Experts, activist at loggerheads over abortion

Experts, activist at loggerheads over abortion

JAKARTA (JP): A doctor, a lawyer, a religious activist and a
police officer have entered the public debate on the moral and
legal aspects of abortion.

The Jakarta Post contacted them yesterday following the
discovery last week of 11 babies and fetuses which were dumped at
a garbage site on Jl. Warakas in Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta.

The chairman of the Indonesian Doctors' Association, Azrul
Azwar, admitted that doctors were aware their colleagues
conducted abortions.

He said there was an unspoken agreement among doctors not to
report the activities of others unless their actions had
adversely affected a patient.

"We will have to dismiss any doctor found guilty of conducting
abortions for reasons other than medical or health purposes.

"We all know that abortion is prohibited by the law. But, the
reality is, demand for it is getting higher."

Articles 346 and 347 of the Criminal Code strictly prohibit
abortion, but Article 15 of the 1992 Health Law No. 23 allows
abortion for medical and health reasons.

If the ban on abortion is enforced, more people sneak into
clinics to abort their babies because their options have been
limited, he said.

"This means treatment becomes more expensive too. People who
can't afford it will go to inexperienced medics or midwives and
face a much higher risk of infection and even death."

Azrul suggested that legalizing abortion under certain
circumstances might be a solution to the problem.

"Banning abortions will never stop people from doing it," he
said. "Do you think our society is ready to discuss the
possibility of legalizing abortion on the condition that there
can be agreement on when a fetus is actually alive?"

He said it was up to the public to identify the problems and
needs so they can decide what is best for them.

Lawyer Nursjahbani Katjasungkana said that legalizing abortion
was a secondary consideration.

"The exact time when a fetus is considered alive is central to
the abortion controversy," she said.

"That's why government officials, doctors and religious
leaders should first reach some kind of consensus on when a human
fetus starts being alive -- whether it's less than three months
or 100 days...

"If they can reach an agreement on it, then we'll talk about
making a law to legalize the practice."

The chairman of the Indonesian Committee for World Moslem
Solidarity, Ahmad Sumargono, lambasted the abortion practice as
an uncivilized act.

"It's no secret that such practices are carried out by
midwives or clinics staffed by doctors and nurses in certain
parts of the city. They are immoral. They do not appreciate that
fetuses are human beings.

"The aborted babies were obviously shunned by their parents.
This is pathetic. Can you imagine how our society can condone
that? The moral crisis is out of control."

Ahmad blamed the mushrooming number of abortion practices on
the lack of law enforcement and moral degradation.

He called on related parties, including doctors, law enforcers
and religious leaders, to discuss ways of eradicating abortion
clinics.

City police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang declined to say
whether or not he agreed with the legalization of abortion.

"The point is we, the police, are upholding the 1992 Health
Law No. 23 and some articles of the Criminal Code which prohibit
abortion unless it is for medical or health-related reasons," he
said.

Clinics

Many people know that there are between two and five legal
obstetric and gynecological clinics operating in particular
areas, including Cikini, Tanah Tinggi, Rawasari and Senen, which
offer abortions.

The practice has become a profitable business. Not only do the
doctors, nurses or midwives get money from the operations, but
also drug vendors and those who link patients with clinics.

A woman called Et, who organizes illegal parking near the
Raden Saleh Medical Clinic in Cikini, Central Jakarta, told the
Post that her parking attendants hand out the business cards of
doctors, whose clinics offer abortion, to people who are seeking
information.

"We are given at least Rp 10,000 for each patient we bring to
the clinic and who agree to undergo the procedure."

She said at least 10 women of all ages and walks of life go to
each clinic every day to abort their babies.

"Not all patients are single women. Some are housewives who
already have too many children," she said.

Et, who is aged in her 30s, said the abortions carried out by
certified doctors were safer than those conducted by nurses or
midwives.

"Of course the doctors will charge you more. But, I don't know
about the price. I only accompany the patient. You don't have to
pay me anything, the doctor will give me the fee."

Et had an abortion about 14 years ago when she was about 20
years old.

When asked whether the procedure was painful, she said: "Not
really. You'll just feel a bit dizzy and get a stomach ache. Just
like when you menstruate.

"The procedure itself only takes about five minutes. And
another half an hour to rest. You'll be given medicine to reduce
the pain and headaches and to clean out the remaining blood in
the uterus. You can go back to your daily activities after that."

But the procedure becomes more complicated if the gestation is
more than one or two months, she said.

"The treatment is more complicated and the prices, of course,
are higher. Be ready to pay no less than Rp 1.2 million, if the
pregnancy is more than a month," she said. "A two- or three-week
pregnancy would cost at least Rp 300,000." (cst)