70 blind people protest at City Hall
70 blind people protest at City Hall
JAKARTA (JP): A group of about 70 blind people went to City
Hall yesterday to protest the cancellation of their cooperation
with the city administration to manage a plot of land at Ragunan
Zoo in South Jakarta in 1985.
Wearing "peaceful reform" headbands, the protesters, who
arrived at City Hall in two buses, demanded that the
administration return their investment of least Rp 500 million in
the joint project.
As soon as they got out of the bus, they were met by several
security officers. The protesters entered City Hall in groups,
and held onto each other to ensure that they did not become
separated.
The protesters said they wanted to meet Governor Sutiyoso.
They waved banners which read, among others, "Return our rights"
and "Be honest, you must return our money".
The delegation leader, Ony Sanomasi, said the administration
had once promised to return the funds belonging to the Foundation
of Handicraft Training for the Blind (Pekerti).
"Actually, we have asked the administration many times to
return the money, but the officials frequently sent us from one
office to another.
"They used to promise to involve us by allowing us to sell and
display our handicrafts at the site, which has now been altered
into a park. In reality, however, it only happened once," he
said.
Some of the protesters, most of whom work as masseurs, were
unaware of the purpose of the protest. "Ony just asked me to
follow him to protest here," said Ato, one of the protesters.
Asked whether he would ask the governor for money for himself,
Ato said, "That's a good idea. Who knows, maybe the governor will
be generous."
Another female protester, named Aji, said, "Just to shake
hands with the governor will also be OK."
As they failed to meet the governor, some of them played with
a deck of Braille cards and waited to negotiate with Deputy
Governor of Development Affairs Budiardjo Soekmadi.
Ony said that in 1985 the Pekerti foundation decided to
cooperate with the administration to build a park of arts and
handicrafts at the zoo.
The park was originally designed to be a place for displaying
handicrafts and other arts.
After waiting for about two hours, the protesters were
received by Budiardjo.
The city spokesman, Kamaludin Santos, told reporters that
during the meeting the administration principally agreed to
return their money.
"But the administration will hold a meeting first on Thursday
to decide when the money will be returned," he said.
The chairman of Pekerti, Surojo, stated that he was satisfied
with the administration's decision for the time being.
"We will wait for the realization of their promise," he said.
(ind)