Alpha Amirrachman

WIM MANUHUTU: BRIDGING DIVISIONS IN MALUKU

2012-01-10T22:33:00.000-08:00

First published by The Jakarta Post, February 5, 2011Wim Manuhutu: Bridging divisions in MalukuAlpha Amirrachman, Contributor, AmsterdamWhen Wim Manuhutu was appointed as one of the two directors of the Moluccan Historical Museum (currently Museum Maluku) in 1987, he vowed to run the museum professionally and without any political bias.Hence, during the first exhibition the museum displayed

TRACING THE LIFE HISTORY OF JAVANESE-SURINAMESE

2011-02-15T13:06:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, Sunday, January 09, 2011Book cover of "Migratie en culturreel erfgoed: Verhalen van Javanen in Suriname, Indonesie en Nederland".Migratie en culturreel erfgoed: Verhalen van Javanen in Suriname, Indonesie en Nederland (Migration and cultural heritage: Stories of Javanese in Suriname, Indonesia and the Netherlands). Editors: Lisa Djasmadi, Rosemarijn Hoeftre

NICO SCHULTE NORDHOLT: DUTCH SCHOLAR DEMANDS 'GENUINE' RECOGNITION OF 1945 INDEPENDENCE

2010-07-15T08:21:00.000-07:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, July 8, 2010Nico Schulte Nordholt: Dutch scholar demands ‘genuine’ recognition of 1945 independenceAlpha Amirrachman, Contributor, Leiden | Thu, 07/08/2010 9:18 AM | PeopleWhen Nico Schulte Nordholt and other prominent Dutch intellectuals signed and launched a petition demanding that the Dutch government should genuinely, in a political and moral sense,

MINTARDJO: INDONESIAN AT HEART

2010-07-15T08:02:00.000-07:00

Alpha Amirrachman, Contributor, Terengganu, MalaysiaThe world must still remember the black eye Anwar Ibrahim received from a policeman, which was caught on camera and beamed around the

GEORGE JUNUS ADITJONDRO: STANDING BY THE COUNTRY'S MARGINALIZED

2007-01-11T09:32:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, January 9, 2007GEORGE JUNUS ADITJONDRO: STANDING BY THE COUNTRY'S MARGINALIZEDAlpha Amirrachman, Contributor, Depok, West Java One might never have imagined that one of the most critical and anti-New Order academic and social activists, George Junus Aditjondro, met with president Soeharto at the invitation of the latter at a solemn ceremony at Merdeka Palace

INCREASING ACCESS TO EDUCATION THROUGH INTERNET A VITAL NEED

2007-01-11T09:25:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, January 6, 2007 INCREASING ACCESS TO EDUCATION THROUGH INTERNET A VITAL NEEDAlpha Amirrachman, Jakarta Education Minister Bambang Sudibyo has announced the government's intention to buy the copyrights of school textbooks so they can be downloaded through the Internet free of charge. The plan is not without reason. First, there is a severely unequal access

HUSEIN MUHAMMAD: DETERMINED TO COMBAT THE TRAFFICKING OF WOMEN

2007-01-11T09:18:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, January 4, 2007 HUSEIN MUHAMMAD: DETERMINED TO COMBAT THE TRAFFICKING OF WOMENAlpha Amirrachman, Contributor, Cirebon, West Java Husein Muhammad might be a rather slim Muslim cleric, but his boldness and burning determination cannot be overlooked and are clearly on display when he talked about the degrading conditions under which many women still live here.

REVITALISASI KEARIFAN LOKAL: STUDI RESOLUSI KONFLIK DI KALIMANTAN BARAT, MALUKU DAN POSO

2007-01-11T09:02:00.000-08:00

Book Title: Revitalisasi Kearifan Lokal: Studi Resolusi Konflik di Kalimantan Barat, Maluku dan Poso (Revitalization of Local Wisdoms: Conflict Resolution Studies in West Kalimantan, Maluku and Poso)Editor: Alpha AmirrachmanWriters: Tamrin Amal Tomagola, John Haba, Lies Marantika, George Junus Aditjondro, Ridwan Rosdiawan, Zaenuddin Hudi, Ibrahim M. Shalej, Hasbollah Toisuta, Abubakar Kabakoran,

ADRIANUS MELIALA: PUSHING FOR REFORM OF INDONESIAN POLICE

2006-12-08T19:06:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, December 8, 2006ADRIANUS MELIALA: PUSHING FOR REFORM OF INDONESIAN POLICEAlpha Amirrachman, Contributor, JakartaAsked about the progress of police reform in Indonesia, criminologist and police analyst Adrianus Eliasta Sembiring Meliala said that it was obvious, but the direct benefit for citizens would not be realized in one night."This is because police

MARIAM ALIMI: FIGHTING FOR AFGHAN WOMEN

2006-11-28T21:42:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, November 29, 2006 MARIAM ALIMI: FIGHTING FOR AFGHAN WOMENAlpha Amirrachman, Contributor, Cirebon, West Java Mariam Alimi was only a two-year-old toddler when she and all members of her family secretly tried to escape from war-torn Afghanistan. However, stories passed down by her parents and siblings told of many tragic events in a country torn by

HABIB ZARBALIYEV: PROMOTING INDONESIA IN AZERBAIJAN

2006-11-23T23:29:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, November 24, 2006HABIB ZARBALIYEV: PROMOTING INDONESIA IN AZERBAIJANAlpha Amirrachman, Contributor, JakartaTalk with Azerbaijan linguist Habib Zarbaliyev, and you will be astonished at his fluent Bahasa Indonesia.This is despite the fact that he has visited Indonesia only twice, and never stayed in the country for long.The first visit was in February 2002 for

YUSUF SURACHMAN DJAJADIHARDJA: PREDICTING EARTHQUAKES AND TSUNAMIS

2006-11-08T00:13:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, November 8, 2006YUSUF SURACHMAN DJAJADIHARDJA: PREDICTING EARTHQUAKES AND TSUNAMISAlpha Amirrachman, Contributor, JakartaTwo days after Pangandaran beach in West Java was hit by an earthquake, marine geologist Yusuf Surachman Djajadihardja was interviewed by a reporter from a national TV station."Pak Yusuf, can you predict where the next earthquake will

SYAFIQ HASYIM: GENDER SPECIALIST WITHIN ISLAM

2006-11-07T01:24:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, November 4, 2006SYAFIQ HASYIM: GENDER SPECIALIST WITHIN ISLAMAlpha Amirrachman, Contributor, JakartaSyafiq Hasyim studied Philosophy and Theology at the Faculty of Ushuluddin of Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University in Jakarta in the 1990s.During that time, he observed that many women's organizations had difficulty in advocating women's rights and in

UTOMO DANANJAYA: THE MAN BEHIND BREEDING OF PROMINENT FIGURES

2006-11-07T01:16:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, October 30, 2006UTOMO DANANJAYA: THE MAN BEHIND BREEDING OF PROMINENT FIGURES Alpha Amirrachman, Contributor, JakartaTalk with 70-year old Utomo Dananjaya, and you will feel his warm and witty candor.However, despite his lively mind, the man who has organized Majelis Reboan (Wednesday Discussion Forum) for more than 20 years seemed to realize that his age is

YANTI SRIYULIANTI: PROMOTING AWARENESS OF EDUCATION

2006-11-07T01:03:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, October 26, 2006YANTI SRIYULIANTI: PROMOTING AWARENESS OF EDUCATIONAlpha Amirrachman, Contributor, JakartaIn 1999, Yanti Sriyulianti she was accepted as a volunteer as a staff in the learning resource division at a private elementary school where her daughter also studied.“Relations between teachers and parents were conducive, with parents enthusiastically

JORDAN NEWTON: VOLUNTEERING TO BRIDGE AUSTRALIA-RI GAP

2006-10-21T02:14:00.000-07:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, Oct. 18, 2006JORDAN NEWTON: VOLUNTEERING TO BRIDGE AUSTRALIA-RI GAP Alpha Amirrachman, Contributor, JakartaWhen Australian Jordan Newton visited Persatuan Islam (Persis) Islamic school in Bandung last August for a dialog with its students, he was confronted with an inconceivable, yet intriguing question from one of the students: "Is it true that there is a

EVA KUSUMA SUNDARI: TACKLING SOCIETY'S MISCONCEPTIONS OF WOMEN

2006-10-12T00:05:00.000-07:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, October 12, 2006EVA KUSUMA SUNDARI: TACKLING SOCIETY'S MISCONCEPTIONS OF WOMEN Alpha Amirrachman, Contributor, JakartaWhen asked about the role of women and their social situation in Indonesia, Eva Kusuma Sundari looked gloomy and disappointed.However, she immediately bombarded The Jakarta Post with facts and arguments during an interview at her office in the

MOESLIM ABDURRAHMAN: FIGHTING AGAINST RELIGIOUS CONSERVATISM

2006-10-06T02:53:00.000-07:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, October 5, 2006MOESLIM ABDURRAHMAN: FIGHTING AGAINST RELIGIOUS CONSERVATISMAlpha Amirrachman, Contributor, JakartaMuslim scholar and activist Moeslim Abdurrahman cannot hide his anxiety.Conservatism is allegedly growing within Muhammadiyah, the country's second-largest Muslim organization, which claims to have 30 million members in Indonesia."I'm worried about

KHALIDA SALIMI: WOMEN'S ACTIVIST IN PAKISTAN

2006-09-18T09:19:00.000-07:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, September 18, 2006KHALIDA SALIMI: WOMEN'S ACTIVIST IN PAKISTANAlpha Amirrachman, Contributor, JakartaIn the 1970s Khalida Salimi was at Lahore College for Women studying Sociology and Journalism.She was actively involved in challenging General Zia-ul-Haq's military government, which strictly imposed Hudood Ordinances, a set of Islamic penal laws misused to

JACKLEVYN FRITS MANUPUTTY: PROMOTING RECONCILIATION AMONG MALUKU PEOPLE

2006-08-30T07:04:00.000-07:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, August 30, 2006JACKLEVYN FRITS MANUPUTTY: PROMOTING RECONCILIATION AMONG MALUKU PEOPLEAlpha Amirrachman, Contributor, Ambon, MalukuJacklevyn "Jacky" Frits Manuputty is well-built, which gives him the appearance of an athlete rather than a Protestant priest.But he is no mere priest who preaches from an ivory tower; he is also an energetic social activist who

KRISTIANUS 'ATOK': INSTILLING NONVIOLENCE VIA EDUCATION

2006-07-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, July 25, 2006KRISTIANUS 'ATOK': INSTILLING NONVIOLENCE VIA EDUCATIONAlpha Amirrachman, Contributor, PontianakDuring his childhood, Kristianus "Atok" lived in the village of Setom, Hulu District, Landak Regency, West Kalimantan, where about 70 percent of its 200 population were Madurese.He was an indigenous Catholic Dayak, yet he mingled with the Muslim

NEIGHBORS RI, AUSTRALIA MUST LEARN TO LIVE TOGETHER

2006-04-07T07:11:00.000-07:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, April 7, 2006 NEIGHBORS RI, AUSTRALIA MUST LEARN TO LIVE TOGETHER Alpha Amirrachman, Serang, Banten The love-hate relationship between Indonesia and neighboring Australia has again come to the fore following Australia's decision to grant temporary visas to Papuan asylum seekers. Indonesia was dazed and perplexed -- gasping in surprise at how swiftly

IRWAN TAHIR MANGGALA: PROMOTING EDUCATION IN MALUKU

2006-04-06T06:26:00.000-07:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, April 6, 2006 IRWAN TAHIR MANGGALA: PROMOTING EDUCATION IN MALUKU Alpha Amirrachman, Contributor, Ambon If in Jakarta you recognize Kak Seto as a person dedicated to children's education, in Maluku you will meet Irwan Tahir Manggala, or Kak Iwan, concerned with the development of children's education in a province that was once wracked by communal

Short Story: THE NIGHT THE PHONE RANG

2006-03-27T05:27:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, March 26, 2006Short Story: THE NIGHT THE PHONE RANGBy Alpha AmirrachmanThe telephone rang piercingly, breaking the long silence. But Siska Anggraini did not move an inch. It was the middle of a drizzling night; the heavy rain had just let up.A cold breeze sneaked impishly through Siska's body, penetrating her soft skin before coming to rest against bone,

LOCAL WISDOM PREVENTS CONFLICT ESCALATION IN MALUKU

2006-03-22T03:47:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, March 20, 2006LOCAL WISDOM PREVENTS CONFLICT ESCALATIONAlpha Amirrachman, Ambon, MalukuAlong the 30-kilometer road from Pattimura airport to the Maluku capital Ambon, the view of destroyed churches, mosques and houses no longer shocks most Ambonese.In a taxi that charged three times as much as before the conflict, the driver explained which areas belonged to

STRENGTHENING COMMITMENT TO RETURN TEACHING INTO ITS NOBLE AND MEANINGFUL PROFESSION

2006-03-10T07:44:00.000-08:00

First published in the Fourth Quarter Report 2005 (October-December), issued in March 2006, Sampoerna FoundationSTRENGTHENING COMMITMENT TO RETURN TEACHING INTO ITS NOBLE AND MEANINGFUL PROFESSION Alpha Amirrachman Comparing today’s teachers to those who lived in the previous era seems to be very ironic. Becoming a teacher then was perceived highly respective in the society, but now many will

FREEPORT AND THE CRISIS OF MULTINATIONAL COMPANIES

2006-03-09T03:14:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, March 9, 2006FREEPORT AND MNC CRISISAlpha Amirrachman, Serang, BantenLocal miners, armed with bows and arrows, clashed with security guards, soldiers and police after they sifted through PT Freeport Indonesia's tailings in Papua (The Jakarta Post, Feb. 27, 2006). It is not unusual for a multinational company operating in a developing country to be embroiled in

SULASTOMO'S ACCOUNTABILITY TO 1965 TRAGEDY

2006-02-26T06:05:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, February 26, 2006SULASTOMO'S ACCOUNTABILITY TO 1965 TRAGEDYAlpha Amirrachman, Contributor, JakartaDi Balik Tragedi 1965 (Behind the 1965 Tragedy)Yayasan Pustaka Umat. Januari 2006. 179 pp.Sulastomo has presented his personal account of the 1965 aborted coup in his book Di Balik Tragedi 1965 (Behind the 1965 Tragedy). As a chairman of the Indonesian Muslim

RI SCHOOLS LANGUISH IN EDUCATIONAL BACKWATER

2006-02-24T21:35:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, February 25, 2006 RI SCHOOLS LANGUISH IN EDUCATIONAL BACKWATERAlpha Amirrachman, Serang, Banten The National Education Standardization Agency (BSNP) is reportedly planning to overhaul the much-criticized Competency-based Curriculum (CBC), which was introduced only in 2004, because of the yawning gap between its "ideal" and the very reality of our

UNTIRTA TRIES TO BREAK 'LITERATURE DEADLOCK'

2006-02-06T05:13:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, February 5, 2006UNTIRTA TRIES TO BREAK 'LITERATURE DEADLOCK'Alpha Amirrachman, Contributor, Serang, Banten In this era of global capitalism, materialism has rigorously marginalized the value of humanity. In education, for example, subjects that are perceived to be able to broaden one's knowledge and skills to survive in the era, such as economics, have become

PESANTREN COMMUNITIES 'UNABLE' TO ACCEPT PLURALISM, TOLERANCE

2006-01-27T05:53:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, January 26, 2006PESANTREN COMMUNITIES 'UNABLE' TO ACCEPT PLURALISM, TOLERANCEAlpha Amirrachman, JakartaThe recent research conducted by the International Center for Islam and Pluralism (ICIP), the Indonesian Islamic Boarding School Association (BKSPPI) and AusAID, in which I was involved, shows that many pesantren (Islamic boarding schools), both traditional (

ARE WE A TRUE REFLECTIVE NATION?

2006-01-06T22:19:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, January 7, 2006ARE WE A TRUE REFLECTIVE NATION?Alpha Amirrachman, JakartaReflection in this context refers to a thought, idea or opinion formed as the result of deep contemplation on an action or value that has been put into practice.John Dewey (1859-1952), one of America's most influential philosophers, said the "union of observation and memory" was at the

VOLUNTEER GROUP SUPPORTS ACEHNESE TO EMBRACE FUTURE

2006-01-05T06:36:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, December 18, 2005VOLUNTEER GROUP SUPPORTS ACEHNESE TO EMBRACE FUTUREAlpha Amirrachman, Contributor/JakartaThe first time when the team from Al-Azhar Community Development in Aceh (ACDA) surveyed the catastrophe in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, the members were deeply disturbed by the palpable feeling of disorientation emanating from many of the survivors.However,

TEACHERS AND THE LACK OF DEMOCRATIC CHARACTER

2006-01-05T05:01:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, December 21, 2005TEACHERS AND THE LACK OF DEMOCRATIC CHARACTERAlpha Amirrachman, JakartaIs democratic character shaped by training? Many would answer "yes", including Victoria Camps in her essay Education for Democracy. She wrote, "If democratic behavior means the acquisition of certain habits, certain civic virtues, these can only be inculcated through

GIVING TEACHERS AND LECTURERS THEIR DUES

2006-01-05T04:57:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, November 18, 2005GIVING TEACHERS AND LECTURERS THEIR DUESAlpha Amirrachman, JakartaNov. 25 will be a moment of truth for the education sector in Indonesia. It is the day the government and the House of Representatives (DPR) have agreed to officially endorse the teachers and lecturers bill and to recognize "Teachers and Lecturers NationalDay" after a six

WHAT INDONESIANS THINK OF AUSTRALIA

2006-01-05T04:43:00.000-08:00

WHAT INDONESIANS THINK OF AUSTRALIASBS Insight 05 October 2005The following is a transcript of an episode of Insight titled "Neighbours", recorded in Jakarta and broadcast October 4,2005 on SBS TV Australia. Taken from Insight Transcripts:For some time Insight has been planning to produce a special edition of Insight from the Indonesian capital, Jakarta. We've had plenty to say about Indonesia

RELIGIOSITY IN THE ERA OF SELF-CONSUMERISM, SELF-SATISFACTION

2006-01-05T04:28:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, November 4, 2005RELIGIOSITY IN THE ERA OF CONSUMERISM, SELF-STISFACTIONAhmad Fuad Fanani and Alpha Amirrachman, JakartaThis current era of consumerism has appallingly become our lifestyle, and it is obvious that human beings are increasingly dependent upon ever-developing technology. Consciously or not, our lives now greatly depend on the commercials that

SOE HOK GIE: AN UNSHAKABLE IDEALIST OF HIS TIME

2006-01-05T04:11:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, August 28, 2005SOE HOK GIE: AN UNSHAKABLE IDEALIST OF HIS TIMEAlpha Amirrachman, Contributor, JakartaDuring his short-lived career as an intellectual, Soe Hok Gie (1942-1969) meticulously recorded the dramatic transition of this nation from Sukarno's regime to Soeharto's New Order.Born the son of writer Soe Lie Piet, or Salam Sutrawan, Gie, both as a student

EDUCATION FOR PEACE VITAL FOR REINTEGRATION IN ACEH

2006-01-05T04:05:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, September 5, 2005EDUCTION FOR PEACE VITAL FOR REINTEGRATION IN ACEHAlpha Amirrachman, JakartaDuring the three-decade war between the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), burning down schools in conflict areas was a common occurrence, with the two sides generally blaming each other for the vandalism.This of course was before the Dec. 26

TEACHERS AS A LIBERATING FORCE

2006-01-05T04:01:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, August 15, 2005TEACHERS AS A LIBERATING FORCEAlpha Amirrachman, JakartaThe threat by former Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung to sue teacher and school textbook author Retno Listyarti is quite alarming for the teaching profession, the members of which have suffered for decades from low salaries and poor social status in society.In our country, teachers are

CONCEICAO EXAMINES TURMOIL OF MODERN INDONESIA

2006-01-05T03:57:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, August 14, 2005CONCEICAO EXAMINES TURMOIL OF MODERN INDONESIAAlpha Amirrachman, Contributor, JakartaIndonesia's Six Years of Living Dangerously: From Habibie through Gus Dur to Megawati, Will Yudhoyono Succeed?J.F. ConceicaoHorizon Books, Singapore, 2005 111 ppWhile foreign observers of social and political issues in Indonesia usually hail from Western

RELIGIOUS AUTHORITARIANISM

2006-01-05T03:48:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, August 5, 2005RELIGIOUS AUTHORITARIANISMAhmad Fuad Fanani and Alpha Amirrachman, JakartaReligious violence seems often to have been triggered by differing ideological interpretations of texts. The danger is that when one group emotionally attacks another often the substance of the interpretation problems become blurred as blind stereotyping overwhelms a

THE BAN ON RELIGIOUS PLURALISM

2006-01-05T03:44:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, August 3, 2005THE BAN ON RELIGIOUS PLURALISMAlpha Amirrachman, JakartaA friend who is currently attending an international conference at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the U.S. sent an email. He wrote about his experience walking along a corridor, the Infinity Corridor, which not only functions to connect MIT's buildings but also to

THE PRICE OF LIFE-LONG LOYALTY

2006-01-05T03:39:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, Sunday, July 17, 2005THE PRICE OF LIFE-LONG LOYALTYA Short Story by Alpha Amirrachman"Please work for us, Mbak. We would like you to take care of our children." That's what Syarif had said to her, oh-so many years ago.Jami closed her eyes, biting her lips hard. Her tears had dried up, leaving behind loneliness to anguish her.There should be no regret, as her

HOW EDUCATION CAN CREATE A SPIRIT OF PLURALISM

2006-01-05T03:27:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, July 16, 2005HOW EDUCATION CAN CREATE A SPIRIT OF PLURALISMAlpha Amirrachman, JakartaAfter a pause of superficial tranquility, the shocking string of attacks that rocked the country recently is evidence enough our society has not been able to fully escape from a culture of violence and division. Suspicion, hatred, and prejudice, it seems, still run deep in

THE BENEFITS AND PITFALLS OF THE NEW CURRICULUM

2006-01-05T03:22:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, June 25, 2005BENEFITS AND PITFALLS OF THE NEW CURRICULUMAlpha Amirrachman, JakartaIt has been a year since the introduction of the new competence-based curriculum, but a pile of basic questions has been left poorly answered: Why a competence-based curriculum? Is it possible to pursue this while many teachers are still perceived as "incompetent"? How to validly

DEVELOPING GENDER EQUALITY IN INDONESIA THROUGH EDUCATION

2006-01-05T03:18:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, June 11, 2005DEVELOPING GENDER EQUALITY IN INDONESIA THROUGH EDUCATIONAlpha Amirrachman, JakartaDespite the recently lifted beauty pageant ban slapped on our women -- which prevent any from participation in the Miss Universe competition in 1996 -- on the grounds of "cultural, religious and sexual exploitation" reasons, gender inequality has always been

AUSTRALIA-RI TIES TESTED

2006-01-05T03:13:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, June 2, 2005AUSTRALIA-RI TIES TESTEDAlpha Amirrachman, JakartaAgain, relations between Indonesia and its southern neighbor, Australia, have been tested, this time by the case of Schapelle Leigh Corby. This young former beautician was sentenced to 20 years in prison by the Denpasar District Court for smuggling 4.1 kilograms of marijuana into Bali.The Australian

NURLAILA, AN EXAMPLE OF ABUSE AGAINST TEACHERS

2006-01-05T03:05:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, May 21, 2005NURLAILA, AN EXAMPLE OF ABUSE AGAINST TEACHERSAlpha Amirrachman, JakartaOne leading national newspaper reported not long ago that some teachers and students filed a judicial review of Law No. 20/2003 on national education. They argued that basic education should be extended from elementary school to high school. They also insisted that the gradual

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AUNG SAN SUU KYI

2006-01-05T03:02:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, June 21, 2005HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AUNG SAN SUU KYIAlpha Amirrachman, JakartaOn Sunday, June 19, Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi celebrated her 60th birthday. The Southeast Asian democratic icon whose endless spirit to bring democracy and freedom to her people has galvanized democracy movements internationally, has endured nine of the last 16 years behind

DECENTRALIZATION OF EDUCATION OFTEN MISINTERPRETED

2006-01-05T02:56:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, May 8, 2005DECENTRALIZATION OF EDUCATION OFTEN MISINTERPRETEDAlpha Amirrachman, Contributor, SydneyIn his article published on The Jakarta Post on April 16, Mateus Yumarmanto raised concern that the government had adopted an approach that groups schoolchildren according to their intellectual abilities and the financial capacity of their parents.According to

TEACHING HUMAN RIGHTS AT SCHOOL?

2006-01-05T02:52:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, May 2, 2005TEACHING HUMAN RIGHTS AT SCHOOLS?Alpha Amirrachman, JakartaDuring my time as a teacher at some non-formal education institutions, I found the students to be relaxed in their expression of ideas. Jokes that mocked the New Order regime were carefully timed during discussions, making us chuckle. At public schools, however, students were generally tense

THE HUMANISTIC CHARACTER OF OUR SOUTHERN NEIGHBOR

2006-01-05T02:46:00.000-08:00

First published in The Jakarta Post, April 1, 2005THE HUMANISTIC CHARACTER OF OUR SOUTHERN NEIGHBORAlpha Amirrachman, JakartaAs a person lucky enough to win an Australian Development Scholarship, I had the privilege of not only developing my research skills and enhancing my academic standing at the oldest Australian university, but also to delve into the heart of the Australian way of life and