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)