First Lady visits Yogyakarta market<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): As part of commemorations marking Kartini
\nDay, First Lady Shinta Nuriyah Abdurrahman Wahid made an
\nimpromptu visit to Beringhardjo market in Yogyakarta on Friday to
\nhold friendly dialogs with women vendors and coolies.<\/p>\n
Accompanied by Ratu Hemas, wife of Sultan Hamengkubuwono X,
\nwho is Yogyakarta governor, Shinta was greeted by Mayor R.
\nWidagdo at the biggest traditional market in Yogyakarta.<\/p>\n
The first lady very quickly became the focus of attention of
\nall who were at the market place.<\/p>\n
Women coolies are paid to carrying goods belonging to traders
\nor market patrons.<\/p>\n
In very intimate conversations with the \"common people\" the
\nfirst lady asked about their lives and their families.<\/p>\n
\"How many children do you have? And how much money do you earn
\na day?\" asked the first lady to one of the women coolies.<\/p>\n
\"I have two children and collect only between Rp 3,000 and Rp
\n4,000 a day. It is difficult for me to afford sending them to
\nschool. Therefore I need help,\" the woman said in Javanese
\nlanguage.<\/p>\n
Similar questions were asked of a fruit vendor. To her
\nsurprise, the vendor said she could collect Rp 350,000 per day.<\/p>\n
\"Thank God that women can work and make money for their
\nfamilies, and supplement their husbands' income,\" she said.<\/p>\n
The first lady was in Yogyakarta for a seminar which was held
\nin remembrance of the heroin Kartini. The seminar was organized
\nby the First Lady Secretariat in cooperation with Rifka Annisa
\nWomen Crisis Center and Institute for Women and Children Study
\n(LSPAA) Yogyakarta.<\/p>\n
In her address, the first lady said that many Indonesian women
\nsaw Kartini as a sacred women as if she had been a goddess.<\/p>\n
\"Such a view can make us fail to completely understand Kartini
\nand her struggle,\" she said, citing artificial events such as
\nKartini Dress Contests usually held to remember Kartini.<\/p>\n
Shinta said that Indonesian women had been victimized in
\ndevelopment programs during the previous regime. \"Behind the
\nsuccess of Family Planning programs, women were treated as
\nobjects. I'm not saying that such a program is bad. But since the
\nprogram violated women's rights, we will not let it go on.\"
\n(44\/sur)<\/p>",
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