Thursday, March 20, 2008
Highest Bird Flu Death Toll 105
By Wahyuana
Jakarta – Muhammad Andika, baby 3 years, has died on Saturday last week by avian influenza, said official of health ministry. The case is bringing Indonesia to be world highest cases of bird flu to 105 death tolls of 129 cases.
Indonesian health ministry's director general for illness control and environmental health I Nyoman Kandun said on Sunday that all examinations on the blood samples of the boy's had showed that he was contracted by H5N1 virus.
"Based on laboratory test of the Eijkman Biological Molecular Laboratory and the Research and Development Laboratory of Health Ministry Body has indicated that he is positively invected avian influenza," said I Nyoman Kadun.
The boy lived with his family at Kebayoran Lama District, South Jakarta. Andika starting sick on February 5, 2008 with number indications are feverish, coughing and asphyxia. After tens days under hospitalized he is dies on February 16, 2006 at Persahabatan Hospital, West Jakarta.
Based on field investigation of the Environmental Health and Illness Control Bureau of Health Ministry were fund any 5-6 the chicken butchery and collecting place at around his family house.
Last week on February 10, 2008, APP –a nickname of 16 years teenager boy has died at Dr. Moewardi hospital at Solo, Central Java –around 477 kilometres east Jakarta. Test laboratory by health ministry department said he has invected H5N1 virus. Local health ministry official said a day before sick is 5 chickens at around his house were dies and he was slaughter some chickens leaving.
Indonesia is highest country hit bird flu since avian influenza attack across Asian 2003. About 105 peoples were dies of 129 bird flu cases spreading across country. Jakarta Capital, West Java Province, Banten Province, East Java Province and Central Java Province are most attached.
More than 225 people have died worldwide from attach the virus, according to the World Health Organization's Web site.
Indonesia is tropical country that the virus is adaptive to grow up and spreading. With the population is large poor, the traditional poultry is well income for the common peoples.
Indonesia was planed to budgeting more than US $ 61 millions to handle this pandemic for 2008 run.***
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
"Unknown, therefore unloved": An interview with Meutya Hafid
by Wahyuana
26 February 2008
Jakarta - Meutya Hafid is a global journalist. She was held hostage by a militant group while covering the war in Iraq, and recently travelled to Australia on a three-week exchange program after receiving Australia's Elizabeth O'Neil Award for Journalism. The award, granted to one Indonesian and one Australian, fosters mutual understanding between the two countries while promoting accurate and informed media coverage. Hafid speaks with journalist Wahyuana about her experiences in Australia and the Middle East, as well as her views on democracy, Jewish-Muslim relations and the role the media should play in encouraging dialogue instead of divisions.
What did you do while you were in Australia?
As we know, Australia is a country with a complex, multi-cultural migrant society. While I was there, I engaged in dialogue with Jewish and Muslim minorities, as well as certain racial minorities.
What is life like for minority groups in Australia, particularly Muslims?
Structurally, minorities receive equal treatment from the government, though socially they are often discriminated against by majority groups. For instance, Australian Muslim women are sometimes insulted and mocked because they wear hijab. However, minority groups have the right to bring up their concerns in public debate or before a human rights council, where the options are either negotiated settlement or going to court.
In Indonesia, there are many serious cases of discrimination that are mentioned only briefly in the media before being forgotten by the public. The case of Ahmadiyya, a Muslim community that believes the second advent of Jesus has been fulfilled, comes to mind. The community's mosques were recently vandalised by some groups that accused them of deviating from Islamic doctrine. Police took many Ahmadiyya followers "to safety", but in doing so gave the attackers virtual free rein to vandalise that property.
Do you believe that the issue of protection for minority rights is part of a clash of civilisations?
I don't see it as a clash of civilisations. It's a phenomenon that usually happens in countries with significant majority and minority groups. In Indonesia, this kind of racialism and/or discrimination sometimes emerges subconsciously, over ethnic and group differences.
Meanwhile, in Australia, immigrants come from many different cultures and countries – Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and elsewhere. Integration takes time and does not always occur smoothly, yet in Australia all citizens are legally protected from discrimination, no matter where they come from or what colour their skin is. I think Australia can serve as a multi-cultural model.
What makes Muslim minorities in Australia appear to be better protected than Muslim minorities in Indonesia?
This may be because democracy is deeply rooted in government systems in Australia. Australian minority groups are also well aware of their rights. For example, in several states where migrant populations are dense, the police have created multicultural division units that not only take legal action over conflicts related to cultural differences, but are also responsible for building intercultural harmony. They work together with religious minorities and community leaders.
Is democracy the best way to protect minority rights?
I think democracy is one of the best ways, though I don't think it's the only way. It should be remembered that democracy is not only the awareness of one's rights, but also of one's responsibilities. If those can be balanced, I think that conflict can be minimised.
Besides democratisation, good values, such as religious beliefs that are deeply rooted in individuals, certainly play a major role in reducing majority-minority issues. There is no religion that teaches aggression against minorities in its midst.
When you visited Israel and Palestine at the invitation of the Australian/Israeli Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC), did you see a similar phenomenon to what you see in Australia or Indonesia?
The situation in Israel and Palestine is very different from the situation in Australia. However, something I noticed that was interesting in Israel and Palestine was that, at the grassroots level, individual Jews and Muslims actually need each other and depend on each other. Many Israeli houses are built by Palestinian workers. And several of the Palestinian journalists that I met preferred to live and work in Tel Aviv. Also, during a dialogue I observed between political leaders, such as former Israeli's Prime Minister Shimon Peres and the mayor of Ramallah, I felt their palpable desire to create peace.
In both the Middle East and South East Asia, how do you see the relationship between the Muslim world and the West?
There is an estrangement between the Muslim world and the West because of misunderstandings between the two communities. I think what is happening is a clash created intentionally by specific groups on both sides who have various ulterior motives.
I deeply encourage dialogue between civilisations, cultures, religions and/or beliefs. We need to know each other, and accept that we are indeed different, yet put those differences in the context of our different histories and of our commonalities. The media should play a major role by providing more accurate and fair information about both sides, making room for greater understanding and appreciation, and providing an alternative to the proverb "Unknown, therefore unloved".
* Wahyuana is a Jakarta-based journalist and founder of the Maluku Media Centre (MMC), an institution for peace, conflict resolution and peace journalism. This article was written for the Common Ground News Service (CGNews) and can be accessed at www.commongroundnews.org.
by Wahyuana
26 February 2008
Jakarta - Meutya Hafid is a global journalist. She was held hostage by a militant group while covering the war in Iraq, and recently travelled to Australia on a three-week exchange program after receiving Australia's Elizabeth O'Neil Award for Journalism. The award, granted to one Indonesian and one Australian, fosters mutual understanding between the two countries while promoting accurate and informed media coverage. Hafid speaks with journalist Wahyuana about her experiences in Australia and the Middle East, as well as her views on democracy, Jewish-Muslim relations and the role the media should play in encouraging dialogue instead of divisions.
What did you do while you were in Australia?
As we know, Australia is a country with a complex, multi-cultural migrant society. While I was there, I engaged in dialogue with Jewish and Muslim minorities, as well as certain racial minorities.
What is life like for minority groups in Australia, particularly Muslims?
Structurally, minorities receive equal treatment from the government, though socially they are often discriminated against by majority groups. For instance, Australian Muslim women are sometimes insulted and mocked because they wear hijab. However, minority groups have the right to bring up their concerns in public debate or before a human rights council, where the options are either negotiated settlement or going to court.
In Indonesia, there are many serious cases of discrimination that are mentioned only briefly in the media before being forgotten by the public. The case of Ahmadiyya, a Muslim community that believes the second advent of Jesus has been fulfilled, comes to mind. The community's mosques were recently vandalised by some groups that accused them of deviating from Islamic doctrine. Police took many Ahmadiyya followers "to safety", but in doing so gave the attackers virtual free rein to vandalise that property.
Do you believe that the issue of protection for minority rights is part of a clash of civilisations?
I don't see it as a clash of civilisations. It's a phenomenon that usually happens in countries with significant majority and minority groups. In Indonesia, this kind of racialism and/or discrimination sometimes emerges subconsciously, over ethnic and group differences.
Meanwhile, in Australia, immigrants come from many different cultures and countries – Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and elsewhere. Integration takes time and does not always occur smoothly, yet in Australia all citizens are legally protected from discrimination, no matter where they come from or what colour their skin is. I think Australia can serve as a multi-cultural model.
What makes Muslim minorities in Australia appear to be better protected than Muslim minorities in Indonesia?
This may be because democracy is deeply rooted in government systems in Australia. Australian minority groups are also well aware of their rights. For example, in several states where migrant populations are dense, the police have created multicultural division units that not only take legal action over conflicts related to cultural differences, but are also responsible for building intercultural harmony. They work together with religious minorities and community leaders.
Is democracy the best way to protect minority rights?
I think democracy is one of the best ways, though I don't think it's the only way. It should be remembered that democracy is not only the awareness of one's rights, but also of one's responsibilities. If those can be balanced, I think that conflict can be minimised.
Besides democratisation, good values, such as religious beliefs that are deeply rooted in individuals, certainly play a major role in reducing majority-minority issues. There is no religion that teaches aggression against minorities in its midst.
When you visited Israel and Palestine at the invitation of the Australian/Israeli Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC), did you see a similar phenomenon to what you see in Australia or Indonesia?
The situation in Israel and Palestine is very different from the situation in Australia. However, something I noticed that was interesting in Israel and Palestine was that, at the grassroots level, individual Jews and Muslims actually need each other and depend on each other. Many Israeli houses are built by Palestinian workers. And several of the Palestinian journalists that I met preferred to live and work in Tel Aviv. Also, during a dialogue I observed between political leaders, such as former Israeli's Prime Minister Shimon Peres and the mayor of Ramallah, I felt their palpable desire to create peace.
In both the Middle East and South East Asia, how do you see the relationship between the Muslim world and the West?
There is an estrangement between the Muslim world and the West because of misunderstandings between the two communities. I think what is happening is a clash created intentionally by specific groups on both sides who have various ulterior motives.
I deeply encourage dialogue between civilisations, cultures, religions and/or beliefs. We need to know each other, and accept that we are indeed different, yet put those differences in the context of our different histories and of our commonalities. The media should play a major role by providing more accurate and fair information about both sides, making room for greater understanding and appreciation, and providing an alternative to the proverb "Unknown, therefore unloved".
* Wahyuana is a Jakarta-based journalist and founder of the Maluku Media Centre (MMC), an institution for peace, conflict resolution and peace journalism. This article was written for the Common Ground News Service (CGNews) and can be accessed at www.commongroundnews.org.
Islamic finance is going global
by Wahyuana
05 February 2008
Jakarta - The 2008 Islamic Finance Festival (FES) was held in Jakarta from 16 to 20 January. Hosted by the Bank of Indonesia, this year’s theme was Islamic finance and banking for a prosperous Indonesia.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono opened the event by describing how a system of Islamic banking had helped reduce the impact of the 1998 economic crisis in Indonesia. When conventional banks went bankrupt due to the hyper-devaluation of the Indonesian Rupiah (IDR), Islamic banking survived and became the backbone of Indonesian economy by channelling most of its funding to small- and medium-sized businesses.
Although the global share of Islamic finance and banking is still relatively small – comprising only 1.7% of total national economic assets in Indonesia – a shari’a-based economic market that follows the principles of Islamic law caters to the needs of around 200 million Muslims.
The current focus on Islamic banking in Indonesia came when, after observing the positive performance of the Islamic banks in Indonesia, the Indonesian government began to look at it as an alternative system with the potential to improve the economic situation of those people that were devastated by the 1998 crisis. On a larger scale, President Yudhoyono saw an opportunity for Indonesia to become the centre for Islamic finance and banking in Asia and the world.
An example of how Islamic banking differs from other types of banking is that Islamic banks often lend money to companies with floating interest rate loans. The floating rate of interest is pegged to the company's rate of growth. Thus, the bank's profit on the loan is equal to a certain percentage of the company's profits. Once the principal amount of the loan is repaid, the profit-sharing arrangement is concluded.
Another example is venture capital funding. An entrepreneur will provide labour and the bank will provide financing, so that both profit and risk are shared. Such participatory arrangements between capital and labour reflect the Islamic view that the borrower must not bear all the risk/cost of a failure, resulting in a balanced distribution of income and preventing the lender from monopolising the economy.
In an Islamic mortgage transaction, instead of lending the buyer money to purchase the item, a bank might buy the item from the seller, and re-sell it to the buyer at a profit, while allowing the buyer to pay the bank in instalments, with no additional penalties for late payment. In this third example, in order to protect itself against default, the bank requires strict collateral.
The benefits of Islamic finance have been recognised beyond Indonesia. The United Kingdom plans to issue and trade sukuk (non-interest bearing bonds) starting this year, denominated in sterling for the benefit of both local Muslims and others looking for exposure to sterling as a currency. In addition, there are a number of emerging European institutions, such as the Islamic Bank of Britain and the European Islamic Investment Bank. And Thailand and Singapore have begun to follow suit. In fact, along with Hong Kong, Singapore has become the most attractive Islamic finance market in Asia.
Global corporations, such as HSBC Amanah, Citibank Syariah, and Allianz Syariah, are also offering a number of Islamic finance alternatives in the insurance sector.
Deputy Governor of the Malaysian Central Bank, Dato’ Mohd Razif Abdul Kadir, says that there are currently 300 Islamic financial institutions operating in 76 countries in the world. The capitalisation of the global assets of Islamic finance has amounted to more than $1 trillion per year and the Dow Jones Islamic Index has reached $10 trillion. This share is still small compared to the total value of the global financial industry. In the past 20 years, however, the emergence of Islamic finance has become a stimulating phenomenon in the business world with a level of growth of 65% per year.
The temptation to engage in an industry with such growth levels is obvious.
Perhaps one of the most important benefits of Islamic finance is that it has proven to be a calm face for the global image of Islam, which over the years has been tainted by terrorism.
President Yudhoyono also claims that Islamic financial services are not only aimed at Muslim communities. There are common values in Islamic finance and banking, making it more accessible and acceptable for non-Muslims. An interest-free loan, for instance, is respected by all three Abrahamic faiths; passages referring to it can be found in the Qur’an (2:275, 278-279), and in other religious texts such as the New Testament of the Bible (Luke 6:34-35) and the Torah, or Old Testament (Exodus 22:25).
In addition, Islamic finance values equality, channelling credit to people through open investment opportunities, creditor-debtor loss and profit sharing.
Operating on such foundations makes Islamic finance and banking comparable to the idea of the “new monetary economy paradigm” outlined by Joseph E. Stiglitz, a 2001 Nobel laureate in Economy. Furthermore, all of these economic tenets are in line with the principles of democracy – an economy by the people and for the people, which is able to erase economic alienation.
* Wahyuana is a Jakarta-based journalist and founder of the Maluku Media Center (MMC), an institution for peace, conflict resolution and peace journalism. This article is written for the Common Ground News Service (CGNews) and can be accessed at www.commongroundnews.org.
by Wahyuana
05 February 2008
Jakarta - The 2008 Islamic Finance Festival (FES) was held in Jakarta from 16 to 20 January. Hosted by the Bank of Indonesia, this year’s theme was Islamic finance and banking for a prosperous Indonesia.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono opened the event by describing how a system of Islamic banking had helped reduce the impact of the 1998 economic crisis in Indonesia. When conventional banks went bankrupt due to the hyper-devaluation of the Indonesian Rupiah (IDR), Islamic banking survived and became the backbone of Indonesian economy by channelling most of its funding to small- and medium-sized businesses.
Although the global share of Islamic finance and banking is still relatively small – comprising only 1.7% of total national economic assets in Indonesia – a shari’a-based economic market that follows the principles of Islamic law caters to the needs of around 200 million Muslims.
The current focus on Islamic banking in Indonesia came when, after observing the positive performance of the Islamic banks in Indonesia, the Indonesian government began to look at it as an alternative system with the potential to improve the economic situation of those people that were devastated by the 1998 crisis. On a larger scale, President Yudhoyono saw an opportunity for Indonesia to become the centre for Islamic finance and banking in Asia and the world.
An example of how Islamic banking differs from other types of banking is that Islamic banks often lend money to companies with floating interest rate loans. The floating rate of interest is pegged to the company's rate of growth. Thus, the bank's profit on the loan is equal to a certain percentage of the company's profits. Once the principal amount of the loan is repaid, the profit-sharing arrangement is concluded.
Another example is venture capital funding. An entrepreneur will provide labour and the bank will provide financing, so that both profit and risk are shared. Such participatory arrangements between capital and labour reflect the Islamic view that the borrower must not bear all the risk/cost of a failure, resulting in a balanced distribution of income and preventing the lender from monopolising the economy.
In an Islamic mortgage transaction, instead of lending the buyer money to purchase the item, a bank might buy the item from the seller, and re-sell it to the buyer at a profit, while allowing the buyer to pay the bank in instalments, with no additional penalties for late payment. In this third example, in order to protect itself against default, the bank requires strict collateral.
The benefits of Islamic finance have been recognised beyond Indonesia. The United Kingdom plans to issue and trade sukuk (non-interest bearing bonds) starting this year, denominated in sterling for the benefit of both local Muslims and others looking for exposure to sterling as a currency. In addition, there are a number of emerging European institutions, such as the Islamic Bank of Britain and the European Islamic Investment Bank. And Thailand and Singapore have begun to follow suit. In fact, along with Hong Kong, Singapore has become the most attractive Islamic finance market in Asia.
Global corporations, such as HSBC Amanah, Citibank Syariah, and Allianz Syariah, are also offering a number of Islamic finance alternatives in the insurance sector.
Deputy Governor of the Malaysian Central Bank, Dato’ Mohd Razif Abdul Kadir, says that there are currently 300 Islamic financial institutions operating in 76 countries in the world. The capitalisation of the global assets of Islamic finance has amounted to more than $1 trillion per year and the Dow Jones Islamic Index has reached $10 trillion. This share is still small compared to the total value of the global financial industry. In the past 20 years, however, the emergence of Islamic finance has become a stimulating phenomenon in the business world with a level of growth of 65% per year.
The temptation to engage in an industry with such growth levels is obvious.
Perhaps one of the most important benefits of Islamic finance is that it has proven to be a calm face for the global image of Islam, which over the years has been tainted by terrorism.
President Yudhoyono also claims that Islamic financial services are not only aimed at Muslim communities. There are common values in Islamic finance and banking, making it more accessible and acceptable for non-Muslims. An interest-free loan, for instance, is respected by all three Abrahamic faiths; passages referring to it can be found in the Qur’an (2:275, 278-279), and in other religious texts such as the New Testament of the Bible (Luke 6:34-35) and the Torah, or Old Testament (Exodus 22:25).
In addition, Islamic finance values equality, channelling credit to people through open investment opportunities, creditor-debtor loss and profit sharing.
Operating on such foundations makes Islamic finance and banking comparable to the idea of the “new monetary economy paradigm” outlined by Joseph E. Stiglitz, a 2001 Nobel laureate in Economy. Furthermore, all of these economic tenets are in line with the principles of democracy – an economy by the people and for the people, which is able to erase economic alienation.
* Wahyuana is a Jakarta-based journalist and founder of the Maluku Media Center (MMC), an institution for peace, conflict resolution and peace journalism. This article is written for the Common Ground News Service (CGNews) and can be accessed at www.commongroundnews.org.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)