BY GEORGINA KEKEA ONCE a small fishing village, Labuanbajo is now said to be a bustling epicenter of tourism in Indonesia. Labuanbajo does not have much to offer but it is the center point for impressive trips to see komodo dragons on Komodo island and the islands around it has extraordinary marine life, not to mention an island with a pink beach. Capital of the regency MangarraI Barat, the western most region of Flores, Labuan Bajo (also spelled Labuhanbajo andLabuanb ajo) is home to a number of people from surrounding villages.  Yeni and Febiola are two year 12 students at SMKN 1 school in Labuanbajo.  Like all teenagers in a rural area they also dream of seeing the city lights once in their lifetime. "Every night I dream of going to Jakarta", says Yeni "It is my dream to save money and go to Jakarta one day", adds Febiola. Jakarta is the capital city of Indonesia and is more than two hours flight from the small to...

BY GEORGINA KEKEA  In Yogyakarta, Indonesia ANOTHER famous site in Yogyakarta now classed as a world Heritage site is the Borobudur temple. The monument is built centuries ago and is one of the most famous Yogyakarta places of interest ever since.  The monument consists of nine stacked platforms, six square and three circular, topped by a central dome. There are 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. 72 Buddha statues surround the central dome. It is the world’s largest Buddhist temple as well as one of the greatest Buddhist monuments in the world.   “So now is part of UNESCO’s world heritage sites where they have assisted with 25 million dollars for restoration of this monument”, tour guide Jean Sridar says. Srider says in year 1006, the Merapa volcano had its biggest eruption, thus covering the monument. Not until years later the same explorer that founded Singapore also re-discovered the Borobudur Temple in 1814, 800 years after the Merap...

BY GEORGINA KEKEA In Yogyakarta, Indonesia BELOW the foot of Merapi, one of the most active volcanoes on earth lays the city of Yogyakarta in Indonesia. Officially one of Indonesia’s 32 provinces, Yogyakarta is one of the foremost cultural centers of Java.   Established way back in 1755, classical and contemporary Javanese dances, wayang kulit (leather puppet), theatre and other expressions of traditional art will keep any visitor spellbound. Local craftsmen excel in arts such as batiks, silver and leather works. Outside of the Sultan’s Palace, craftsmen and women alike all stand in anticipation for visitors to buy their products. ‘You like, you like’, they will say and are very persistent in their sales.  The Sultan’s Palace known as the ‘Kraton’ in their local dialect is the center of Yogyakarta’s traditional life.  Despite the advance of modernity, it still emanates the spirit of refinement which has been the hallmark of Yogya’s art for ce...

BY GEORGINA KEKEA In Yogyakarta, Indonesia INDONESIAN National Defence Forces (INDF) Peace keeping Center is a training facility of various institutions, ministries, institutions for both civilian and military. Inaugurated in 2014, it is the largest security center owned by an ASEAN (Association of South East Asia Nations) member. For 2018, Indonesia is aiming to send 4000 peacekeepers in the Peacekeeping Force thus the center plays a very crucial role in ensuring Indonesian peace keepers are well trained to carry out their duties in countries of assignment. But the focus of peace keeping only extends to international countries.  When answering a question from journalists, it was said that Indonesia’s focus in peace building is mainly in international conflict areas and not so much in domestic areas. “There’s nothing to do about the area of Papua. It’s totally different.  Because the peacekeeping force is mainly for international peaceke...

BY GEORGINA KEKEA WITH the rise of citizen journalism, Media companies are finding it more difficult to maintain the credibility of news and even trying to keep the balance against the rise of false news. In Indonesia, Transmedia that owns Detik.com an online news media in Jakarta says it has not been an easy task trying to maintain the balance and uphold the ethics of journalism especially with live news.  Speaking to 10 Journalists who were part of an annual Journalist program in Indonesia, Ahmad Ridwan, Director news of Detik.com says it has not been easy trying to be the fastest and accurate media in Indonesia. Online journalists in Detik.com  Thus with the understanding that journalists cannot be everywhere at one time, they have embraced a system where citizens play a role in sending in pictures and stories for Detik.com. Mr. Ridwan says citizens are everywhere thus when something happens, they can upload spontaneously through a website pla...

BY GEORGINA KEKEA TRADITIONAL skills and knowledge are now considered endangered with only a small group of people still practising ancient wayfinding methods. In the easternmost of Solomon Islands lies Taumako. Occasionally called the Wilson Islands, the islands of Duff are thought to have first been settled in the ninth century BC, around the same time as Anuta and Tikopia. Group from Taumako with Dr. Mimi George at MACFEST The people there depend on traditional farming through slash-and-burn cultivation and are well known for their traditional voyaging skills. However, this way of life is now under threat of trailing out. “I came here to the festival with the purpose for people to see that we need to preserve our traditional way of doing things.” Ambrose Miki comes from Taumako. He comes from a long line of builders and is a skilled sailor and navigator.   Though originated from Polynesia, the group of islanders from Temotu province felt that i...

Celebrating World Oceans Day:  Message from the Acting Director General of SPREP, Mr Stuart Chape DATE: 08 June , 2018 World Oceans Day has been celebrated each year since 1992.  We have witnessed increasing world attention on our oceans, particularly in the face of extreme climate impacts, alarming pollution loads and competition for ocean resources. World Oceans Day 2018 in the Pacific has particular significance for us.  The Pacific is celebrating the International Year of the Reef (IYOR) 2018 and Pacific Year of Coral Reefs (PYOCR) 2018-2019 and our 25 th Year Anniversary.    Pledging for a Plastic Free Ocean with SPREP  Coral reefs are a critical part of the ocean world in which we live.   They support a major part of our daily subsistence needs and economies; they provide a living wall of protection from ocean waves; and much of our cultural identity is linked with our reefs and ocean.  SPREP and o...