Date: Thu, 19 Feb 1998 10:59:34 +0700 From: GAYa NUSANTARA Subject: NEWS FROM INDONESIA, 19 FEB 1998 NEWS FROM INDONESIA 19 FEBRUARY 1998 NETWORK, ORGANIZATIONS & VENUES SARANGAN, E. JAVA: A group of gay men from Madiun and its surrounding area called GALEMA (Gaya Lenggang Madiun) organized an Eid-ul-Fitr (end of Ramadhan) celebration at the mountain resort of Sarangan on Saturday nights, 7 February. As many as 150 people turned up. SURABAYA: A group of Surabaya gay men calling themselves Gaya Arek organized a Valentine's Day celebration on Saturday night, 14 February. The entertaining party was held at Kampung Koboi (Cowboy Camp) in the premises of the Kenjeran Beach Amusement Park, and was attended by around 200 people. The theme of the party emphasizes the importance of AIDS awareness when one cares for loved ones. BATAM: BAGASY (Batam Gay Society) disbanded on 14 February 1998. PUBLICATIONS JAKARTA: LaMitraS newsletter No. 2 (February 1998) is out. The twenty-four-page newsletter, published by the lesbian organization, MitraS, contains: Greetings from the Editors; Report from the 3rd Indonesian Lesbian and Gay Congress, Denpasar; Responses to MitraS Letters; Discussing MitraS Problems: Faithfulness and Anxiety; MitraS Issues: Lesbian Sex; Advertisements and Messages; Contacts; True Story: Unfinished Love; Poetry: The Sigh of My Hopeful Dream; and English Page: Bedtime Story: Pretty. Those interested can order copies from: MitraS, Kotak Pos 3308/JKP, Jakarta Pusat 10038 (e-mail: blue_blue@rocketmail.com), by sending Rp3.500 (domestic; overseas orders add Rp2.000 per order). OUTREACH SURABAYA: GAYa NUSANTARA gave an interview to a reporter of the weekly news magazine TIRAS concerning homosexuality in Indonesian society. <