I read with interest the PCOL article titled Indonesia still touchy about Peace Corps dated 2-17-09. I was a PCV in Malaya/Malaysia 62-64 and served with CARE in Indonesia 67-72. During my 5 years in Indonesia the Indonesian government estabished the Indonesian volunteer service called BUTSI (Badan Urusan Tenagakerja Sukarela Indonesia). CARE and International Voluntary Services collaborated to provide technical and material assistance to BUTSI volunteers in, if I recall correctly, the Province of Jogjakarta. I found at the website <www.asiapacificphilanthropy.org/profile-indonesia 4> that BUTSI still exists. The website notes that "BUTSI also works with foreign volunteer organizations like the International Red Cross, UN Volunteers, Volunteers in Asia (VIA), Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) and the Canadian University Service Overseas (CUSO)." To depoliticize its image and presence, Peace Corps should seriously considering linking up with BUTSI.
Rudy Ramp
Arcata, CA