Prostitutes go on strike in Kupang

Prostitutes go on strike in Kupang

Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Kupang

Hundreds of hoodlums, gambling bosses and prostitutes grouped
under the The Poor People's Union (SKM) went on strike on
Wednesday in Kupang, capital of East Nusa Tenggara province,
demanding the city administration and legislative council
legalize gambling and prostitution.

The demonstrators said the city administration could introduce
a bylaw to legalize gambling and prostitution in a restricted
area of the city. They said this would help raise the municipal
administration's income and create job opportunities for hoodlums
and prostitutes.

Jefri Leonard Un Taolin, spokesman for The Poor People's
Union, said in a free speech forum held at Kupang's mayoralty
office that gambling and prostitution in the city should be
legalized because 80 percent of the city's residents were living
in poverty.

"This will also raise the city's income," he said.

Kupang Mayor S.K. Lerik ruled out the demonstrators' demands,
saying the city administration would never legalize gambling and
prostitution because they were against Indonesian culture and
morality.

"The morality of young people would be severely disrupted if
gambling and prostitution were legalized," he said.

Gambling and prostitution have become topical issues here
after 30 members of the Kupang legislative council held a
comparative study in Bogor in West Java, Manado in South Sulawesi
and Denpasar in Bali several weeks ago to seek the possibility of
legalizing gambling and prostitution in the city.

Gambling and prostitution are both illegal, yet there were no
arrests made during the demonstration.