Society will pull together to avert famine<\/p>\n
Renewed rioting and looting hit Cilacap and Aceh recently, and
\nfood shortages are looming in several regions. Dr. Mubyarto, an
\nassistant on poverty alleviation to Coordinating Minister for
\nEconomy, Finance and Industry Ginandjar Kartasasmita, discusses
\nthe issue.<\/p>\n
Question: Has the government taken any measures related to the
\nperceived greater poverty and lack of food supplies?<\/p>\n
Mubyarto: The government has actually done a lot and economic
\nministers have too little time to sleep because they have to
\nattend meetings for the formulation of measures to overcome
\nproblems caused by the monetary crisis. But, as the problems are
\ntoo great, the results of the government's efforts are
\ninsignificant.<\/p>\n
Government officials are making all-out efforts because they
\ndo not want to be blamed for violating the people's human rights
\nin the economy -- the rights to have adequate food, clothing,
\nhousing, etc. However, our feelings were hurt when we were
\naccused of bribing the people by allocating huge subsidies with
\nan aim to obtaining their sympathy and commitment to electing
\nPresident B.J. Habibie to the presidency in next year's
\naccelerated general election.<\/p>\n
The lack of food supplies has been caused by harvest failures
\nin some areas, late deliveries of imports and disruption of the
\ndistribution system. I hope the new arrivals of rice imports and
\nthe recent replacement of the head of the State Logistics Agency
\n(Bulog) will improve rice supplies in the near future.<\/p>\n
Q: How effective is the government's social safety net (SSN)
\nprogram in reducing the burdens of the poor?<\/p>\n
M: The government has not implemented its SSN program, which
\nincludes the creation of labor-intensive jobs for people who are
\nlaid off, under the current budget because its financing will
\ndepend on the disbursement of foreign aid.<\/p>\n
Perhaps the funds for the SSN program can be disbursed in
\nNovember or December.<\/p>\n
SSN measures are now conducted by community members, including
\nthe wives of civil servants and university lecturers, who are
\nmoved to coordinate donations or food supplies for the poor in
\ntheir surrounding areas.<\/p>\n
Q: How would you describe the magnitude of the effects of poverty
\nand lack of food on the people?<\/p>\n
M: The current economic crisis has increased the number of people
\nliving below the poverty line from 22.5 million (11.3 percent of
\nthe country's total population of about 202 million) before the
\nstart of the crisis in July 1997 to 79.4 million (39.1 percent of
\nthe population) as of June. More than two thirds, or 56.8
\nmillion, live in rural areas and the remaining 22.6 million in
\nurban areas. The increase stems mainly from job dismissals,
\nharvest failures in drought-hit areas and skyrocketing prices.<\/p>\n
The International Labor Organization has predicted that the
\nfigure may increase to 140 million (66 percent of the
\npopulation), but the government will work hard to make sure the
\nprediction fails.<\/p>\n
Poverty problems in big cities are more serious than those in
\nrural areas because industrial workers who are dismissed or laid
\noff by their employers generally do not want to return to their
\nvillages. They prefer to continue living in cities, believing
\nthat they will be able to look for other jobs.<\/p>\n
But don't be too pessimistic. The poverty will not lead to
\nlarge-scale starvation because our communal way of life will
\nalways encourage certain groups to take the initiative to help
\nthe poor in their surrounding areas. The poor will also try to
\nlook for cheaper food alternatives than rice.<\/p>\n
The starvation that resulted in the death of about 500 people
\nin Irian Jaya before the start of the monetary crisis last year
\nwas caused by a cultural factor. The people died of hunger
\nbecause they did not want to leave the drought-hit territories of
\ntheir tribes out of fear from attacks by other tribes.<\/p>\n
Q: Do you see any correlation between the increase in the poverty
\nand the rise in the frequency of rioting and looting in various
\nregions of the country?<\/p>\n
M: The recent rioting and looting incidents were not in any way
\ncaused by poverty and hunger, but by political and psychological
\nreasons.<\/p>\n
This week's rioting and looting in Aceh, for example, had no
\nrelation to poverty and hunger. It was caused by a feeling of
\nrevenge against the military for the torture of their peers
\nduring the years of military operations there. The unilateral
\ntakeover of land at (former president Soeharto's) Tapos ranch in
\nBogor, West Java, was driven by a motivation to regain their
\nland.<\/p>\n
So, the problems of rioting and looting cannot be solved with
\na social safety net program. They should be resolved by
\npolitical measures. I am sure the rioting and looting will abate
\nif the government, for example, takes stern legal action against
\ncorrupt bankers and government officials.<\/p>\n
Q: How will the government make its SSN program successful?<\/p>\n
M: The government will create labor intensive jobs for laid-off
\npeople and help finance the cultivation of land currently left
\nidle. The government will also urge local administrations to
\nlaunch market operations to sell basic commodities at discounted
\nprices. However, difficulty in looking for and identifying laid-
\noff people will make the program on labor intensive jobs very
\nhard to implement. (riz)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/society-will-pull-together-to-avert-famine-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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