Lepers seek better lives in Ramadhan<\/p>\n
Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang<\/p>\n
The holy month of Ramadhan is a time for giving, which some
\npeople take advantage of by looking for easy money, begging on
\nthe street.<\/p>\n
This issue draws attention to the livelihood of dozens of
\ncured lepers, who say their social and economic rights have been
\ndenied.<\/p>\n
Dinah, 36, spends most days sitting on the sidewalk at the
\nintersection of Jl. Veteran and Jl. MP Taruna hoping for small
\nchange from passing motorists.<\/p>\n
\"I need the money to buy medicine for my sores and to feed my
\nfamily,\" she told The Jakarta Post, explaining she has two
\nchildren and her husband is unemployed.<\/p>\n
She also has to pay monthly rent of Rp 75,000 for a house in
\nSerba Guna complex, located right behind the state Sitanala
\nHospital for leprosy in Neglasari, Tangerang.<\/p>\n
The rest of the year, the number of cured lepers begging on
\nthe street is 15 on average.<\/p>\n
\"But in the fasting month, it's more like 35. The intersection
\nis the only safe place for us, or we would not survive the
\ntraffic or public order officers,\" said Kamal, 37, who was
\ninfected with the disease when he was six.<\/p>\n
In any other place, Kamal added, he was picked up by public
\norder officers, who would send him to the city's social
\nrehabilitation center, where he would stay for a couple of days
\nbefore being sent back to his hometown in Karawang, West Java.<\/p>\n
From Karawang, Kamal always returned to the Serba Guna
\ncomplex, where he is one of 4,500 residents who are recovered
\nlepers.<\/p>\n
In 1997, the central government ceased its monthly food supply
\nfor cured lepers. With no clear reason, the government also
\nstopped providing free medical treatment, including
\nhospitalization, as well as rehabilitation programs for the cured
\nlepers.<\/p>\n
While some of them have successfully established their own
\nenterprises and moved up in the world, most of the cured lepers
\nprefer to stay among their community in Tangerang and continue
\nliving as beggars.<\/p>\n
The poorest among them rent beds in the hospital.<\/p>\n
Disturbed by the presence of the beggars, some Tangerang
\nadministration officials alleged they were organized by certain
\npeople or a group who sought profit.<\/p>\n
\"They are dropped there by profit-seekers,\" an official of the
\nTangerang Community Empowerment office, which is responsible for
\nthe handling of beggars in the municipality told the Post.<\/p>\n
However, the recovered lepers who were interviewed denied the
\nallegation, saying they were only able to bring home no more than
\nRp 10,000 on average after eight hours begging at the
\nintersection.<\/p>\n
\"It costs me Rp 4,000 a day to take a becak (pedicab) from my
\nhome to the intersection. I often bring home less than Rp 10,000
\nbecause when it rains, there will be nothing for us there,\" said
\nDinah.<\/p>\n
Sitanala Hospital deputy director JP Handoko Suwono said that
\nthe cured lepers were those who had passed a supervision period
\nof more than one year, and were therefore no longer entitled to
\nreceive treatment at the hospital or use its facilities .<\/p>\n
\"We have run out of ideas as to how to help the former lepers
\nbecause most of them like to live in their own way. Once we sent
\n60 former leper families to Lebak regency in Banten but they
\nreturned here after two weeks,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/lepers-seek-better-lives-in-ramadhan-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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