Social agency catches 870 insane

JAKARTA (JP): The City Social Agency has taken a total of 870 mentally disordered people into care this month, an official says.

The head of the social affairs office, Emon Setia Sumantri, said Monday that his office started the daily round-ups this month because the number of insane people roaming the city streets seemed to be increasing.

"All 870 are now at rehabilitation centers," Emon said.

He said most them were probably migrants who had failed to get jobs in the city.

"The agency finds it difficult to handle them. We should send them back to their hometowns, but how? They are in mentally ill," Emon said.

Emon said his office also rounded up street walkers, transvestites and beggars for rehabilitation.

From April 1995 to March 1996, the agency had rounded up 5,156 beggars and vagabonds, 1,066 prostitutes, and 221 transvestites. From April to November 1996, it had netted 3,826 beggars and vagabonds, 1,361 prostitutes and 181 transvestites. (ste)