohibited him from taking another wife was found dead in the well in his backyard on Monday, his relatives said on Tuesday.
Somareja, a resident of Cicalengka, just east of Bandung, was believed to have committed suicide after he was forced to relinquish his dream of marrying the woman he loved, Antara reported.
His relatives said that Somareja became upset when his offspring opposed his marriage plans on account of his age. His body was badly decomposed by the time it was found in the 17- meter-deep well.
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Ferry transport inaugurated
KENDARI, Southeast Sulawesi: Southeast Sulawesi Governor La Ode Kaimoeddin inaugurated on Monday the operation of the Pulau Sagori ferry to serve a new route linking Torobulu in Kendari to Tampo in Muna.
Kaimoeddin said the inauguration of the ferry service showed the central government's support in people-oriented development programs in the region.
"Sea transportation in Southeast Sulawesi is very strategic due to its geographical location," he said, adding that the new facility was expected to benefit the public.
The ferry was manufactured by the Indonesian Shipbuilding Industry (IKI) at a cost of Rp 15 billion (US$1.65 million). The funds to build it were taken from the budget of the province's River, Lake and Ferry Transport (ASDP) Office, Antara reported. (08)
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Mining firm faces lawsuit
MUARA TEWEH, Central Kalimantan: Dozens of residents in Luit Raya in the Permata Intan subdistrict filed a lawsuit against gold-mining company PT Indo Muro Kencana (IMK) over a land dispute.
In the lawsuit, residents are demanding the company pay compensation amounting to Rp 2.6 billion (US$286,501), said Herly S. Penyang, a representative of the 35 neighbors, after a meeting with North Barito Regent Badaruddin.
The demand was first made in 1987 and 1988 when the company resumed its mining activities in an area covering three subdistricts -- Tanah Siang, Kemurung and Permata Intan.
"We've often pushed our demand for compensation, but there has been no positive response as PT IMK defends that the compensation issue is over," he said.
Central Kalimantan Governor Asmawi Agani has urged the regional administration in the North Barito district to settle the problem.
Without giving an exact figure, Herly Penyang said that the villagers agreed to reduce the amount of the compensation. (08)
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883 Cadets Take Part in "Widya Yudha 2001" Military Exercise
MAGELANG, Central Java: As many as 883 cadets of the Military Academy in Magelang, Central Java, join in a military exercise codenamed Widya Yudha 2001 which is taking place in Gunung Kidul regency, Yogyakarta, and its surrounding areas from Sept. 17 to Sept. 22, 2001.
The five-day military exercise which started on Sept. 17 also involves supporting personnel as well as trainers at the Military Academy, spokesman Lt. Col. Heru Kartono was quoted by Antara on Tuesday.
The ceremony marking the start of the exercise was held on MOnday at Academy's Pancasila square in Magelang headed by Vice Governor of the Military Academy Brig. Gen. M. Noer Muis.
Noer Muis said in his address that the military exercise covered technical and tactical aspects and leadership the cadets had received in the class and in other military trainings.
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MATARAM, West Nusatenggara (JP): Udayana Military Commander Mj.Gen. William T da Costa has instructed soldiers posted along the border line between East Nusatenggara and East Timor to shoot on sight every armed person wandering in border areas.
"The instruction to shoot on sight has been given as a firm measure to prevent the Indonesian Militarty (TNI) from being cornered," he told reporters in Mataram, capital of West Nusatenggara, on Tuesday.
"The instruction is also intended to take stern measures against armed civilians who are still found in refugee camps in areas near the borderline between West Timor and East Timor," Antara quoted da Costa as saying.
"We strive to prevent those illegal gun holders from using the weapon in Timor Leste to discredit TNI," he explained, adding that TNI could be accused of sending infiltrators to Timor Leste.
He pointed out that since the issuance of the instruction to shoot on sight no armed person had emerged in border areas so no body had been shot near the borderline.
Udayana Military Command is currently still endeavoring to seize fire arms still ilegally held by East Timorese refugees in East Nusatenggara.
In several operations launched recently by security forces found and confiscated a number of fire arms from refugees. The Udayana Military Commander has continue to call on illegal arm holders to submit their weapon to local military.
Udayana Military Command has even offered funds for compensation for the delivery of every fire arm. The compensation is quite big for certain types of guns, reaching Rp3.5 million for an M16 and Rp2 million for an S1.
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Banda Aceh Administration Eradicates Disguised Prostitution
BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP) - The authority of Banda Aceh, capital of Aceh province, has tightened control over the operation of haircut/hairdressing salons in the city to avoid disguised prostitution practices.
The vice chairman of Commission F of Aceh Legislative Council, Teungku M. Hamdani Makam Albajabir S.Sc tolf Antara here on Tuesday that the tough over haircut/hairdressing salons was necessary before the implementation of the Islamic Law in the region.
According to information, several of the haircut/hairdressing salons operating in the city with a population of 270,000 have abused their permits by functioning as locations for the gathering of call-girls.
Tengku Hamdani pointed out that the tough control over haircut/hairdressing salons allegedly fostering disguised prostitution was pursuant to Law No.44/2000 on the implementation of Islamic Law.
In this connection, he suggested that haircut salons for men should not receive female customers and hairdressing salons for women should not serve male customers so as to avoid disguised prostitution practices.
When the Islamic Law has come into force in Aceh, tight control will be imposed not only on haircut/hairdressing salons, but also on female dress, especially the dress of teenagers, in the region, according to Hamdani.
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PEOPLE IN MAGELANG NOT INTERESTED IN VISITING LIBRARIES
MAGELANG, Central Java (JP) - People in Magelang regency are generally not interested in visiting libraries, according to Magelang Regent Hasyim Afandi.
"Only about 4,000 to 4,700 of the Magelang population estimated at 1.2 million visit libraries every month," Afandi disclosed in his written address read out at the opening of a library book exhibition here on Tuesday.
He pointed out libreries in the regency registered only some 1,000 members, mostly consisting of children.
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