WARNING - BEING SELF-SUFFICENT
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LIVE: Signs of things to come :MUST READ!
Check out your future: Every American needs to read this story. A
Glimpse
at the future. Will your family be waiting in line when this happens
here?
Please read the entire story, because it affects your whole family.
This
story is from 9-jan-98 on MSNBC if you would forward this to
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who needs to read it.
1/9/98
MSNBC NEWS SERVICES JAKARTA, Indonesia
Panic-buying erupts in Indonesia
In a country where dissent is rare, calls for Suharto to resign MSNBC
NEWS
SERVICES JAKARTA, Indonesia _ Fearing a worsening economic
crisis,
thousands of panicked Indonesians rushed to supermarkets where they
snapped
up everything in sight. Ignoring an army appeal for calm in the
world's
fourth most-populous nation, Indonesians lined up more than 20-deep
at
checkout counters to buy sugar, rice, cooking oil and whatever else
they
could grab before yet another price rise.
Asia markets get ravaged IMF sends team to Indonesia. Calls for
Suharto
to step down, unthinkable a week ago, were published Friday on the
front
page of the Jakarta Post, Indonesia's influential
English-language
newspaper. INDONESIA'S CURRENCY, the rupiah, sank to an all-time low
Thursday, losing a quarter of its value in a single day and driving
the
stock market down as far as 18.5 percent.
Trading on Indonesia's financial markets was calmer Friday with the
rupiah
gaining ground against the dollar and some brokers said Thursday's
meltdown
was overdone. However, residents still lined up at some shops for
essential
household items. Calls for President Suharto to step down, unthinkable
just
a week ago, were published Friday on the front page of the Jakarta
Post,
Indonesia's most widely-circulated English-language
newspaper.
The plunge of the currency this week was triggered by release of
a
proposed government budget that financial markets viewed as falling
short
of the commitments Indonesia made to the International Monetary
Fund,
potentially jeopardizing the IMF bailout. Many economists said
the
exchange, inflation and economic growth rates used to prepare the
budget
were unrealistic.
While President Suharto has yet to face a credible opposition in
his
30-year reign, the prospect of social unrest triggered by inflation
and
unemployment is looming. The army has pledged to back Suharto in the
event
of widespread tumult.
Indonesia's powerful military said Friday the country was under
control
and pledged to take "repressive" measures against people attempting
to
create disturbances. For half a year, Indonesia's 202 million people
have
remained relatively calm as their currency has continued to slide.
They
have maintained faith that the 76-year-old president would revive
the
economy in the same way he built it up years ago. But their
confidence
plunged Thursday _ along with the rupiah, which fell 26 percent.
PANIC SHOPPING Thousands of people dashed to stores and picked the
shelves
clean. "I only wish I could buy more. Who knows what is going to
happen?"
said one woman Thursday as she and her family pushed five shopping carts
of
groceries. To calm rattled nerves, state-owned television flashed
pictures
of a national rice stockpile, and quoted officials saying the nation's
food
supplies remained plentiful _ despite the need to import rice because
of
prolonged drought.
Nevertheless chaos ensued Friday in the main rice market in
eastern
Jakarta when hundreds of people jostled to buy the staple. "It is
crazy
here. People are buying and buying even though the government has said
rice
stocks are sufficient," said one rice trader. The military said Friday
the
armed forces would help distribute commodities to local markets in order
to
make sure stocks were sufficient and to calm people.
IMF, U.S. GO INTO HIGH GEAR The Clinton administration and
the
International Monetary Fund, alarmed by the deepening economic crisis,
are
sending top officials to Indonesia to help right a faltering
bailout
effort. Both the White House and the IMF emphasized that their
emissaries
would underscore to Suharto the urgent need for his government to adhere
to
the reform pledges it made in November to qualify for a $40 billion
rescue
package.
President Clinton made a personal appeal to Suharto in a 20-minute
phone
call Thursday night from Air Force One, the White House said.
"The
president made it quite clear that the IMF program needs to be
followed,"
said a senior administration official, who spoke on condition of
anonymity.
Suharto pledged his support to Clinton for IMF-backed reform, a
senior
minister said in Jakarta on Friday. "Indonesia is serious about
carrying
out the plan," Indonesian State Secretariat Minister Murdiono
told
reporters following a meeting with Suharto.
Earlier, the IMF had called for Suharto's government to accelerate
"much
needed reforms already agreed upon." While warning of the consequences
of
failing to live up to the IMF reform program, both the White House and
the
IMF held out the promise of accelerated assistance to Indonesia
if
Suharto's government shows renewed resolve.
The statements from Washington were one of the factors helping to
bolster
the rupiah on Friday. The White House said Deputy Treasury
Secretary
Lawrence Summers, the administration's point man on the Asian crisis,
would
lead a U.S. delegation this weekend that also would include officials
from
the State Department and the National Security Council.
The IMF said Managing Director Michel Camdessus, a Frenchman, and
Stanley
Fischer, his American deputy, would leave for Asian capitals, Jakarta
among
them, this weekend on their second trip there in less than two
months.
South Korea, Indonesia and Thailand all have received IMF rescue
packages
in recent months as the 182-nation lending agency has scrambled to halt
a
worsening currency crisis that struck Asia last year. Fischer said
Thursday
night he was confident that after talks with Indonesian leaders, "we'll
be
back on track." He said Suharto's budget was "not as bad as it
was
portrayed in the press" and he appealed for patience. An IMF rescue
plan
"takes a while," Fischer said. "People are shell-shocked, they don't
know
what hit them."
FUTURE OF SUHARTO? The Jakarta Post on Friday quoted former
cabinet
minister Mohammad Sadli as saying a change in government was needed
to
restore international confidence. In another article, political
scientist
Arbi Sanit was quoted as saying the 76-year-old former army general
must
quit. "We need a president who is good health," Sanit, a professor at
the
University of Indonesia, said.
On Thursday a small group of retired generals, politicians and
other
public figures were reported to have suggested it was time for Suharto
to
retire, but said they would support him if he was re-elected.
Indonesia's
ruling Golkar party said Suharto could not be pressured into a decision
on
whether or not to seek re-election in March, the official Antara
news
agency reported.
Indonesia has undergone only one change of government since it
gained
independence from Dutch colonial rule. Suharto took over from
founding
president Sukarno in 1965 after what the government now says was
an
abortive Communist coup.
DISASTER CENTER BULLETIN BOARD DIRECTORY
This is the time for reflecting on the fact that we have become complacent individuals, who rely on the heat, hydro, food and kindness of others. It has come to my mind that the hype of the end times is not taken seriously at all by anyone.
Evacuation of everyone to shelters. The elderly being moved out of what they know is their safety zone. Well folks this serves as an example that we still have not learned to be SELF SUFFICIENT. We do not know how to keep warm without gas lines or electricity. We have no means of cooking a warm meal without Electricity or anything else. Our reliance on the so-called modern conveniences has gone out of hand . Consequently we have become totally dependent on those things. What a warning for those who are aware that we MUST prepare for things such as this, regardless whether it is end times or not.
The shameful result of this tragedy is that the oil companies have raised their prices, the grocery store is also selling stuff at inflated prices, food shortages are occurring. There is no way for the ill to get to the hospital as all roads are inhabitable. The underground came to a halt. Some of the restaurants are trying to feed the masses, but also running out of supplies. Yet there are those money hungry grabbers who DARE to charge more for things because they have the upper hand.
With all of this please consider your own situations which may very well be like that one day. What have you done to provide the necessities such as food water heat.?? Have you prepared yourselves by learning how to survive in sordid conditions?? Have you done you part in the fact that someone else will need your help and could be a drain on your financial ecstasy??? What does all of this mean? I urge you very strongly to make sure that you can survive even under the worst conditions without becoming a liability to someone else.
Learn how to do things in a simple fashion, but learn!!!! Man this has really brought all of this home for me. And I do hope all of you will think about this as it can happen to you. Please send your prayers to all others you know or don't know in this stricken area. Please lets not continue this farce of you are right and s/he is not. What does it all matter in the long run. It matters who cares about you as a person, it matters that someone is able to assist you, it matters that love is shown to all.
The changes are drastic in many areas. Where I live is a peninsula smack in the middle of the two largest lakes, lake Ontario and lake Huron. It would not take much for us to go blub blub. As for water I have lots of office size bottle filled with spring water. I do not drink the city water as too many chemicals are added that I cannot handle. As for the rest of it my husband has prepaired us well in almost any state of emergency. Both of us were avid campers in the wild and living of the things we could find. Our total equipment fits in a back pack each which are alway packed for immediate emergencies. Including medical supplies. This is not done because of fear, but because we love to take of at the spur of a moment for unknown places so we just leave all the stuff ready to just throw in the van and go. The post I wrote was in concern for the many friends I have in those areas and friends are extremely important to me. I tend to them like one would to flowers (:))) Some say I spoil them. LOL
If you have questions or comments, please e-mail dee777@aol.com