Noken, The Near Extinction Heritage

Photo from indonesiaberprestasi.web.id, courtesy of Shinji Kawai.

Noken, a traditional handmade bag by the people in Papua and West Papua, Indonesia, is near its extinction. More than 200 tribes in Papua Island have been using noken to carry many things. Different from an ordinary bag, the tribes people of Papua use their forehead to carry noken.

Just like Mbaru Niang of Flores, which already received the UNESCO's Award of Excellence, in Bangkok, on August 27, 2012. Noken has officially recognised by the UNESCO in the Intangible Cultural Heritage list, which needs an urgent safeguarding, in Paris, on December 4, 2012.

Photo from Arjuna/Jubi.

Titus Pekei, the Chairman of the Papua Institute of Ecology, is the man who concerns about the near extinction of noken. The idea to list noken to UNESCO was started in 2008, after Batik and Keris was recognised by the UNESCO as Indonesia national heritage. After the Ministry of Culture and Tourism agreed to his idea, in February 2011, Titus began his research.

Titus felt sad to see many factory-made noken which were sold from IDR 55,000 to IDR 200,000. While the price of original handmade noken could cost between IDR 500,000 to IDR one million. The original noken is expensive because it needs a long time to finish making a noken.

Noken is made from knotted wood fibre. The finest material is from Melinjo (Gnetum gnemon) wood fibre. While the orchid noken, or gold noken is made from yellow or brown color toya orchid.

In Paniai district, Titus with his team from Ministry of Culture and Tourism, found 50 women of noken artists, and 20 men who mastered of making orchid noken. What boasts more, there is a school that includes noken craft making as one of local curriculum, said Titus.

Titus Pekei hard work was finally paid off after the noken proposal was accepted by the UNESCO Committee. But, this is only the beginning, the problem in saving the noken heritage lies on its marketing. The people of Papua and West Papua cannot grow the market outside their home. So, the Indonesian Government should pay more intention to save this near extinction heritage.

References:

Titus Pekei, Penggagas Pengusulan Noken Papua hingga Diakui UNESCO
Jawa Pos, Headline, January 26, 2013.

UNESCO Culture Sector - Intangible Heritage
Noken multifunctional knotted or woven bag, handcraft of the people of Papua
http://www.unesco.org/culture/ich/index.php?lg=en&pg=00011&USL=00619

Danger Threatened in Seafood Dishes

Bad news for seafood lovers. I am not fond of seafood dishes, but oyster is one of my favorite dish.

Report from Reportase Investigasi, in TransTV, Dec 1, 2012, titled Danger Threatened in Seafood Dishes, had found an astounding fact. The initial aim of the report was to determine the contents of chemical substances in seafoods such as shrimp, oyster, and fish in the waters of the Java Sea.

10 samples were obtained by TransTV crew from traditional markets and supermarkets. All of them were tested in a laboratory of Padjajaran University. The result, all of them had been contaminated by chemical substances.

Although the chemical level still in the normal threshold, but if it accumulates continuously will adversely affect to the people's health.

The further tests had found another results. 7 out of the 10 samples were also contained with borax and non food grade dye.

The TransTV crew than went to see Joni, the oyster seller, who had sold oyster which contained with borax and textile dyes. Joni had beed committed fraudulent practices to his costumers for years.

He used to have formaldehyde in all seafoods sold on his kiosk. Since getting formaldehyde were difficult, he then used borax which easier to get.

Since 1979, the Indonesian Government had banned the use of borax in all food products. But in order to preserve the goods and to attract buyers, has resulting in fraudulent behavior of the merchant.

That night in his kitchen, Joni soaked oyster, fish and shrimp in a bucket filled with water that had already mixed with borax and textile dyes.

After having soaked for about an hour, he then dried it, and ready for sale early in the morning.

Joni claimed that many his customers who complained about the fish which was bought from him tasted bitter. He then only answered by saying that all the seafoods were bought directly from fishermen.

Tips to distinguish seafoods which safe to eat

TransTV Crew used two types of shellfish, the one was purchased from Joni (dishonest seller) and the other from an honest sellers named Asep, and brought them into the open.

Shellfish which bought from Joni attracted less flies than the shellfish which bought from Asep.

Shellfish stench on Asep owned more sting than stink on Joni owned shellfish.

Color of the shellfish which were sold by Joni more striking, while the one which were sold by Asep pale.

Early Moral Education For Pre-School Children

In Indonesia, an easy way to make money is by being a parking-lot guard. The one that was really irritated me, was when I saw corruptions doing by parking-lot guard. I've described this on my early post.

Corruptions in Indonesia had reached to very concern level. Not only for those powerful politicians who had been caught by KPK, Indonesian Corruption Buster Commission, for suspicion on doing corruptions. But after farther investigating, KPK move seemed to be blocked by some slippy rocks.

It often happened that the whistle-blower ended in jail, or even died, because there was no effective witness protection programs. How come, a small grade employee became billionair from his corruption works by doing it alone? It seemed impossible that his manager was not also enjoying the money.

Early Moral Education

A breakthrough had been made by KPK with the launch of children books series titled Tunas Integritas, or in English, The Buds of Integrity. The books are aimed to target for children at Play Groups, or Pre-School.

The books series are composed of six packages in which titled, Wuush, Byuur, Ungu di Mana Kamu?, Ya Ampun!, Ini, Itu?, and Hujan Warna-warni, said the Director of Education and Community Services of KPK, Dedie A. Rachim.

The book's commitment and the efforts of the creators are to eradicating corruptions in Indonesia, in which starts from small community, that is family. In the books itself is represented by the character of Kumbi Family, a dung beetle.

If beetles play a major role in making soil conditions conducive to the growth of shoots plants, the book's aim is trying to provide stimulation for all Indonesian children to grow up with the values of integrity, said Dedie.

To implement laws corruption prevention, the KPK must conduct anti-corruption education at all levels of education. Children who are currently 4-5 years old must be equipped with a weapon (moral) to fight corruption, Dedie added.

The publishing of Tunas Integritas books series are the result of collaboration among KPK and FPBA (Forum Penulis Bacaan Anak, or Children Books Author Forum). The book begins with the training and corruption workshop that was held in Bandung, by the end of 2011, followed by the authors of children books.

FPBA itself is a non-profit organization consisting of authors, illustrators, editors, designers, publishers, participants, journalists, media, and observers of children books. Since established on May 2, 2010, FPBA has the membership of more than 2000 people.

References:

Photo Credit: Dian Nafi

Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi
Kenalkan Nilai-Nilai Antikorupsi, KPK Luncurkan Buku Anak Tunas Integritas di Indonesia Book Fair 2012. (archive)

7 Wonders of Indonesian Houses

After the Komodo Island National Park was dumped from New 7 Wonders last year, the good news came from its neighbour island, the Flores Island. On August 27, 2012, at the announcement of the 2012 Asia Pacific Heritage Award, in Bangkok, Thailand, Mbaru Niang received the UNESCO's Award of Excellence.

The 10 Centuries Civilization

Mbaru Niang, which in Manggarai language means cone house, a traditional house of Wae Rebo village, Manggarai district, Flores Island, East Nusa Tenggara. There is only 7 houses left in the world, so that it makes 7 Wonders of Indonesian Houses.

Wae Rebo village is located about 1,100 meters above sea level, an isolated village surrounded by panoramic mountains and dense jungle. Wae Rebo village had survived for more than 1000 years, its people now are the 17th generation. Isidorus Ingkul, 84, is the living elder of the 16th generation. According to Isidorus, the life expectancy of every generations in Wae Rebo was about 60 years.

The Journey

A visit to Wae Rebo is made through the district's capital of Ruteng. From the nearest big city of Ruteng, the journey continued with a hard ride to Denge village. Based on the journey by Jawa Pos Reporter, Doan Widhiandono, on September 7, 2012, there are still 4 routes before reaching the Wae Rebo village, that must be on foot to be arrived there.

The Tour de Wae Rebo, said Doan, was started exacly at 2.12 pm East Indonesia Time (UTC+9). The 1st route is Denge - Wae Lomba, across the Coffee and Cacao field. Normally can be finished in 45 minutes, but for Doan the 1st route was far away from normal. Accompanied by Romanus Monde, his guide, he finished the 1st route in 90 minutes, due lots of taking a break.

The 2nd route is Wae Lomba - Posoroko, in which the road was more softer, no more big rocks that must be jumped. Only flat ground which climbed, and keep on climbing. The 2nd route track was not so steep, with the steep slope was only about 30 degrees. He took about an hour on the 2nd route.

On the short 3rd route, Posoroko - Nampe Bakok, Doan was still felt the same torture just as both route before. He arrived to the 3rd post of Nampe Bakok after 30 minutes.

The last route, the final one, Nampe Bakok - Wae Rebo, was a downhill track. He finally arrived in Wae Rebo at 5.58 pm. Crossing in the middle of the small village towards Mbaru Tembong, the main and the biggest of Mbaru Niang in Wae Rebo.

The Cone House

Mbaru Niang has ngando, the main pillar made from Worok wood. While the frame hood of the cone is made from bamboo. Every Mbaru Niang also has paratongang, unique traditional windows. All the houses were built without the use of nail.

Mbaru Tembong is on the East side of Wae Rebo, and at the center amongs others 6 Mbaru Gena, the ordinary Mbaru Niang, on its left and right. Mbaru Tembong has 15 meter of height and the cone diameter. The others 6 Mbaru Gena only have 11 meter of height and the cone diameter.

All 7 Mbaru Niang were built in 5 levels. The 1st level, lutur, is for living. Mbaru Tembong is filled with 8 families, direct descendants of Maro, the 1st generation of Wae Rebo. Other Mbaru Niang is filled with 6 families.

The 2nd level, lobo mehe, is to store foods and goods. The 3rd level, lentar, is to store seeds. The 4th level, lemparae, is for foods stocks. At the 5th level, hekang kode, there's a room called, kilikiang, to keep offerings to the ancestors.

Saving The Heritage

In 2008, Mbaru Niang was almost extinct, due to was only 4 houses left, that is Mbaru Tembong, a house on the left side, and 2 houses on the right side. 3 other houses were vanished because of age.

According to Vitalis Haman, one of the elders of the 17th generation, the number of Mbaru Niang in Wae Rebo must not more than 7 houses. Seven is represented of the seven powers which guard our village, said Vitalis.

In 2011, the community-led rebuilding project, initiated by the Rumah Asuh Foundation, had re-built 3 other houses. The project were also helped by the donations from Tirto Utomo Foundation, Arifin Panigoro, a businessman, and Admiral Sukardi, former Indonesian Minister. The cost to build each Mbaru Niang was more than IDR Rp300 Million (USD $32,000).

References:

• Photo Credit: Leonardus Nyoman
• Jawa Pos, Headline, September 15 & 16, 2012
  Menyinggahi Wae Rebo, Desa di NTT Peraih Penghargaan Tertinggi UNESCO (2),(3/Habis)
• JPNN.COM : Menyinggahi Wae Rebo, Desa di NTT Peraih Penghargaan Tertinggi UNESCO (1)
• UNESCO Office in Bangkok
  UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation
  Winners of the 2012 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards (archive)

Update: July 17, 2024

When Mother's Words Were No Longer Be Heard

The Sampang Riot

I still remember the words from the elder neighbour, when I was at young age. It's better for kids to be naughty, when they were still children, rather than they become naughty adults. That words suddenly came up in my mind after reading the news about what happened in Sampang, Madura Island, last Sunday, August 26, 2012.

Mass anarchist that have been acted by Ustadz Rois Alhukama's sunni muslims followers to his older brother's shia muslims followers, Ustadz Tajul Muluk, was made 1 man killed, some were injured, and more than 9 houses were burn, in Karang Gayam village, Sampang. The police had arrested Rois as the primary suspect, while his brother Tajul had been already received 2 years in jail conviction for sentence of blasphemy.

The riot actually was started because of personal matter between the 2 brothers who had been conflicted each other, then spreaded into their own religious belief, sunni and shia. According to Khairu Ummah, Tajul's and Rois' mother, little Rois was a decent boy, on the other hand, little Tajul was a naughty boy. She never thought that after they were adults, Rois became the one who never listened her words.

Ummah said that the riot will not happen, if her husband, Makmun was still alive. Makmun, who died 7 years ago, was the one who mediated when his sons conflicted. If only Father were still here, there would not be anything like this. Because of what Father had said, always be obeyed by the children. If it me who said so, it will be ignored by them, said Ummah, whose head was also injured by a thrown stone from angry mobs who attacked her house. I was so sad and embarrassed. It is a personal matter which has long tails, moreover, it involved in a life of a man, said Ummah to Harian Pagi Surya.

According to the Human Rights activist, the attact to Shia community was ever happened before, exactly in December 2011. The suspects were the same mobs. Only there're new mobs added due to many donations, said Vice Executive Director of Human Rights Working Group, Chairul Anam.

Meanwhile, Komnas HAM (Indonesian National Committee of Human Rights) claimed since earlier had already known that there were potential conflicts between Shia Muslims with other Sunni Muslims around them. Our recomendation was being ignored. Several our investigation results were never been reacted, until that attack was happened, said Chief of Komnas HAM, Ifdhal Kasim to Jawa Pos, in Jakarta.

The tolerance between religious Maduranese communities was very high. Maduranese Sunni muslims also memorized Shia muslims salawat, said Mahfud MD, Chairman of Mahkamah Konstitusional (Constitutional Court), a Maduranese figure, to Jawa Pos reporter.

Education is the key point for people who live in cultural diversity, to not get easily be provoked by well educated whom they called master.

If you are parents, teach your kids well enough educations! And not only from any institutions, but also from your own family educations and affections. Be parents that treated your children as friends, not like adults talked to kids!

References:

• Harian Pagi Surya, Headline, August 29, 2012.
• Jawa Pos, Headline, August 29 & 30, 2012.

Screening for Cervical Cancer

A woman will aware more about her health, after she realized of having strange feeling on her reproducing organs. She still kept the feeling for a long time, and finally gave up and went to see doctor, until later the doctor diagnosed her illness as cervical cancer in advanced stage.

In Surabaya, there were lots of women who had been detected of having pre-cancerous processes of cervical cancer, a cancer that forms in the tissues of the cervix, the organ connecting the uterus and vagina. Cervical cancer is often caused by Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection. Cervical cancer is a slow growing cancer type, it may not have any symptoms. It can be detected with regular Pap tests, or Pap Smear, a procedure in which cells are scraped from the cervix and looked at under a microscope.

But Public Health Service of Surabaya City had already used the see and treat program, an examination of the cervix using VIA (Visual Inspection with Acetic-acid) method. VIA , a method of applying acetic-acid 3% to 5% in the cervical region. Via was also known as an alternative to cytology in screening for cervical cancer in poorly resourced locations. After 2 minutes of observation, it will be seen the color changes of the cervix. If a white spot is seen, it shows the existence of pre-cancerous lesions. VIA term will be positive, Sri explained.

Since January to June 2012, there were 2,561 women recorded of having the examination. Among them, 284 women were VIA-positive. The rest, 2,277 women had been detected as VIA-negative, and in safe condition. Those who had positive results were sent to the hospital to get treatment with cyrotherapy, said the Head of Health Services, Public Health Service of Surabaya City, Sri Setyani, MD.

If the pre-cancerous signs are detected, VIA-positive, the patients will soon be treated, so that the symptoms are not growing to the next level. For an VIA-positive, the treatment is cryotherapy by using a cyro gun, Sri added. Cryotherapy, a form of therapy consisting in the local or general use of cold. Cryotherapy is used to treat a variety of benign and malignant lesions. The therapy aims to kill the abnormal cells by freezing it.

Medical cryotherapy gun

If only for the examination, all of the medical staff of Public Health Clinics on every districs are able to do so. However, cryotherapy with cyro gun can be done in several Public Health Clinics. This condition is associated with the limited tools of Cyro gun. Patients from another health center are referred to one of the 5 Public Health Clinics which have the tools to cryotherapy, Sri added.

Compared to Pap Smear, VIA is simpler and does not require much equipment. The price is cheaper than the Pap Smear. The result can be known without a laboratory tests, while the accuracy rate reaches 60 to 90%, explained Sri. The sooner the condition of the sex organs are known, the cyrotherapy can be done immediately. It is useful to prevent advanced stage patients, Sri added.

Various efforts have been made by the Public Health Service of Surabaya City, in order to make easier for all women who wanted her intimate organs to be examined, including the recent opening of 2 see and treat program checkpoints. One in a traditional market of Pucang, Surabaya. The other in Darmo Trade Center, one of the most visited mall by women in Surabaya.

In my own opinion, the Public Health Service of Surabaya City acts was very precisely. But, I guess not all women, even for some well educated women still don't know about the benefits of having Pap Smear or VIA test. Another problem is that, whether using Pap Smear or VIA test, if lots of women do not want to be examined, because of feeling shy.

References:

• Images from Wikimedia.org.
• Jawa Pos, Metropolis, July 31, 2012, pages 40.
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryotherapy
• National Cancer Institute
  Cervical Cancer
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pap_smear
• The Lancet, Volume 353, Issue 9156, Page 869, March 13, 1999
  Visual inspection with acetic acid for cervical cancer screening: test qualities in a primary care setting

Bread Cancer Trigger

Image from recipetineats.com.

I am shock to see these facts while I saw Reportase Investigasi, a TV news program in TransTV, May 27, 2012. 6 out of 10 white bread sold in Indonesia, turned out to be contained with borax. Preservative that should not to be used in food, just like formaldehyde, in which nearly quite known the same as borax.

Borax has known for its wide variety of uses in many manufactures industry, but not for food industry. It is used as component of detergents, cosmetics, and enamel glazes. Indonesian government had prohibited its used for food industry, but what had been shown by TransTV seems to be scarred the face of Indonesian Directorate of Consumer Protection (FDA). The Indonesian FDA had already warned the risk of liver cancer with high consumption over a period of 5–10 years.

6 bread out of 10 samples containing borax was the result on laboratory test by Padjajaran University of Bandung. 2 of them are well-known branded bread, in which one of them can be found in every supermarkets in Indonesia, while the other well-known branded bread is obtained from a mall in Jakarta.

Based on interview by the crew of Reportase Investigasi TransTV with an employee of a baking factory. In the bakery where he worked, used of borax as a preservative for baking bread. Also using margarine that had already expired, artificial sweeteners, as well as using eggs that have been damaged. According to the informant, the use of borax will make longer shelf life, from 4 days normal time of expiring to 2 weeks.

Hygiene is no longer ignored by the factory in pursuit of revenue targets. The TV crew's hidden camera revealed that a bread dough that had been fallen to the dirty floor, picked up again, and mixed into the dough, when he entered the factory. That makes the informant who is also employee of the factory did not want to eat bread anymore.

Rate of 60% of 10 samples of bread made from dangerous cancer trigger preservative should be questioned. Where is the Indonesian FDA during this? I've written about this before. But it is unavoidable to not to eat this healthy labelled food, because my job required shift work and my work began at 6 am. So, I chose white bread with jam for breakfast in a hurry, due to at 5.15 am I must leave the house to go to work. (Breakfast at 5 am. Have you try it before?) But after watching TV yesterday afternoon made me think twice for breakfast with bread again.

Here are tips on choosing a safe to eat bread and free of preservatives, from a Chef who also interviewed:

The Longer The Harder
If it kept for a week, safe to eat bread texture would be harder, but the bad ones will stay soft.

Butter Smell
A safe to eat bread will have more fragrant smell of butter or margarine, while the bad one has no smell at all, or a stinky smell.

Yellowish Color
The color of the white bread that is safe to eat, is a slightly yellowish color. If you usually think of white bread has only white color, you should be more careful. Because the white color comes from bleaching agents that were added during the bread baking.

Try To Twisted The Bread!
The best eaten bread will fall out easily when pinched or torn into small pieces, and if you twisted the bread, it will be back shaped like the bread dough.

Source : Reportase Investigasi, TransTV, May 27, 2012, 5.15 pm (UTC+7).

Reconciled with Cancer

Endang Rahayu Sedyaningsih (February 1, 1955 – May 2, 2012)

Since diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer on October 22, 2010, former Health Minister of Indonesia, Endang Rahayu Sedyaningsih, finally had to reconcile with her disease. She died on May 2, 2012 at the RSCM Kencana, Jakarta, after struggling for nearly two years. Such a spirit of living with cancer, while many others are willing to just gave up the hope. Endang had never complained about her illness, and always showed her tender and warm smile to everyone she met, while she suffered from cancer.

For her, suffering lung cancer is considered to be a gift from God. If I was given a disease, I must be grateful. Why should I be glad, if I were given the gift of happiness, while given the disease was not?, said Endang in front of dozens of cancer patients who survived.

A Harvard University of U.S. graduate who was always repeatedly explained, that her illness wasn't caused by smoking. Endang wasn't an active or passive smoker. In her home environment, there are nobody who smoked. Despite by smoking itself, air pollutions and some chemical substances are also known as lung cancer trigger.

I do not smoke. I don't know what caused it, the cancer was suddenly appeared. Many diseases are known of having unknown causes, said Endang in an interview on January 18, 2011. On the contrary to other cancers, lung cancer can't be detected. It doesn't even show early symptoms at all, though it had reached the advanced stage.

Cigarettes and Lung Cancer

Lung cancer has changed in status from an uncommon disease to one that now represents the most common cause of death from cancer of any site in men. Chemical and biological studies have indicated that there are at least 8 compounds present in tobacco smoke from cigarettes which can cause cancer in experimental animals.

This has moved many leading governments, to issue statements concerning the health hazard of cigarette smoking, and to conclude that smoking is the principle cause of the increase in lung cancer. Such statements have also come from the Surgeon General of the United States Public Health Service, the Medical Research Council of Great Britain, The Research Council of Sweden, the Health Council of Holland, and the National Cancer Institute of Canada.

Some scientific investigators have expressed doubt as the significance of the association between smoking and lung cancer. They have criticized the statistical studies as failing to take into account constitutional differences, and other environmental factors, which may influence the development of lung cancer. Others feel that producing cancer in animals by painting their skins with tobacco extracts, doesn't demonstrate that human lung cancers are caused by the same substances.

An extensive study of 402 men at autopsy has given added weight to the correlation between cigarette smoking and lung cancer. The report, based on microscopic examination of 19,797 lung sections, showed that changes in the air passageways (the tracheo-bronchial tree) varied dramatically with the amount of cigarettes smoked. The pathologists were not told of the type of case, or smoking history during the reading of the slides.

The smallest number of changes were found in those who never smoked, or smoked only occasionally. With the increase in amount of cigarettes smoked, there was a progressive increase in the number of abnormal changes present. The greatest number of changes were present in those who smoked 2 or more packs of cigarettes per day.

Sources :

• Jawa Pos, Headlines, May 3, 2012.
• Cigarettes and Lung Cancer article is part of my previous post by Sylvia Frank, Research Reports Coordinator, Research Department, American Cancer Society.

Sandals, Indonesian Symbols of Justice

Sandals collecting solidarity action to liberate AAL, a 15 year-old boy on trial in State Court of Palu, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, because stealing sandal continues to grow. Most sandals are collected starting handed over to police as a symbol of how expensive justice for the poor.

If only slippers that were stolen does not belong to a police officer, his case would not continue to trial. Moreover, the price of a pair of sandals is not worth the high cost of litigation. Similar to the term for justice seeker, namely ' Lost your chicken, if you report to the police, you may lost your cow '.

The case became hot news in Indonesia, a reality that actually happened in the world of law in Indonesia. For the poor, justice becomes a luxury that must be redeemed at a very expensive price. This does not apply to those who are rich, and for those who close to the legal world, they can easily get justice. Because justice is blind indeed.

Such irony, if the case of AAL is comparing with corruption cases in Indonesia. AAL object crime of not more than IDR 30,000 (US$ 3) are treated as equal to corrupt billions of Rupiah. Strong reaction from the people of Indonesia is a voice of conscience for a substantive justice.

Obviously there is something wrong in AAL legal process, and AAL trial process is really violated conscience. But reality says another, on January 4, 2012, the judge decided AAL proven guilty according to article 362 of the Criminal Code. Punishment received by AAL is returned to his parents to be fostered, in accordance with Law No. 3 of 1997 on The Protection of Children.

Law in Indonesia seemed to be in its own world and no longer becomes a product of society. Hopefully the case of AAL will become last case in Indonesia.

Source : Jawa Pos, Jan 5, 2012, Jati Diri, page 4.

Reigned for 17 Years Died on 17th of December

Dear Leader of North Korea, Kim Jong Il, died at the age of 69 due to heart attack. The ' Supreme General from Heaven ' reigned since July 8, 1994 was defeated by His heart disease. Just like His late father Kim Il Sung, founder of the communist nation, died at the age of 82 due to heart attack. North Korea's KCNA stated the obituary of Its supreme leader on Dec. 19, two days later.

Kim Jong Il will no longer lead the commemoration of 100 years birthday anniversary of Kim Il Sung next year. The figure is highly respected by more than 24 million of North Koreans. Kim Jong Il was successfully made North Korea as a threat to all countries in the Asia Pacific region over the past few years.

The country that do not have an internet connection is believed to still develop long-range missile. South Korea's military immediately announced High Emergency Alert status. This reaction was based on the short-range nuclear testing on The East Coast of North Korea shortly after the release of Kim Jong Il's obituary.

Kim Jong Un then becomes Kim Jong Il's successor for the highest leader of North Korea. Will Kim Jong Il dreams to make North Korea into a strong and prosperous country in 2012 can be forwarded by his youngest son? Will North Korea under the leadership of Kim Jong Un still become a threat to the world, especially to its neighbors countries? The important thing is, We all hope that Kim Jong Un will bring peace to the world and no longer pose a threat with nuclear weapons test range.

But wait..

What is behind the number 17 on the title above? 1 + 7 = 8, number 8 means infinity. It's not a coincidence that this post I published on December 21. You know why? 2 + 1 = 3, number 3 means death. Please interpret your own meaning of the numbers above!