Mas River *<\/p>\n
In the beginning there was a small sign:<\/p>\n
\"Don't throw litter in this river!\"<\/p>\n
Later everything changed<\/p>\n
and environment protection officials<\/p>\n
shook the hands of the mayor<\/p>\n
and the governor<\/p>\n
at a dinner party<\/p>\n
when their mouths were full of sauce and chilly.<\/p>\n
They told them: \"This is the most spectacular<\/p>\n
development program.\"<\/p>\n
Soon afterward many new signs were installed.<\/p>\n
They didn't bar you from doing things<\/p>\n
but instead offered you exclusive resorts<\/p>\n
on the river banks.<\/p>\n
Developers started building projects<\/p>\n
by first evicting tramps and squatters<\/p>\n
and all worm seekers.<\/p>\n
Officers also held gold diggers<\/p>\n
at gun point.<\/p>\n
A submarine patrolled the river.<\/p>\n
\"It's our blood, it must be clean forever,\"<\/p>\n
the investors told every citizen.<\/p>\n
But behind the scenes<\/p>\n
they paid kickbacks to city rulers.<\/p>\n
And one day, after a student drowned in the river<\/p>\n
as he was boating with his friends,<\/p>\n
the authorities were busy looking for a scapegoat.<\/p>\n
Police questioned the operator of the boat<\/p>\n
and suspected the river tour company<\/p>\n
from its role in the tragedy.<\/p>\n
But later the authorities concluded:<\/p>\n
The city was to be blamed<\/p>\n
for its failure to make a law<\/p>\n
obliging every citizen to learn how to swim.<\/p>\n
By Roesdi Zaki<\/p>\n
* Originally titled Kali Mas. The river runs through
\nSurabaya, the provincial capital of East Java.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mas-river-1447899208",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}