US President Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama visit Humayun's Tomb in New Dehli, India. Source: AFP
AS a schoolboy in Jakarta, Barack Obama attended Muslim prayer sessions with his classmates against the wishes of his mother.The US President's former grade three teacher said that Mr Obama - who was known as "Barry" when he attended the Menteng One school in Jakarta - studied the Koran and went to classes on Islam, despite the objections of Ann Dunham, a Catholic.
The teacher's recollections will add to speculation about Mr Obama's links to Islam during his much-anticipated visit to Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, as part of his ten-day tour of Asia.
Mr Obama moved to Indonesia with his mother and Indonesian stepfather, Lolo Soetoro, when he was 6, and lived there for four years. In his memoirs he recalled his time in the country as the "bounty of a young man's life" and there is affection and pride among Indonesians for the boy who ended up as President of the United States.
The teacher, Effendi, who taught at Menteng One for 29 years, remembers Mr Obama as a "fat, curly-haired, curious boy". The school had an international mix of pupils, including Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and Muslims.
Mr Obama attended classes on Islam while the Christians attended classes on Christianity, said Effendi. Barry, he said, was alone among the pupils in that he insisted on attending both.
"His mother did not like him learning Islam, although his father was a Muslim. Sometimes she came to the school; she was angry with the religious teacher and said 'Why did you teach him the Koran?'" said Effendi.
"But he kept going to the classes because he was interested in Islam. He would also join the other pupils for Muslim prayers."Thanks to Will at The Other News.
The US President - who has cancelled a scheduled trip to Indonesia twice before - may be stymied again by air traffic disruption caused by an ash cloud emitted from Mount Merapi.
The volcano has been erupting since October 26, killing at least 117 people.
Mr Obama is due to arrive in Jakarta tomorrow after three days in India.
A third cancellation would not be welcomed in Indonesia, where some offence has already been taken at the brevity of the visit.
The homecoming anticipated so keenly by Indonesians has been reduced to less than 24 hours; the shortest amount of time he will spend in any country on the Asia itinerary.
2 comments:
If I'm reading the translations correctly, Indonesia appears to be quite miffed by Obama.
This Tempo Online Article translated by Google states the following:
"For Indonesia, this is the third reception-preparation after a planned visit by the President in March and June and then cancelled. . .On top of the geopolitical map, we see none of the ASEAN countries outside Indonesia and even the far more prosperous economy-be visited Obama in his first trip to Asia. And three other Asian neighbor who visited the President of the United States this time are the countries with strong economies: India, Japan, and South Korea. But from the composition of the trip, we can "read" in light of how "beautiful" was Washington's count, for this long trip also match the results. India's economic resurgence America increasingly taken into account in addition to China-the dragon from the East gets a small three-night. Followed by Korea and Japan, each of two nights. Indonesia?" ". . .Obama would have rushed to fill the agenda of the visit 24 hours solid. " ". . .However, these precious 24 hours. So Indonesia ready-prepared in the middle of all the trouble the government take care of disaster-insistently for the entire agenda can still fulfilled the two leaders: Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Barack Obama." ". . . To the extent that there is no schedule to reminisce in Jakarta. Ben Rhodes said: "The time mepet, so Obama could not visit places of his childhood." Then he added, "But one day he will (visit) there too, because this after all not the last time President Obama to Indonesia."
The Indonesians appear to be getting a bit testy about Obama's impetuous plans.
Perhaps Indonesia released the article this thread presents, to put Obama on notice that they have more information about Obama's background to release should Obama make the mistake of taking his childhood homeland for granted by testing their hospitality, budget and patience any further?
Further in the translated article, I was tweaked by the following blurb which mentions none other than Imam Feisal Rauf:
". . . Dino Patti Djalal, Indonesia's Ambassador to America, going home from Washington, DC, to Jakarta with several members of his staff since last week to take part in setting up reception. So far there is no change," he said about the planned visit by Obama. Tempo met Dino when "college" in New York mosque imam, Feisal Abdul Rauf, the Palace on Friday last week. "
"But he kept going to the classes because he was interested in Islam. He would also join the other pupils for Muslim prayers."
BHO was attracted to Islam, then.
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