Locals rally against drug trafficking

Locals rally against drug trafficking

JAKARTA (JP): Hundreds of residents of Kampung Bali
subdistrict, Central Jakarta, staged a rally against drugs on
Saturday.

The protesters, most of them were children below 10 years of
age, walked through the subdistrict carrying posters and banners
appealing to people to beware of the danger of drugs. The
children, wearing Islamic clothes, were members of Al Qubah
Koranic recital group.

Members of Tanah Abang Family Union and activists of the
Islamic Defenders Front also took part in the campaign against
drug trafficking in the subdistrict.

Four youths carried a bier, symbolizing death for drug users,
in the one-hour rally. The bier was inscribed with "Five million
people have died of drug abuse."

The rally, which drew many people's attention, started at the
subdistrict's hall and ended at nearby Hati Suci elementary
school.

Siswanto, chief of Kampung Bali subdistrict, said the campaign
was intended to increase people's awareness of the dangers of
drugs.

"We expect people's participation in providing information to
police officers after they detect the presence of drug users or
traffickers in their neighborhoods," he said at his office on
Saturday.

Siswanto said the children's participation in the rally was
meant to instill an awareness of the dangers of drugs in young
children.

He said the subdistrict had declared war against drug users
and traffickers in July.

"So far, 15 drug users and one drug trafficker have been
arrested by community members in a series of raids," he said,
adding that the suspects were handed over to Tanah Abang Police
station for legal processing.

The 15 arrested drug users included Deborah Limardo, 25, who
was arrested on Saturday during the rally held in the
subdistrict.

Deborah was caught while sitting on her Isuzu Panther van on
Jl. Kampung Bali. She was reportedly waiting for a drug
trafficker who sold putaw (low-grade heroin) and shabu-shabu
(crystal methamphetamine). The alleged seller of the drugs,
Rizky, was also on the same street.

Scores of local residents and security officials caught and
frisked Deborah, an employee at a private company, and reportedly
found 17 packages of shabu-shabu worth Rp 20,000 each, one gram
of putaw and a set of drug inhalers in her bag.

The officials, including several police and military
personnel, went to Rizky's house after Deborah made a statement.
The officials then arrested Rizky, a student at Sahid University
in South Jakarta, and Adam Sumardi, an suspected drug user who
was allegedly attempting to procure putaw from Rizky, at the
latter's house. The officials seized a set of drug inhalers from
Adam.

Deborah developed severe withdrawal symptoms while being
escorted to the subdistrict's hall. She repeatedly asked the
officials to give her drugs, saying that she desperately needed
them.

"Please help me ... I cannot stand the pain," she said in
tears.

The officials, closely observed by reporters and subdistrict
officials, apparently gave her a some putaw to alleviate her
pain.

Deborah, who said she had been a drug user for five years,
admitted to feeding her habit every two hours.

The three suspects were handed over to the Tanah Abang Police
station for investigation.(asa)