'Beggars not animals but human beings'

'Beggars not animals but human beings'

Human beings forced to beg on Jakarta's cruel streets are being
victimized by Public Order Office personnel during the holy month
of Ramadhan. Some beggars talked to The Jakarta Post about their
daily hell during what is supposed to be a time of compassion.

Atim, 25, a beggar for five years. Originally from Banten, he
now lives with his wife and relatives under a bridge on Jl.
Penjernihan, Central Jakarta:

We know that street beggars are considered disturbers of
public order. But that's all we can do to survive.

I am a human being like normal people. Personally, I'm ashamed
of doing this job. That's why I always wear a cap on my head to
cover my eyes and part of my face.

I hate the public order officers who always raid us. Worse
still, they do it three times a week during the fasting month,
usually in the evenings after 6 p.m.

I think everybody knows the fasting month is deemed to be a
holy time for everyone. But, I wonder why they have intensified
the raids this month. I believe they have and know religious
ideals, but in fact their attitudes seem to be inhuman.
If I may say, it's better for them to raid us after Idul Fitri,
but not now.

I'm just a beggar who is smelly and looks shabby but all of us
here are normal human beings who have hearts. I dare say that our
hearts are, in a way, better than many of those driving upmarket
cars.

I do plan to quit this profession. My wife and I want to make
a better life. I don't want to be a street beggar for the rest of
my life. I want to become a street vendor selling soft drinks and
cigarettes next year.

Murniyati, 39, a beggar for three years in Pejompongan,
Central Jakarta. She lives with her husband and six children in
Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta. She comes from Tegal, Central Java:

Honestly, I'm sick of the public order officers. They always
raid us. During the fasting month, I have to be more alert since
the officers have raided us many times by pretending to be nice
to us before arresting us.

Last week an elderly friend was arrested and taken to the
social rehabilitation center in Kedoya, West Jakarta. It's all
about money then. To get her out, one has to pay around Rp
400,000. Even just to visit her, we have to collect money to buy
cigarettes for the officers.

Despite the fact I'm just a beggar, I am a human being. My
heart is badly hurt when a passerby treats us like an animal,
something like throwing the coins outside the car or handing them
over with contempt on their faces.

Anyway, I wonder why in the holy month of Ramadhan like now,
it's hard to earn money. Two days ago I only collected Rp 5,000
after a day's work.

Frankly, I don't have any savings for Idul Fitri celebrations.
Last year I saved Rp 1 million for the same occasion.

Many rich people have now turned into penny-pinchers for their
own preparations in observing Idul Fitri.

Warso, 18, a beggar for five years under the Karet flyover in
Central Jakarta. He married last year and lives in a slum near a
riverbank:

I don't like the frequent raids by the public order officers.
But I don't dare to fight them. Last month my cousin and I
escaped the raids by diving into the river. Unfortunately, my
cousin could not swim and he lost part of his leg. (The leg was
broken, became infected and had to be amputated.)

I used to be a scavenger, but five years ago I started begging
on the street. Being a beggar is better than a scavenger as I
earn around Rp 30,000 a day. With that amount my wife manages to
save around Rp 5,000 to Rp 10,000 a day.

I hope that in a last few days of the fasting month before
Idul Fitri we will get an abundance of alms because I plan to
return to my hometown in Brebes, Central Java with my wife to
celebrate Idul Fitri.

-- Leo Wahyudi S