Blind people seek protection

Blind people seek protection

BANDUNG (JP): A dozen blind people, who are being trained at
the Agricultural Training Center for the Blind in Cisarua
Lembang, West Java, have approached the legislative council over
intimidation by residents living around the training center.

Victor Banuara, the spokesperson for the blind said that
around 12 families of the Pasirhalang village, where the training
center is located, had arbitrarily tilled the land belonging to
the training center for about one year.

"We resisted their actions. In return they blocked the
waterway, causing the supply of water to the training center land
to stop. They claim the land belongs to them. Once they
challenged us to fight and they frequently pounded on our doors
at night," Victor said.

The intimidation was sparked by a dispute between the locals
and the Wiyata Guna foundation, which manages the agricultural
training center.

The locals claimed that the foundation illegally took over the
ownership of the land in 1973. They said the land belonged to
their ancestors.

The foundation argued that according to the then Social
Affairs Ministry's decision, the foundation was authorized to
cultivate the 5.7 hectares of land for the training of the blind.

"We don't want to get involved in the land dispute. We just
want the legislature to clear the problem so that we can live and
work peacefully. Our training programs have been disrupted,"
Victor said.

Deputy chairman of Commission A at the legislative council
Maky Yuliawan said the councilors would officially ask the local
police to protect the blind people from intimidation by local
residents. He also said that both the foundation officials and
the residents would be summoned to settle the dispute. (25/sur)