Handicapped want rights, not pity

Handicapped want rights, not pity

JAKARTA (JP): Physically handicapped people need empowerment
from society and government, not excessive pity or protection,
according to one of their leaders.

Otje Soedioto, the secretary general of the Indonesian
Association of the Disabled, acknowledged the noble intention
behind the five-yearly State Policy Guidelines (GBHN) in wanting
to care more for the physically handicapped people, including the
provision for jobs for them.

But the policy guidelines have encouraged an excessive
protective and pitifying attitude in society towards the
disabled, Otje said.

He said his organization has tried to modify the GBHN, which
was formulated by the People's Consultative Assembly in 1993, but
it met resistance at the House of Representatives.

"They said that it was impossible to change ... We need to
empower ourselves to make our voices heard," said Otje, who has
been blind since his infancy.

In the chapter on social welfare, education and culture, the
State Guidelines reads "social services are mainly rendered
towards the poor, children, neglected elderly people, the
disabled including disabled veterans, victims of drug abuse..."

"We are treated like pets in the present State Guidelines
(GBHN)," he said, adding that he objected strongly to government
policy of dumping the problems of the physically handicapped
people on the doorsteps of the Ministry of Social Affairs which
also deals with vagrants, prostitutes and others.

"If our problem is regarding jobs, this should be dealt with
by Ministry of Manpower," he said.

Otje was speaking at the launching of the Indonesian
translation of Human Rights and the Disabled by the Center of
Information and Education on Human Rights at the Paramadina
Islamic study center. The writer, Leandro Despouy, is special
rapporteur for the UN sub-commission on the prevention of
discrimination and protection of minorities. Otje wrote a short
introduction to the translation.

Otje said the physically disabled people lobby hard to make
their voices heard and claim their rights. "We need to reach the
more decision-making levels, and we need a strong political base
in the form of instruments such as in the GBHN."

Otje, a journalist by career, said he failed to become a
legislator and diplomat because he did not pass the requirements
that members can write and read in Latin.

One challenge for Indonesia is how it places its disabled
citizens which number at least 0.15 percent, or 285,000 of the
190 million strong population, he said.

"It is wrong to call us handicap sufferers, because we do not
suffer from our handicaps alone. We suffer that our rights are
neglected and being trampled on."

Other speakers at the book launching on Thursday were
Paramadina lecturer Komaruddin Hidayat, senior reporter Aristides
Katoppo and theologist Marianne Katoppo. (anr)