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)