Mass wedding for prostitutes, beggars

Mass wedding for prostitutes, beggars

BOGOR (JP): A total of 23 couples, mostly prostitutes and
beggars, joined a mass wedding celebration at At-Taqwa mosque
here on Thursday.

The wedding, sponsored by the Social Welfare Bureau of the
Bogor administration, was held in a modest ceremony and witnessed
by the couples' friends and Bogor city officials.

Each couple was given a stack of clothes, a Koran and Rp
15,000 in cash.

Irwan, a staffer at the Bogor administration, said most of the
couples have been living together but have yet to be officially
married.

"The couples, who are from Ciheeleut area, were anxious to
join the program," he said.

Sukaesih, one of the lucky brides, said she has been living
with her husband, who is a minivan driver since 1992, but could
afford to get married.

"The fee for the paper work is very expensive. We simply could
afford to pay for the legal (wedding) paper," she said.

The joint matrimonial ceremony was held as part of the social
solidarity for those who cannot afford to finance their own
weddings.

"I promise to quit my job as prostitute," said Nuryani, 30,
after she married her groom named Ade, who is a street vendor at
Baranangsiang bus terminal.

Previously, as many as 1,000 poor Jakarta couples took part in
a mass wedding on March 19 at the Senayan Sports Stadium in
Central Jakarta. (21/edt)