Of course, I got all the money. Dad disinherited both my brothers because they all hated each other. Now they hate me too even though I do send my younger brother money every month. He wants more so he hates me. There was no way our dad would repair broken fences or rebuild burned bridges … More Dredging the Depths
Ever since the front room of our small boarding house (kos) came available, and thus given over to the two sons of the house, Kangmas and Dhimas, a demon took over with shocking speed and accuracy. While freedom meant being only some 10 feet away from the main house, the physical distance was compounded by … More Merdeka (Freedom: a true story on drug use in Jogjakarta)
Published in Inside Indonesia No 75, 2003 Laine Berman Faisal and Jhoni came to Athonk’s tattoo studio with a small picture and a lot of hope. It was their own design. They had both tried kicking their putauw (street grade heroin) habits through a variety of rehabilitation programs. All failed. Now, they were trying something … More From Jungkies to Jihad: Drug Use in Indonesia
Published in the Jakarta Post 16 & 23 January 2005 (keeping with the drug theme – I wrote this story based on actual experience in 2004….) by Laine Berman Darkness falls quickly in Indonesia. Crisp cerulean skies turn grey, then green. The green lingers for a bit, turns the color of aged bronze, then the … More Short Story: As Darkness Falls
Drug offenses expose Indonesia’s problems (printed in Inside Indonesia but I don’t know when….. google gagal!) by Laine Berman For the past few years a great many articles have appeared on Indonesia’s drug ‘culture’ and the disastrous impact it has on youth. Blame is thrown about at all sides but little has yet appeared to … More Drug offenses expose Indonesia’s problems
Drug Use in Indonesia: a cultural-political perspective (this was written in 2002 but still quite relevant today) Men do not think they know a thing till they have grasped the “why” of it which is to grasp its primary cause. Aristotle’s Physica, Book II. Introduction Identifying the root causes of a social problem is … More Drug Use in Indonesia: a cultural-political perspective
Laine Berman 