Indonesia's large market and its strategic position in Southeast Asia have drawn foreign cement companies to invest in the country
creating competition for existing producers
which are already struggling to maintain their market share amid a glut in production capacity
China and India and one local firm plan to build factories in Indonesia that will have a combined capacity of 12.1 million tons per year
The total investment is estimated at between $1.3 billion and $3 billion over the next few years
The factories include India's Ultratech that seeks to establish a plant in Wonogiri
with an annual production capacity of 4 million tons
the East Asian country's largest cement maker
is currently building a 2.3 million-ton plant in Grobogan
Lucky Cement Taiwan has partnered with local company Fajar Semen Barru for a plant in Barru
The plant will have an annual production capacity of 3.3 million tons
a local energy business group controlled by tycoon Arifin Panigoro
is setting up a new cement operation in Gombong
These factories will boost Indonesia's cement production capacity beyond 100 million tons in next few years
which is a milestone that could already be reached this year if China's Anhui Conch Cement and Jui Shin; Thailand's Siam Cement; and local producers Cemnido Gemilang and Panasia Cement also start production
also expects its 3-million-ton plant in Rembang
domestic cement sales may only increase to 63 million tons this year
according to the Indonesia Cement Association (ASI)
"All the producers would have to be aggressive to battle for market share in order to fully utilize their production capacity
which they expanded in the past year," Ciptadana Securities equity analyst Andre Santoso said
including offering heavy discounts that would reduce their margins," Andre added
Anhui's strategy to offer 10 percent discounts in South Kalimantan has managed to hurt the market share of Indocement Tunggal Prakarsa
Indonesia's second-largest cement producer
according to a report from Trimegah Securities
ASI chairman Widodo Santoso said the government should anticipate more interest from foreign investors in the domestic cement market and that it should move to protect existing players
Investors have been keen to expand to Indonesia to benefit from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Economic Community (AEC)
which will establish a market of around 600 million people in the region
Growth prospects for these cement producers are limited in their respective countries because of their inability to export their products to distant markets such as Europe and the United States
Indonesia's domestic cement consumption was still low compared to the average consumption rate of 400 kg per capita in the Asean region
Widodo said local cement producers needed to come up with a strategic plan to boost exports in order to remain competitive
Indonesian cement exports amounted to 1 million tons
an increase of 280 percent from the previous year
"We plan to export to various countries in Africa
Christians and Muslims live in good relationship
this harmonious relationship is deteriorating with the rise of intolerance and the Muslim fundamentalists
this radical fringe is active in political and media circles
come to doubt the relevance of the Islamo-Christian dialogue
Despite the rise of these acts of intolerance on the part of Muslims
the Church persists in its dialogue with Muslims
this situation pushes the Church in Indonesia to realize that dialogue is
This is not to imagine that Christians are forced to dialogue with Muslims to exist
because it is part of the mission of the Church as sacrament of the Kingdom of God
The Church is fulfilling its mission when it works with others to build the Kingdom of God in the sense of justice
reconciliation and fraternity among all men
the Catholic Church is looking for ways to build relationships with other believers
The dialogue that the Church develops is not a dialogue between religions or institutions
but between people who belong to different religions and recognize their equal human dignity
Dialogue is an encounter that becomes word
where there is mutual respect and listening
It is neither a negotiation on the content of faith
nor a debate where one seeks to score points
It is a deep attitude marked by the desire to meet the other in its difference
it is rooted in his faith in God who has taken the initiative of dialogue with humanity himself
Building this type of dialogue is not an easy task
Muslims and all other religions in our region share the same cultural root
In this case the Javanese culture influenced by Hinduism
This culture can serve interreligious dialogue
He uses this art to build dialogue with non-Christians and
The “Wayang” or shadow theater is a popular show in Indonesia
On the island of Java have developed several variants of shadow theater
The most popular form is the Wayang Kulit Purwa from Central Java
Puppets are usually made from buffalo skin added on horn sticks
who plays with light to modulate the shadows of his figures
The performances of Wayang Kulit Purwa are invariably based on the adaptations of the Indian Sanskrit epics
Father Handi plays the role of master puppeteer (dalang)
The dalang is at the same time the storyteller
the mouthpiece of all the protagonists and the puppeteer
The dalang must know the manual and vocal techniques that will allow him to make his puppets live
The dalang must then master the Javanese orchestra (gamelan) since he is the conductor
A wayang kulit show is worn by Javanese music (gamelan) and singers
The particularity of the Wayang of Father Handi is found in the story of the dalang (i.e
He uses the wayang as a means to do catechism
Instead of telling the story of the epic of Ramayana or Mahabharata
Father Handi uses the wayang to present the biblical stories
Father Handi’s puppets are biblical characters from the Old and New Testaments
Father Handi is not the first to have had this idea
This type of wayang has existed for several decades
Wayang wahu is wayang that interprets biblical history (revelation)
They are neighbors and neighbors of the presbytery of the parish of Father Handi
Father Handi invited the local residents to learn how to play gamelan
They then formed an orchestra group to which he gave the name “hamangun sih”
a Javanese name meaning “to build charity”
The relationship with non-Christians is woven and
Another dialogue was built between Father Handi and the artist who draw the puppets
Father Handi commissioned the making of the puppets of the biblical characters
discussions take place between the painters and Father Handi
the craftsmen must know the episodes of their life
The exchanges focus on the aesthetic and artistic aspect of the puppets
the discussions are also of theological order
the puppets must show the physics of the character
Father Handi had to explain the character of these characters in detail
It is on this basis that craftsmen perform puppets
Father Handi’s troupe has played a few times in most of the parishes of the diocese and elsewhere
The non-Christians perfectly know that the Wayang Wahyu is a sort of catechism
many non-Christian spectators attend the performances and appreciate them
The members of the troupe who are not Christians do not see
any obstacle to take part in this collaboration
Even if they do not convert to Christianity
they can then give testimonies among their relatives of their relationship with Christians
Father Handi’s work with his Wayang Wahyu group is not decisive for national interreligious dialogue
he can be a source of inspiration thanks to the way he uses Javanese culture to build the relationship between members of different faiths