Cross section of people pray for respite in crisis

BEKASI (JP): Religious representatives, activists and dozens of scavengers held prayers at Bantargebang garbage dump yesterday to appeal for a respite from the economic crisis and in thanks for the liberation of a Roman Catholic priest and his brother who were accused of harboring wanted prodemocracy activists.

The Bekasi District Court freed Ignatius Sandyawan Sumardi and Benny Sumardi on Saturday because, according to Judge Den Sjarfuni, the two were guilty but had harbored the activists because they felt compelled to and therefore they could not be punished.

"Be that rain falls at the right time, the earth produces enough grain, the country avoids famine and those who are graced with the ability to think have no fear," Gedong Bagus Oka, a Hindu, said in her prayer.

"Don't be afraid of your faith," she said.

In front of her were rice cones, fruit, coffee, tea and other offerings usually required of Bebaritan, the traditional prayer of Indramayu, West Jaya, delivered during hard times.

Besides Gedong, other religious representatives present at the site were Buddhist monk Nyana Pradipa, Permadi of nondenominational faith and Catholic priest Roni Nurhayanto.

The guests at the site included Ade Rostina Sitompul, the 1995 Yap Thiam Hien human rights award winner, and Karlina Leksono, leader of the Voice of Concerned Mothers.

None appeared bothered by the heat, the stench of the garbage or the flies, which buzzed around and swarmed over the offerings.

The worshipers all paid attention to the speech given by Sandyawan, which represented the scavengers' concerns on the crisis.

Sandyawan tried to formulate the scavengers' concerns on injustice, which he said affected not only them but street children and inhabitants of slum areas as well.

"It is the rich who have debts but why is it us who become the victims? We want to protest but to where and how? Aren't those who protest arrested? We don't understand.

"Just look at how the prices of foodstuffs are skyrocketing while our incomes drop... On what else should we survive if next April the price of fuel also rises..." he said.

The income of Bantargebang scavengers dropped from an average of Rp 50,000 to Rp 60,000 every 10 days to Rp 30,000 to Rp 40,000, he said.

"Development has been going on for 30 years under the New Order government. But what has happened? Farmers are evicted from their land for the sake of the establishment of industrial plants, housing complexes... Farmers are evicted in the name of conglomeration," he said.

"The crisis and bankruptcy are the product of a policy which no longer carries out the message of people's suffering; as a product which is no longer in line with the 1945 Constitution, especially Article 33," he said.

Sandyawan said there was no other choice but to listen to the real voice of the people and to give them back their rights. (ind)