Fate of laid-off journalists<\/p>\n
From Kompas<\/p>\n
I belong to one of the 30 Berita Buana journalists laid off
\nafter the afternoon paper was taken over by the management of
\nBakrie Capital Investment (BCI). I was declared nonactive on June
\n2002 upon the completion of my eye surgery at Cipto Mangunkusumo
\nGeneral Hospital (RSCM). I was suffering from ablasia retina,
\ndamaged optical nerves, when other journalists were being laid
\noff in mid-1998.<\/p>\n
Since BCI, a financial institution under the Bakrie Group,
\ntook over the paper, we have been living in misery.<\/p>\n
My position as senior editor was demoted and my salary was
\ndrastically decreased from Rp 1.25 million to Rp 500,000, and is
\nalways paid late (sometimes three months afterwards). We are now
\nlooking forward to receiving our health care and insurance, as
\nwell as holiday allowances, which were promised to us in writing
\nin 1997, but have not yet been provided.<\/p>\n
Under such miserable conditions, my family was forced to sell
\nsome of our belongings, including an old car, to make ends meet.
\nAnd perhaps due to my passion for reading and learning to use the
\ncomputer, as well as all the benefits of old age (I am now 61), I
\nunderwent three other eye operations at Dharma Nugraha Hospital
\nin August and September, and at RSCM in March 2002.<\/p>\n
I thank God for saving me from blindness. Berita Buana, or BCI
\nmanagement, has promised to cover the cost of the operations
\nwhich amounted to nearly Rp 20 million, but so far I have not
\nreceived a single penny from either Berita Buana or BCI
\nmanagement.<\/p>\n
EDDY LESTARYONO, Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/fate-of-laid-off-journalists-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }