Pill for men on the way
MATARAM, West Nusa Tenggara: Contraceptive pills will soon no longer be exclusively for women.
Imam Suharyadi, deputy chairman of the National Family Planning Board (BKKBN) said that a pharmaceutical laboratory in Bandung is developing the pill.
Imam said that the pills are expected to be mass produced by the end of this year.
The new contraceptive is expected to raise men's participation in the state-sponsored family planning program. Currently, men comprise a mere 3 percent, or 750,000, of the 25 million registered participants, according to official statistics.
The most common family planning methods available for men at present are the condom and vasectomy.
The government is embarking on a campaign to boost men's participation in the family planning program.--Antara
;ANTARA; ANPAa..r.. Scene-Natuna-Vietnam RI, Vietnam set continental boundary JP/8/SCENE
RI, Vietnam set continental boundary
NEW YORK: Indonesia and Vietnam are completing discussions on the continental boundary they share to the north of Indonesia's Natuna island.
"Generally, there is nothing more significant (to reach an agreement on). We are only trying to accelerate discussions on the continental boundary," visiting Indonesian Ambassador to Vietnam Aiyub Mohsin told Antara here Wednesday.
Aiyub said that after 20 meetings only 1,200 square miles of 12,000 square miles needed to be resolved, as the rest had already been settled.
Aiyub said Indonesia was represented by its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Indonesian Navy and the Ministry of Mines and Energy in the discussions.
"The discussions are still ongoing. Hopefully, they will be completed in the near future," he said.
;ANTARA; ANPAa..r.. Scene-Theys-probe Papuans seek international team JP/8/SCENE
Papuans seek international team
JAYAPURA: The Papuan Presidium Council (PDP) and three non- governmental organizations are demanding President Megawati Soekarnoputri form an independent international team to investigate the murder of independence activist Theys Hiyo Eluay.
The demand came amid disappointment over the ongoing investigation by the Army and the National Commission of Human Rights (Komnas-HAM). After a few weeks the investigation has not come out with any clear results.
Presidium deputy chairman Tom Beanal said that the Papuan people awaited concrete action by President Megawati to unravel the mystery surrounding the Nov. 11 murder of Theys, PDP's charismatic chairman.
Meanwhile, the Legal Aid Institute of Jayapura, the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) and the Institute for Studies and Advocacy of Human Rights (Elsham) have rejected any team set up by the government.
The three NGOs doubt the independence of any government- sponsored teams. Besides, they suspect that the government may be involved in the murder. --Antara