Hundreds rally against drugs<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Some 200 people participated in an antidrug rally to observe
\nInternational Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking
\nat the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta on
\nSunday.<\/p>\n
The protesters, who held hands to make a human chain around
\nthe fountain, also distributed antidrug brochures to motorists
\nand passers-by.<\/p>\n
Among those taking part in the protest were a number of
\ncelebrities, including model Tracy Trinita, presenters Nirina
\nZubir, Farhan, and Indi Barens, and lawyer Ruhut Sitompul. Some
\nstreet children also took part in the rally.<\/p>\n
Rally organizers said similar protests were also held in 16
\nother locations across the capital, including Senayan, Cililitan,
\nPancoran, Kuningan, Grogol, Harmoni, Gunung Sahari, Jl. Pemuda,
\nLebak Bulus, Bintaro and Cibubur.<\/p>\n
The rallies were jointly organized by the Cinta Anak Bangsa
\nFoundation (YCAB), Jakarta Narcotics Agency (BNP) and the
\nInternational Labor Organization (ILO).<\/p>\n
YCAB advisor Comr. Gen. (ret) Togar Sianipar called for public
\nparticipation in combating drug abuse and trafficking in the
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
\"All sides must be involved in this. Otherwise, whatever
\nefforts we make will not be effective in preventing the
\ndevastation caused by drug abuse and trafficking,\" the former
\ndirector of the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) said.<\/p>\n
Patrick Quinn of the ILO warned that many people, including
\nyoung children, had become ensnared in drug abuse and drug
\ntrafficking.<\/p>\n
Citing the ILO's 2003 survey on street children in East
\nJakarta, Quinn said that 90 out of 92 street children who were
\naddicted to drugs had also become drug pushers.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, YCAB activist Veronica Colondam cited a recent
\nsurvey by the University of Indonesia's School of Public Health,
\nwhich found that there were 12 million drug users in the country,
\nmost of whom had started taking drugs before they were 20 due to
\npeer pressure.<\/p>\n
Motorists were also invited to express their support for the
\nwar on drugs by driving with their headlights on.<\/p>",
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