Jakartans declare war against drugs
Jakartans declare war against drugs
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Amid mounting concern over serious abuse of drugs and their
widespread distribution, Jakarta residents gathered on Sunday in
the vicinity of the National Monument park to launch a city-wide
antidrug campaign.
"Jakarta residents pledge today to wage war against the
distribution and abuse of drugs," said the antidrug pledge read
out by two Muslim leaders, Alie Yafie and Nurcholish Madjid.
"The war against drugs aims at making Jakarta safer, more
comfortable and a drug-free place," it added.
Jakarta has become a haven for both drug users and drug
traffickers. The drugs can easily be obtained here and law
enforcers are dragging their feet in the enforcement of law
against them.
Recently, people were shocked at a police discovery of an
ecstasy laboratory in Tangerang, described as "one of the world's
largest drug laboratories."
Drugs users can easily be found in schools, with students
becoming drug abusers and even pushers. A survey made by
nongovernmental foundation Yayasan Cinta Anak Bangsa says that
nine students in every hundred here have taken drugs.
The law enforcers' failure to uphold the law in combating drug
abuse and trafficking has inspired noted poet Taufiq Ismail.
In his poem, titled Perang Melawan Benda Setan Bernama Narkoba
(the War Against the Satanic Substance, Narcotics), Taufiq called
on law enforcers, including the police, to be consistent when
enforcing the law.
"They must refuse any form of bribery, which could hamper
their effort to rid us of drug abuse here," he said.
Present at the antidrug campaign were National Police Chief
Gen. Da'i Bachtiar, Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso, City Council Head
Edy Waluyo and Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Makbul
Padmanegara.
More than a thousand people joined the campaign, including
students, civil servants, and police.
Popular singers Oppie Andaresta, Nugie and Rhoma Irama also
took part in the campaign to attract spectators.
During the campaign, Sutiyoso also inaugurated committee
members for Jakarta's antidrug body. The committee will be
chaired by Djaelani, deputy governor for public welfare affairs.
In his speech, Sutiyoso shifted the blame to the worsening
economic situation coupled with the impact of globalization,
which were major factors in the widespread drug distribution and
abuse in the city.
"Drug (abuse) is like the tip of an iceberg, as only 10
percent of users seek help, while the remainder are ignored by
society," he said.