Officials striving to expel socially problematic people<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The economic situation is proving to be a
\nserious headache for people from all walks of life.<\/p>\n
While the upper-class are falling over themselves to close
\ntheir factories, pack up and head for overseas or buy guns and
\ndig in, those below the poverty line are shuffling down streets,
\nbegging bowl held aloft or selling sex to help themselves and
\ntheir families through the tough times.<\/p>\n
In turn, the cash strapped city authorities feel compelled to
\ncleanse the capital's streets of these "eyesores" in a bid to
\nimprove its image.<\/p>\n
An official from the public order office, which is handling
\nthe issue, said yesterday their operational budget had been cut
\nto Rp 11 million from its previous level of Rp 50 million.<\/p>\n
Head of the social services office, Emon Setia Soemantri, said
\nthe number of "socially problematic people" -- as he
\neuphemistically phrased it -- apprehended by public order
\npersonnel on the streets of Jakarta had reached 20,400 in the
\nfirst six months this year.<\/p>\n
In the corresponding period last year, 13,800 people were
\ndetained, he told City Council Commission E for social welfare
\nduring a meeting last week.<\/p>\n
He said the latest raids had brought the number of street
\nchildren apprehended to a total of 3,000, three times higher than
\nlast years figure for the corresponding period.<\/p>\n
The number of street vendors detained and sent for
\nrehabilitation by the office has almost doubled to 3,500 from
\nlast year's figure of 2,000.<\/p>\n
The number of mentally ill people detained during the
\noperations has risen to 500 from 300 last year, beggars to 3,500
\nfrom 2,700 last year, prostitutes to 6,000 from 4,600 and
\ntransvestites to 1,600 from 1,500 last year.<\/p>\n
The number of street singers, donation box carriers and
\n"jockeys" for the three-in-one traffic system caught have also
\njumped slightly to 2,000 from 1,500.<\/p>\n
Emon said that most of the people apprehended, and especially
\nthe children, had gone on to the streets with their families
\nblessing as a result of desperate financial difficulties.<\/p>\n
"Many, especially the vendors, beggars and singers, were
\nactually asked by their parents to go and work on the streets,"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
He said many of the children, especially those begging for a
\nliving, had stopped going to school long before the crisis broke.<\/p>\n
Many of the street people are illegal immigrants who came to
\nJakarta late last year in the hope of finding work.<\/p>\n
Emon said the city's 300 social centers and orphanages were
\ncurrently looking after 32,032 abandoned minors, including
\norphans and street children.<\/p>\n
He said the city administration was limited as to how much it
\ncould help the children because of the severe budgetary cut's
\nimposed as a result of a sharp drop in revenues raised through
\ntaxes.<\/p>\n
"The city used to be able to subsidize food for 6,000 of the
\n32,032 children in its care. Where possible, Rp 1,000 per child
\nper day was allocated to help cover their food and education
\nexpenses," said Emon.<\/p>\n
However, a cut in budget from Rp 2.1 billion last year to Rp
\n1.5 billion in this financial year has left the city unable to
\noffer even this minimal charitable assistance and the number of
\nchildren receiving financial help has been cut.<\/p>\n
"It means the city can now subsidize only 4,258 children," he
\nsaid. (cst)<\/p>",
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