Monthly Archives: December 2010

Bali Fully Booked For Christmas and New Year’s Holidays

Denpasar. Hotels in Bali are fully booked for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, the head of the island’s hotel association said on Sunday, while police said there had been no indication of an increased threat of terrorist attack. 



“From December 20 onward, hotel rooms in Bali are fully booked,” said Perry Markus, head of the Bali branch of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association. He added that this was a marked improvement over last year’s numbers, when occupancy averaged 70 percent during the holidays. 



Addressing security concerns, Bali Police Chief Insp. Gen. Hadiatmoko said on Sunday that 12,000 personnel would be deployed to secure the island throughout the Christmas and New Year’s celebrations. 



“Although there is no indication of a possible terrorist attack, we will remain vigilant,” he said. 



Two major terrorist attacks have damaged Bali’s reputation as a tourist paradise in the last decade. Suicide bombings in Kuta in October 2002 killed 202 people, many of them foreign nationals. 



In October 2005, three coordinated bomb blasts in Jimbaran and Kuta killed 26 people and injured more than 100. 



“I can say that security conditions in Bali at this time are under control,” Hadiatmoko said. 



He pointed out that his officers had solved the high-profile murder of a teenage student in Denpasar last month and the recent theft of sacred Hindu statues known as pratima . 



But Brig. Gen. Surya Dharma, a former chief of the National Police’s elite Densus 88 counterterrorism unit, said separately that the recent success in apprehending suspected terrorists in Aceh and Medan did not mean the police should let down their guard. 



Police on Friday arrested Abu Tholut in Central Java. He had been one of the country’s most wanted suspected terrorists.

source:  http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/travel/bali-fully-booked-for-christmas-and-new-years-holidays/411340

Where to Go in Jakarta During the Holidays

As Christmas and New Year’s celebrations are only a few days away, it’s about time to make a list of places where you and your loved ones can spend quality time together during the holidays. Why not try to avoid Jakarta’s shopping centers and malls for a change? After all, you’re there all the time. Instead, you should consider attending some of the cultural attractions which, surprisingly, are scattered all over town.  



The Jakarta Globe has made its own list of five events and cultural sites that might help spread a little cheer, or at the very least some adventure, on your holiday.

  

Museum Nasional 



The Museum Nasional, or National Museum, is the oldest cultural storehouse in the country, established in 1869 by the Dutch colonial government. 



It houses the country’s largest historical and cultural collection, with more than 141,000 items. 



Most were collected from Indonesia’s own backyard, but there are also some items that were purchased from other countries.  



John Guy, a curator of Southeast Asian art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, was at the museum recently taking pictures of Hindu-Buddhist sculptures.



“Museum Nasional is one of the best museums in Southeast Asia,” he said. “[It] has so many collections.”



The museum is also sometimes called the Elephant Museum because of the bronze elephant statue in front of the building, a gift from King Chulalongkom of Thailand in 1871.



Gereja Katedral



Located just across from the Masjid Istiqlal in Central Jakarta, the country’s largest mosque, Gereja Katedral is a grand Catholic house of worship. 



The imposing neo-Gothic structure featuring twin spires was built in 1901 in honor of Saint Maria, reconstructed from an older church.



According to the cathedral’s 38-year-old priest, Justinus Sigit, the building’s vertical design differs from the wide construction of many of today’s churches and symbolizes the church’s efforts to reach upward toward the heavens. 



He pointed out that, like other Catholic churches, the cathedral was full of symbols that play a critical role in Catholic theology. 



“A lot of modern churches do not use many symbols anymore, and that’s a pity,” he said.



Hadi Wahyu, the cathedral’s 60-year-old caretaker, pointed to the structure’s two tall towers. The tower to the left is a 60-meter-high structure called the David Fortress Tower. 



“This tower is a symbol of Saint Maria as the church’s guardian against the power of darkness,” Hadi said. 



The Ivory Tower, located on the right, represents Saint Maria’s purity. “I don’t think there’s a church as beautiful as this one in Jakarta,” he said.



Inside the cathedral, rows of wooden pews can accommodate about 800 people. 



On the walls are beautiful paintings by Dutch artist Theo Molkenboer depicting the story of Christ’s crucifixion. 



The cathedral also houses a museum on the second floor, which displays objects related to the church’s history in Jakarta. 



The collection includes several items from Pope Paul VI, who visited the cathedral in 1970, and Pope John Paul II, who visited Indonesia in 1989.



Museum Kebangkitan Nasional 



Located in Central Jakarta, this museum focuses on the time in Indonesian history known as the National Awakening. 



It is a one-stop source for learning how Budi Utomo, the first Indonesian political organization, and other early modern political parties were founded in Indonesia and the role they played in the country’s eventual independence from the Dutch. 



“The celebration of National Awakening Day is still relevant to today’s world,” said Isnudi, director of collections and education at the museum.



Unlike many other museums in Jakarta, the National Awakening Museum is fairly well-preserved. Housed in a building that dates back to 1899, visitors to are transported back to an era when Dutch neoclassical architecture ruled the archipelago. 



Large windows and doors, high ceilings and sturdy wooden furniture dominates the decor of the structure. 



The collections are mostly displays of period photographs showing the struggle of early Indonesian activists, but the museum’s main attraction is the memorial room of Budi Utomo. 



Inside the room are wooden chairs that were used by the activists during their meetings. You can also see a statue of Sutomo, a founding member of the group, and photos of students in discussion. 



Museum Bank Mandiri 



Museum Bank Mandiri, located in Kota Tua (Old Town) in North Jakarta, is a beautiful building consisting of white walls and monolithic pillars that houses an exhibition about the history of banking in Indonesia. 



“[Museum Bank Mandiri] is the largest bank museum in Indonesia,” said Edi Dimyati, author of “An Adventurer’s Guide: 47 Museums of Jakarta.” 



Run by government-owned Bank Mandiri, Edi said there are more than 31,000 items on display, including old counting machines, bank vaults, bank notes, paper money and coins. 



In 2008, the management decided to offer the space as a community meeting point and let young people hold activities in the museum for free, in order to attract more visitors.  



“What the museum gives us is extraordinary. I don’t think any other museum can give us the same thing,” said Suryadi, whose scouting troop uses the building for meetings.



Immanuel Church



Not far from Gereja Katedral is another historical church that’s worth a visit. 



When the Immanuel Church was built in 1834 by the Dutch, it was originally named Williamskerk Church, in honor of King Willem I.  



“This is probably the only historic building in Jakarta that’s still used for what it was built for in the past,” said 21-year-old Ben Matulapelwa, a member of the church’s congregation.



While parts of the church appear in need of renovation, Immanuel Church still retains some of its past glory. 



Six monumental pillars stand in front of the entrance to the beautiful white church, which is capped by a dome. Inside is a circular tile floor, wood carvings on the stair railing and intricately carved yellow ornaments on the ceiling.



“I feel that there’s something special about this church that I don’t find in other churches,” said 18-year-old Peggy Klokke, a member of the church’s congregation. 



There is also a large antique organ with more than 1,000 pipes that for years has been one of the church’s main attractions. 



Built in 1843, the organ is still functional and is used on special occasions. “Many people come to the church just to see the organ,” Ben says.



Upcoming events



Afternoon Tea Discussion at Museum Nasional

‘Media’s Role in Our Culture Heading Toward the Year 2020’

With speakers Desi Anwar and Bambang Tanrejo

Dec. 17, from 3 p.m.

Free 



Protestant Prayer and Choir at Immanuel Church

Dec. 24, from 5 p.m.

Open to the public



Catholic Mass and Choir at Gereja Katedral 

Dec. 25, from 9 a.m.

Open to the public 



Protestant Prayer and Choir at Immanuel Church

Dec. 24, from 5 p.m.

Open to the public



A New Year’s Eve at Nederlandsche Handel Matschppij Building at Museum Bank Mandiri

Museum tour and live music

Dec. 31, from 7 p.m. 

Tickets: 

Rp 100,000, includes food, drinks and a noisemaker 

source:  http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/travel/where-to-go-in-jakarta-during-the-holidays/412091

After Eruption, Indonesia Turns to Disaster Tourism

Jakarta. Indonesia appeals to visitors with tropical beaches, beautiful mountains, spectacular reefs and exotic cultures. 



But now the country, which lies along the Pacific Rim of Fire and suffers from frequent natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunami and volcanic eruptions, is courting tourists interested in viewing its harsher face. 



Near the central Javanese city of Yogyakarta, withered vegetation, buried villages, rivers choked with volcanic ash and stone, and refugee camps are the painful legacy of the recent Mount Merapi eruptions that killed over 350 people and made nearly 400,000 refugees. 



Yet local travel agencies are adding this as the latest feature of visits to Yogyakarta, seat of an ancient kingdom. 



“In the new volcano tour package, we’ll take customers to explore the closest village to the peak and see how bad the devastation is,” said Edwin Ismedi Hinma of the local tour agencies association. 



“Then we’ll take them to a river to watch cold lahar flood past,” he added, referring to volcanic debris flows. 



Tourism is big money in Indonesia, making up 3 percent of its gross domestic product, but the disasters prevent strong growth. 



The latest eruption closed the local airport for two weeks due to volcanic ashfall and even forced cancellation of international flights to Indonesia’s capital of Jakarta. 



As a result, tourist numbers in Yogyakarta fell as much as 70 percent, Hinma said. 



“Grief tourism,” however ghoulish it might seem, is far from uncommon. Similar trends were seen in Haiti, devastated by a powerful earthquake in January, as well as in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. 



But the idea has been criticized by some observers as unethical. In the case of Merapi, some officials also worry about lingering hazards. 



Curiosity about the eruption’s impact is certainly high. 



Scores of people have come out to devastated villages, clogging traffic to and from the mountain   “On Sunday, thousands of people come, they cause major traffic jams. I mean, if something happens, who can guarantee their safety?” said Bejo Wiryanto, head of Harjobinangun village about 5 kilometers from Merapi’s peak.



“I wish they could restrain their curiosity and wait until it’s safe. Plus, there are homeless people who are still traumatised by the eruptions who are probably still figuring out how to continue life.”



The Indonesian tourism ministry said the post-disaster policy is to wait until the recovery stage before trying to lure tourists back. 



“We do a fun trip to Merapi not to witness people suffering, because it’s not proper,” said Firmansyah Rahim, head of destination development at the ministry. 



“But once they enter the recovery stage, we want to invite tourists to return and bring the economy back.”



The government is mulling tourism promotion in Aceh, the province on Indonesia’s northwestern tip that was devastated by the massive Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004.



In the provincial capital of Banda Aceh, a tsunami museum has been erected. The rebuilt city and a barge, which was hurled inland by the giant waves and remains where the ocean left it, are ideal to illustrate how powerful the tsunami was and to what extent the city has recovered, Rahim said. 



Sulis, 65, a retiree, said he drove with his wife from another city in central Java to Merapi as part of a hobby. He also came when Yogyakarta was hit by massive 2006 earthquake that killed 5,700 people. 



“I drive everywhere to witness such things because by seeing them I am always reminded to be thankful that God still spares me,” he said. 



For Panut, a 60-year-old woman who lost her house in the eruption, more visitors means income. She sat on a small stool and sell drinks and snacks to visitors from the piece of land that used to be her house. 



“It’s good. I hope more and more people come,” she said. 

source:  http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/after-eruption-indonesia-turns-to-disaster-tourism/412073

A Frightful Year for Indonesian Horror

Unless you’ve been in spiritual exile for the last few years, you’ve probably noticed the incessant amount of shamelessly pitiful horror films appearing in local cinemas. These films tirelessly regurgitate the same old idea: A group of overcurious teens battling a ghoul or two, or an endless loop of cheap raunchiness closer to horrific than erotic. 



In 2010, for some unknown reason, the producers of such films thought that their work was still too classy and needed something more — an extra punch just in case all the semi-nudity, predictable storylines and witless scares didn’t carry enough commercial viability. 



And, judging from this year’s titles, moviegoers must have demanded insanely ludicrous movie names to go along with the nonsensical plots. Apparently, the kids needed to be sure exactly what the films were about. Why beat around the bush when you can just plop a ghost into any random trending topic and make that the title? Try this winner on for size: “Setan Facebook” (“Facebook Satan”). Everything you need to know about the movie is right there. 



Unfortunately, the bizarre title hoopla didn’t bring us any local B-grade movie classics. Those hoping for our very own “They Came From Mars” or “The King of Zombies” were disappointed because, weird titles or not, the films still resorted to the same old bag of tricks. Apparently, even irony is a concept lost on many local producers, leaving audiences stuck with a list of ludicrously titled bad movies that could have been classics. 



‘Hantu Puncak Datang Bulan’ (‘The Menstruating Ghost of Puncak’) 



Well, there you go. It is indeed possible to combine the words “menstruating” and “ghost” in the title of a commercially released film. Trust me when I say the amalgamation between those two factors sounds even ickier in Indonesian. 



The main apparitions in the film (the menstruating protagonists, so to speak) come into existence after the male ghost-to-be rapes his menstruating girlfriend. The lovely couple get into a fight and end up dead. 



While the premise is so-bad-it-could-have-been-good, what follows is another predictable tumble between a few horny teens and a ghoul that attacks every time she goes through “that time of the month.” Oooohhh, scary. At least they could have given us a tampon-wielding version of Satan. 



‘Diperkosa Setan’ (‘Raped by a Ghost’) 



You know how films like “Cannibal Holocaust” are considered horror classics due to their unabashed gruesomeness? Well, “Diperkosa Setan” makes films like those look like Academy Award contenders. 



The movie employs no particular special effects in its invisible ghost sex scenes. As a matter of fact, it appears that the film’s producers didn’t bother to employ a scriptwriter either. Lacking in plot, the movie focuses on its sex-crazed protagonist, a young man whose conquests apparently extend to every single female in the city. 



He accidentally dies of an overdose while getting high to cure the depression he feels after being deprived of sex … for a few hours, and then comes back to exact his revenge. 



‘Suster Keramas’ (‘Shampooing Nurse’) 



Like the producers and cast of this film, I am not sure what the story is about. Apparently it has something to do with a Japanese tourist, played with finesse and conviction by Japanese porn star Rin Sakuragi, who wants to look for her sister — a nurse who is now a ghost who likes to attack people in the shower. That is all. 



What could have been a unique opportunity to use dandruff as a weapon or stick a soap bar up a ghoul’s secret place instead runs through all the old cliches of loud noises and long-haired, buxom dead vixens. Only this time, there’s also a set of Japanese breasts that are bouncing alongside all the local ones. 



‘Setan Facebook’ (‘Facebook Satan’) 



Just when you thought the Oscar would go to “The Social Network,” this underdog steps out from the shadows. Trying to incorporate a little social insight through its Facebook-obsessed protagonist, the film makes social networkers the bad guys. 



You’ll be rooting pretty hard for the apparition to hack up the protagonist soon enough, as the heroine in question is a Facebook-obsessed dimwit who updates her status more often than she takes a breath. 



When her friends begin to die after accepting a friend request from an unknown girl, our heroine must overcome an array of obstacles, including running, screaming and running while screaming. 



‘Cin … Tetangga Gue Kuntilanak’ (‘Honey … My Neighbor Is a Ghost’) 



No, this is not an afterlife sequel to “Dude, Where’s My Car?” The film is not as smart, and none of its actors are as good as Ashton Kutcher. 



What could have at least been a fun paranoia flick a la “Disturbia” is one of the worst things to grace the silver screen … ever … anywhere. 



Seemingly produced and directed by a schizophrenic coke addict, this horror showcases every cheap-looking special effect in the history of cinema. It’s not even sinetron worthy. 



You know those tacky effects used as backgrounds in photo booths? This movie’s got ’em. Just when you think the background clips used for ballads in karaoke bars are the worst, here comes “Cin … Tetangga Gue Kuntilanak!” Hoo-ray!

source:  http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/entertainment/a-frightful-year-for-indonesian-horror/413987

Indonesia to Put Disaster Mitigation on the Map

Next year, Indonesia will have a detailed map of disaster-prone areas in the country which is expected to help provincial administrations develop better urban planning for disaster mitigation, an official said. 



The map will show each area’s natural disaster risk, its vulnerability and its capacity to respond when a natural disaster occurs, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, the disaster risk reduction director at the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), told a news conference on Thursday. 



He said the map will feature all 33 provinces in Indonesia and display the risk potential within each province. 



The map will be created by the National Coordinating Agency for Surveys and Mapping (Bakosurtanal). It will be jointly funded by the government and the United Nations. 



“According to the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, Indonesia will be the first country to have such a detailed map,” Sutopo said. 



“The map should be included as a consideration in every city’s urban planning.” 



Sutopo said that if an area was marked as disaster-prone on the map, the regional government would be urged against building there. 



However, if development in the area was inevitable due to overpopulation and demographic shifts, construction should meet standards that would enable the structures to withstand disasters, even though the cost would be more expensive. 



Sutopo said an earthquake-resistant house costs approximately 30 percent more than a regular house of the same size. 



Although millions of Indonesians live in areas prone to natural disasters, he added, it was nearly impossible to convince residents to relocate. 



He pointed to the million-plus people crowded into the coastal area of Padang, West Sumatra, which was struck by a major earthquake last year, killing more than 1,000 people and injuring thousands more. 



“For these kind of areas, the best way is to educate the people about everything they need to know about disasters and how to save their lives when it strikes,” he said. 



According to the BNPB, one in three of Indonesia’s 73,000 villages are at high risk of being hit by disasters — mainly earthquakes, tsunamis, floods and landslides. 



Sutopo said Indonesia will face increasing climate-related disasters in 2011 because of global climate change. 



The BNPB reported that 70 percent of this year’s natural disasters were climate-related.

source:  http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/indonesia-to-put-disaster-mitigation-on-the-map/414421

Indonesia Targets for All Kids to Have Birth Certificates Next Year

Looking back at the past year, the Ministry for Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection said that one of the most crucial problems facing the country was the fact that more than half of all children under the age of 5 have no official birth certificate. 



“Only around 25 to 45 percent of children have birth certificates in this country. East Nusa Tenggara and Maluku are some of provinces in which many children do not have birth certificates,” Rudy Purboyo, the ministry’s deputy head for child protection, said on Thursday. 



He said the target was for all children in the country to have the certificate by next year, although he acknowledged that the plan was probably too ambitious. 



He added that they were working closely with the Ministry of Home Affairs to encourage the issuance of birth certificates. 



“The minister of home affairs has issued memos to all district heads to make it easier for parents to acquire birth certificates for their children,” he said. 



“We have to push harder and work more seriously as this is about the legal status of citizens of this country. It directly affects the rights of our children,” he said, adding that many parents have no idea about the benefits of the certificate. 



“We will step up our campaigning and for this we need a strong commitment from local governments,” he said. 



He also said people should not have to spend money to get a birth certificate. 



Linda Gumelar, minister for women’s empowerment and child protection, said most of the younsters who did not possess a birth certificate were those living in border areas. 



“We do not want them to miss out on their Indonesian citizenship and we cannot wait any longer. The target should be met next year,” Linda said. 



“Next year will be a tough year for us, because we have a lot of other work to do as well: make society more aware of gender issues and improve the quality of women’s and children’s lives,” she said. 



Linda said 2011 would be a year of renewed enthusiasm at her ministry. 



“We are going to sign a memorandum of understanding with local governments as well as with the Ministry of Home Affairs. We are going to work hard to meet this [birth certificate] target.” 



Linda stressed the importance of the certificate for children. 



“Children who do not have birth certificates are at greater risk of being trafficked,” she said, adding that the government will try to ensure that birth certificates will be issued free of charge.

source:  http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/indonesia-targets-for-all-kids-to-have-birth-certificates-next-year/414411

Police Ban Illusionist Stunt from Jakarta’s Main Roads

The Jakarta Police said they will not allow RCTI to continue the truck-pulling stunt by reality-show illusionist Mister Limbad.



Previously, the broadcaster said they would resume the stunt, with Limbad pulling a one-ton truck with a rope around his neck from the Hotel Indonesia roundabout to the National Monument (Monas). 



“The police will prevent it,” the Jakarta Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Baharudin Djafar said, adding that the police did not receive an official request from RCTI to conduct the event. 



The streets around Monas and other main roads are closed for public events, although the public can still visit. 



“But special events are forbidden,” Baharudin said. He advised RCTI to move the stunt location to anywhere other than the main roads. 



“Don’t do it on Monas or Bundaran HI because it will cause heavy traffic delays,”



Responding to the police’s call, RCTI said they will obey the police decision. 



“If we are not given the permission, we will obey. We’re not arrogant,” the event’s producer Fabian Dharmawan said. 



Fabian said even though the stunt may have caused discomfort to drivers on Jalan Sudirman, it attracted great interest. 



“When Limbad arrived in front of Hotel Indonesia, we received great help by the police. I see the public is very enthusiastic about the event but we also apologize if some people are disturbed by it,” he said. 



Master Limbad, who gained popularity after winning a reality TV show ‘The Master’ on RCTI, started the stunt at 6 a.m. He was pulling a 1000-kg truck from Bung Karno Stadium in Senayan to the Hotel Indonesia roundabout using a rope tied to his neck. 



From Hotel Indonesia, he was to have pulled the truck to the National Monument (Monas) with his ears until he reaches the final destination, RCTI’s office at Kebon Jeruk, West Jakarta around 8 p.m.

source:  http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/police-ban-illusionist-stunt-from-jakartas-main-roads/414459

Thousands of facebookers demand Nurdin resign

More than 56,600 members of the Facebook social network have joined a petition demanding Nurdin Halid resign as chairman of the Indonesian Football Association, for his failure to lift the performance of the Indonesian team.

As of Thursday morning, 56,624 people had joined the movement, tempointeraktif.com reported.

Some members said Nurdin was a convict who couldn’t lead the association, while others said the national soccer team had made no notable achievements during his tenure.

Last night, Indonesia won 2-1 against Malaysia in the second bout of the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Cup finals, but failed to lift the trophy following a 3-0 loss to Malaysia in their first game.

source:  http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/12/30/thousands-facebookers-demand-nurdin-resign.html

Tifatul inspecting 3,059 documents on RI from Wikileaks

Communications and Information Minister Tifatul Sembiring said there were over 3,000 documents on Indonesia published by Wikileaks on its website.

Tifatul said he had been ordered to inspect the documents.

“There are 3,059 documents on Indonesia published by Wikileaks and the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs has assigned me to monitor them,” Tifatul said in Jakarta Monday, as quoted by Antara.

The minister said his team was currently retrieving the documents, but so far had only just begun opening the files, some of which reportedly include information on the J.W. Marriot bombings in Jakarta, riots in Papua and Indonesian military activities.

“We’ve only managed to open some of the data because they [Wikileaks] is not publishing them all at once,” he said.

source:  http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/12/13/tifatul-inspecting-3059-documents-ri-wikileaks.html

Indonesia creates team to study WikiLeaks cables

Communication and Information Technology Minister Tifatul Sembiring said his ministry had assigned a team to collect diplomatic documents leaked by whistleblowing website WikiLeaks related to Indonesia. 



Tifatul said the results of the study would be submitted to the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto. 



“We are still in the preliminary document collection process. We need to explain to the public should we find [the documents] invalid,” Tifatul said. 



Early on Sunday, the UK’s The Guardian reported WikiLeaks had provided advance copies of 251,287 documents, 3,059 of which came from the US Embassy in Jakarta and 167 from the US Consulate in Surabaya, East Java.

 

“We need to clarify and respond, for example, if some of the documents contain propaganda,” he said, as quoted by tempointeraktif.com. 



Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said the Indonesian government was cooperating with the US Embassy in Jakarta and the Indonesian Embassy in Washington to monitor the leaked documents. 



"We are continuing to follow the updates to see whether or not [confidential information] was leaked relating to Indonesia,” he said. 



Guardian.co.uk reported today that the US is being accused of opening up a dramatic new front against WikiLeaks, effectively “killing” the website just days after Amazon pulled the site from its servers following political pressure.



The website went offline for the third time in a week this morning – the biggest threat to its online presence yet.



Joe Lieberman, chairman of the US Senate’s committee on homeland security, earlier this week called for any organization helping to sustain WikiLeaks to “immediately terminate” its relationship with the site.



On Friday morning, WikiLeaks and its cache of secret diplomatic documents that have proved to be a scourge for governments around the world, was only accessible through a string of digits known as a DNS address. The site later reemerged with a Swiss domain, WikiLeaks.ch.



Julian Assange said today that the development is an example of the “privatization of state censorship” in the US and is a “serious problem.”



“These attacks will not stop our mission, but should be setting off alarm bells about the rule of law in the United States,” he said.



The California-based Internet provider that dropped WikiLeaks at 3 a.m. GMT on Friday (10 a.m. Jakarta time), Everydns, says it did so to prevent its other 500,000 customers from being affected by the intense cyber attacks targeted at WikiLeaks.