Call for Justice

Transgender group calls for justice

Thu, 11/20/2008 10:35 AM | The Archipelago

YOGYAKARTA, Yogyakarta: Dozens of transgender people in Yogyakarta on Wednesday commemorated Transgender Day of Remembrance, which falls every Nov. 20, by distributing stickers and flowers to people passing by the Yogyakarta post office on Jl. Malioboro.

Coordinator of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual (LGBT) group, Shinta Ratri, said the group's aim was to reduce the negative public perception of the LGBT community.

"We call on all institutions and people to stop discrimination against LBGTs," Shinta said.

During the commemorations, members of the group also presented roadside art performances.

Shinta said members of the group were protected under the human rights law, which states that all people are regarded as individuals and protected by the state.

Ironically, the group claims, the government has yet to take real action to protect the LGBT community. -- JP

Bicycles as Ecofriendly Vehicles

Yogya promotes bicycles as ecofriendly vehicles

Sat, 02/28/2009 11:11 AM | The Archipelago

YOGYAKARTA: The Yogyakarta municipality is sponsoring a citywide bicycle tour March 1 in its campaign to promote bicycles as an ecofriendly transportation solution for the city.

The big bike day is linked with the commemoration of Serangan Oemoem (general attack) on March 1. On that day exactly 60 years ago , Yogyakartans mounted a fierce defense against the Dutch colonial authorities.

The bicycle boosting is part of the city's efforts to curtail emissions from motorized vehicles to help ease contributions to global warming, Drajat Ruswandono, head of the commemoration committee, said.

At least 3,000 cyclists have expressed interest in pedaling through the event, Drajat said, adding that the participants would come from the 200 bicycle clubs in Yogyakarta and individual cycling enthusiasts.* - JP

Bank donates to Yogya school

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Fri, 11/02/2007 4:57 PM

YOGYAKARTA: A newly constructed building on the grounds of quake-affected SMPN 3 Jetis junior high school in Bantul was officially handed over to the Bantul administration Tuesday.

The building was donated by the German Deutsche Bank through the Jakarta-based Sampoerna Foundation.

The Sampoerna Foundation outreach manager, Rizal Algamar, symbolically handed over the building to Bantul Deputy Regent Soemarno in a modest ceremony held at the school.

""We hope the building will help improve the academic achievements of the students at this school,"" Rizal said.

The foundation's public relations officer, Hendri B Satrio, said Deutsche Bank had donated Rp 2 billion to help rebuild the school.

A two-story building comprising seven classrooms and two computer labs as well as a ceremony square on the school's grounds were rebuilt. The school was also supplied with new furniture, outdoor benches, two lavatories and an entrance gate.-- JP

Yogyakarta students get free education

Sat, 01/10/2009 10:19 AM | The Archipelago

YOGYAKARTA, Yogyakarta: Parents of elementary and junior high school students in Yogyakarta municipality are no longer required to pay tuition fees, effective this year.

The fees for 26,747 elementary school pupils and 11,728 junior high school students will be paid for by the school operational fund (BOS) and the municipal budget.

"Poor students will also get additional benefits of free uniforms and books," said Syamsuri, head of the municipal education agency.

He added there were currently 9,000 such pupils in elementary schools and 3,400 in junior high schools.

Annual fees for each elementary school pupil amount to Rp 650,000, of which Rp 400,000 will be covered by the BOS and the remainder by the city budget.

For junior high school students, the fees are Rp 1.2 million per year, of which Rp 575,000 will be covered by the BOS and the remainder by the city budget.

Syamsuri said his office had issued a memo to all elementary and junior high schools warning them to stop charging fees. -- JP

Sanata Dharma University Yogyakarta

The graceful old city of Yogyakarta is the cultural and educational capital of Java. The low-rise city of about 2,000,000 inhabitants lies at the centre of of a fertile crescent of ricefields, overshadowed to the north by the smouldering volcano Merapi and fringed to the south by a desolate and haunting coastline with its raging surf and violent currents, the home of Roro Kidul, goddess of the south seas. Yogyakarta (pronounced ‘Jogjakarta’, or simply ‘Jogja’) is home to large numbers of painters, writers and dancers, as well as more than 40 academies and university level institutions. Java’s proud artistic and cultural traditions are blended in Yogya with a contemporary spirit of creativity, dynamism and innovation.

Sanata Dharma is a private Catholic university located in the northern part of Yogya, just ten minutes from the city centre. The university, which obtained its charter in 1993, occupies a modern, compact campus and takes students from a variety of religious and social backgrounds. Leeds University students study in the purpose-built Language Centre in groups of four to eight, depending on the type of class. In the first ten-week semester (September to November) students study for the Intermediate or the Pre-Advanced Diploma in Indonesian Language and Culture and take one additional module (usually in a cultural activity such as batik, cooking or dance) from the Faculties. There are approximately 15 hours of classes each week and 20 hours of homework and preparation. Teaching and examination is conducted entirely in Indonesian.