Word: indonesianness
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...calls himself "America's first Pacific President," Obama's planned visit to Indonesia is being heralded as a homecoming. Millions of Indonesians consider Barry Soetoro, as he was once known by his Indonesian stepfather's surname, an honorary citizen. But even as Obama takes a trip down memory lane (followed by a visit to Australia), the fate of his boyhood likeness underscores his, and America's, growing image problem across Asia. Soon after Jakarta city workers used the cover of darkness to relocate the young Barry's statue, top U.S. diplomatic envoys were in Beijing to repair foundering relations with...
...regional economic bloc that could rival the E.U. Note that the U.S. isn't involved. "If we are closer to China now, it is only because the U.S. has neglected us," says Kavi Chongkittavorn, a Thai columnist who writes about foreign affairs. Wirjawan, the head of the Indonesian investment board, jokes that, "If I want to get Americans going, all I have to say is China's interested in a deal and they don't worry about the sanctity of contracts or other legal niceties." The creation of an Asian trade alliance could place American big business at a disadvantage...
...Better Grades At least, at his Alma Mater in Jakarta, the Menteng school, the American President can be assured of an unreserved welcome. Two weeks before Obama was due to arrive in the Indonesian capital, batik-clad students practiced a traditional Indonesian gamelan-orchestra performance they hope to play for him. School principal Hasimah is proud of the school's connection to Obama, showing off a class photo of a young Barry standing among a crowd of Indonesian students. "His story provides a huge motivation to our students," she says. "It means that no matter what your background...
...curious bronze statue of a 10-year-old Barack Obama quickly turned into a tourist attraction. Foreigners flocked to the park in Jakarta to honor the U.S. President, who spent four years of his childhood in the Indonesian capital. Locals visited too, but they weren't as pleased. "Indonesians didn't want the statue here," says Yunus, a park keeper. After three months, the monument was quietly moved to a nearby school where Obama studied. "I'm not against Obama," says Protus Tanuhandaru, one of the founders of a Facebook page that called for the figure's removal...
Obama's upcoming visit to Indonesia is being heralded as a homecoming. Millions of Indonesians consider Barry Soetoro--he was once known by his Indonesian stepfather's surname--to be an honorary citizen. But even as Obama prepares to take a trip down memory lane, the fate of his boyhood likeness underscores his--and America's--growing image problem across Asia. Soon after the statue of young Barry was moved, U.S. diplomats were busy in Beijing repairing relations with the world's next superpower. Meanwhile, Japan, for decades the key U.S. ally in Asia, is calling for a more equal...