http://www.thejakartapost.com/detaillatestnews.asp?fileid=20050520174748&irec=0
Muslim activists denounce Indonesian Miss Universe contestant JAKARTA (DPA): A group of Muslim activists staged a rally on Friday denouncing the participation of an Indonesian woman in the Miss Universe contest being held in Thailand this month. Witnesses said about 100 female and male Moslem activists from the Islamic Defender Front (FPI), an Indonesian Islamic hard-line group, staged a protest outside PT Mustika Ratu, a company sponsoring Miss Indonesia in the Miss Universe contest. The protesters carried banners calling on the Mustika Ratu company not to "destroy the country's moral standards". They also urged Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to oppose Indonesian participation in the beauty contest. Artika Sari Dewi, 25, who was last year crowned MissIndonesia, is currently in Thailand to take part in theinternational contest, to be held on May 31. Dewi will become the first Indonesian woman to compete in the pageant since 1996, when former dictator Soeharto barred Indonesian woman from participating. Dewi is expected to wear a one-piece swimsuit, instead of the skimpy two-piece one, for the contest in which a number of contestants will sport bikinis. (**) +++++ http://www.thejakartapost.com/detaillatestnews.asp?fileid=20050520143907&irec=3 Miss Indonesia reminds Islamic critics, women in swimsuits are common at home BANGKOK (AP): In cropped jeans, a green T-shirt and white sports jacket, Artika Sari Devi looks relatively conservative, standing in a room full of fellow Miss Universe contestants dressed to show off every curve and slender limb. But the 25-year-old, doe-eyed Miss Indonesia is facing criticism at home that she will bare too much when she parades before judges at the event's swimsuit competition. The criticism comes mostly from "Indonesian people on the Muslim right," she said in an interview Friday. "They think that it's not good to show (ourselves) when we are wearing swimsuits to the public, but actually you can see it everywhere (in Indonesia) - at the swimming pool, on the beach," said Artika, who will wear a one-piece swimsuit for the contest in which a number of contestants will sport bikinis. Islamic conservative religious leaders and government officials in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, say women in swimsuits are offensive and violate religious tenets requiring them to dress modestly."What can I say? I've seen at swimming pools in Indonesia, many people are wearing swimming suits," she said. The photo shoots in the weeks leading to the May 31 pageant were the first time she has ever worn a swimsuit in front of a camera, she said. She was afraid at first, but then became accustomed to it. "Please do not see only the swimsuit competition because this is only a little part of the competition," she said. "They're looking for three B's: brains, behavior and beauty." (**) [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> In low income neighborhoods, 84% do not own computers. At Network for Good, help bridge the Digital Divide! http://us.click.yahoo.com/HO7EnA/3MnJAA/E2hLAA/BRUplB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> *************************************************************************** Berdikusi dg Santun & Elegan, dg Semangat Persahabatan. Menuju Indonesia yg Lebih Baik, in Commonality & Shared Destiny. www.ppi-india.org *************************************************************************** __________________________________________________________________________ Mohon Perhatian: 1. Harap tdk. memposting/reply yg menyinggung SARA (kecuali sbg otokritik) 2. Pesan yg akan direply harap dihapus, kecuali yg akan dikomentari. 3. Lihat arsip sebelumnya, www.ppi-india.da.ru; 4. Satu email perhari: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 5. No-email/web only: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 6. kembali menerima email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ppiindia/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
