Hoodlums finish course, enter society with skills<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The first two-week course on skills and military
\ndiscipline for 569 suspected hoodlums ended yesterday with
\nsimilar courses already scheduled for the future.<\/p>\n
\"But for the next courses these preman (local term for
\nhoodlums) will need strong support from the public,\" Jakarta
\nMilitary Chief of Staff Brig. Gen. Sutiyoso told reporters after
\nofficially closing the course at the city military regiment
\ntraining center in Condet, East Jakarta.<\/p>\n
According to Sutiyoso, additional courses will not be possible
\nwithout material as well as financial assistance from the public,
\nparticularly businessmen. \"Everybody knows that during each
\ncourse these preman also need food and clothes,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He explained that the recent intensive two-week course for the
\n568 preman taking place in Condet and the State Police School in
\nLido, Sukabumi, West Java, cost around Rp 100 million
\n(US$45,000).<\/p>\n
According to police data, a total of 6,755 have been detained
\nin the operation since March 6, the day when two police officers
\nwere attacked by a group of 10 young drunken preman at the
\ncrowded Blok M shopping center in South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
One of the middle-ranking officers was fatally stabbed while
\none of the attackers was shot to death. The rest have been
\narrested since.<\/p>\n
The operation has been extended throughout the country and
\nsome 11,787 have been detained.<\/p>\n
According to Sutiyoso, the operation will be extended to all
\nlayers of criminal groups, including debt collectors. \"We'll
\ncontinue the operation to keep down the number of crimes.\"<\/p>\n
During the closing ceremony yesterday, Sutiyoso warned the
\n\"graduates\" to no longer act like preman. \"During your two-week
\nstay here, you all have shown us a high degree of discipline and
\nknow what the law is.\" he reminded.<\/p>\n
\"So, be good citizens!\"<\/p>\n
\"I'll be the first to be really disappointed if you break your
\npromises,\" Sutiyoso said.<\/p>\n
Of the 569 graduates, only 74 have asked the authorities to be
\nsent back to their hometowns.<\/p>\n
A total of 174 will be employed as drivers, 151 placed at the
\ncity manpower office's workshop and the remaining 170 will be
\nregistered on waiting lists at several firms.<\/p>\n
A graduate who planned to get back to his hometown in Irian
\nJaya said: \"I want to get home to work as a civil servant and sew
\nin my spare time.\"<\/p>\n
A 50-year-old graduate, naming himself Anton after a Dutchman
\nhe killed in 1940s, planned to work as a security guard. \"In the
\npast I was a bodyguard in an operation transporting illegal
\ngoods. I received a monthly salary of Rp 300,000,\" Anton said.<\/p>\n
\"After leaving the course here I want to find a job like the
\nprevious one but in a legal way, General,\" he told Sutiyoso.<\/p>\n
A number of the camp detainees, however, were only suspected
\nof being hoodlums.<\/p>\n
\"I don't know why the officers arrested me while I was helping
\nmy parents to transport our things one day,\" 15-year-old Iqbal, a
\nnewspaper boy, told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
\"But I'm a poor boy that nobody would listen to. I had no
\nchance to leave the course, though it may have given me some
\nexperiences that might be useful for my future,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Officers said that the people arrested were detained red-
\nhanded carrying out activities which disturbed and frightened the
\nlocal community.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso also reminded the graduates that his military
\nofficers in the city will be monitoring the moves of every single
\ngraduate. \"Do not forget that we will monitor your progress
\ncontinuously,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso expressed his hope that the skills and experience
\nacquired by the preman during the course would help them make a
\nbetter living. \"All of us at this ceremony today will be very sad
\nif you don't change your attitudes,\" he added.<\/p>\n
During the two-week course, the men were disciplined
\nmilitarily and taught skills in the areas of machinery, sewing
\nand automobile repair services. (bsr)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/hoodlums-finish-course-enter-society-with-skills-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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