'King of scavengers' to get rights award

'King of scavengers' to get rights award

JAKARTA (JP): Father Sandyawan Sumardi, the Catholic priest
and low-profile social worker who recently rose to fame after he
was found harboring wanted youth activists, will receive the Yap
Thiam Hien human rights award tonight.

The selection committee of the Center for Human Rights Studies
chose him over other nominees for his strong commitment to
humanity.

The father received special consideration because he risked
his safety by protecting the Democratic People's Party (PRD)
activists, accused of masterminding the July 27 riots, shortly
after the military issued a shoot-on-the-spot order.

Born by the name of Kuncoro in Jeneponto, South Sulawesi, 38
years ago, Sandyawan is known for his tireless work with the poor
and street children. Abdurrahman Wahid, the leader of the 30-
million Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Moslem organization, once called
Sandyawan "King of scavengers".

The award presentation is timed to coincide with International
Human Rights Day which falls on Dec. 10. The award, named after
human rights activist and lawyer Yap Thiam Hien, was first issued
in 1992.

Previous recipients include human rights activist H.J.C.
Princen, Ade Rostina Sitompul, slain labor activist Marsinah,
lawyer Trimoelja D. Soerjadi and the Jenggawah village farmers in
Jember regency who clashed with security personnel when defending
their land from appropriation.

Sandyawan, a reticent man, once said that all he had done was
motivated by his faith and commitment for the community.

"I have no other, especially political, motives," said the
soft-spoken bird-lover who frequently strolls the Pramuka bird
market in East Jakarta.

The youngest of eight children, the lanky priest spent his
childhood in Bantul, Yogyakarta. He said he inherited his
compassion for humankind from his mother.

Sandyawan decided early in life to be "a companion of Jesus"
by entering the Mertoyudan Minor Seminary in Magelang, Central
Java.

Kuncoro took the name of Ignatius Sandyawan Sumardi when he
started pursuing a religious life on Dec. 31, 1977. He was
ordained on July 21, 1988.

Sandyawan graduated from the Driyarkara School of Philosophy
in Jakarta and furthered his study with the Society of Jesus in
Manila in 1989.

In 1989, Sandyawan got actively involved with the Jakarta
Social Institute, a non-governmental organization that helps the
poor and homeless. He later became the institute's director.

Among Sandyawan's recent activities was the defense of textile
factory workers who were fired with little severance pay.

Established in 1985, the Jakarta Social Institute was
previously called the Pure Labor Consultant Bureau. The institute
has helped at least 500 street children.

Sandyawan, who when relaxed has good humor, admitted harboring
PRD leader Budiman Sudjatmiko and other activists. He said the
youths had come to him for help because they feared the military
would shoot them.

The youths were arrested on Aug. 11 at a house in Bekasi, West
Java, owned by Sandyawan's brother, Benny Sumardi. They are now
facing trial for subversion, a crime punishable by death.

It has been speculated that Sandyawan would also face charges.
But he has only been questioned by the authorities.

In a reflection on Independence Day in August, two weeks
before he was questioned for harboring wanted political
activists, Sandyawan wrote:

"If such is the consequence of my transpired faith, which is
to strive for a just and civilized humanity, may presently cast
me into the pile of victims, I am ready and willing. I do feel
weak but I will not acquiesce to serve fear because it breeds
violence." (06/07)