Community winning war on drugs<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
The fact that an estimated 3.9 percent of the country's
\npopulation of 220 million people, or about 8.58 million people,
\neither use illegal drugs and\/or sell them, has raised concern
\namong the mothers of Community Unit 9 in Kebayoran Lama Utara
\nsubdistrict, South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
These 30 mothers, concerned that drugs could someday effect
\ntheir children, raided a drug party someone had organized in a
\nhouse in their neighborhood last February.<\/p>\n
One of the mothers called the Kebayoran Lama Police and
\nofficers eventually joined the mothers in the raid.<\/p>\n
Forty-eight people were taken in for questioning, but 13 were
\nlater released due to a lack of evidence.<\/p>\n
The women's actions ignited an intense war against drugs in
\nthe subdistrict. Subdistrict chief Ishak Firdaus has established
\n\"antidrug forces\" in each neighborhood unit.<\/p>\n
The movement has been recognized by the city administration,
\nwith Kebayoran Lama subdistrict being honored in 2004 as the best
\nsubdistrict in the capital, beating out 266 other subdistricts.<\/p>\n
\"The (drug raid) incident opened the eyes of many of us about
\nthe overwhelming presence of drugs even in our own neighborhood,\"
\nSugiyanto, the subdistrict secretary, told The Jakarta Post
\nrecently.<\/p>\n
Ishak has also tried hard to help the multiethnic residents of
\nthe area live together in harmony. In some parts of Jakarta,
\nconflicts between different ethnic groups often lead to brawls.<\/p>\n
Sugiyanto said that in the case of Kebayoran Lama Utara,
\ninformal leaders from different ethnic groups and subdistrict
\nofficials had established a forum.<\/p>\n
\"The forum is an effective instrument for preventing conflicts
\nbetween ethnic groups, because each group leader is a respected
\nperson and coordinates well with subdistrict officials to
\novercome any problems,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Subdistrict officials also have successfully managed a poverty
\nelimination program sponsored by the World Bank, through a
\nrevolving fund scheme for low-income residents who want to
\nestablish small businesses.<\/p>\n
The 178.22 hectare subdistrict is home to about 41,000
\nresidents. Its borders are Jl. Kramat in the north, Kali Grogol
\nin the east, Jl. Bintaro Raya and Jl. Bungur Raya in the south,
\nand Kali Pesanggrahan in the west.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/community-winning-war-on-drugs-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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