Street kids hold 'Kampore' camp in Cibubur

Street kids hold 'Kampore' camp in Cibubur

JAKARTA (JP): About 400 street children, beggars and vendors
from throughout the nation gathered for a three-day summer break
that ends today at a scout camping ground in Cibubur.

The participants were mainly from slum areas in Greater
Jakarta; Bandung, West Java; Semarang, Central Java; Medan, North
Sumatra, and Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara and joined the Kampore
event organized by the Jakarta Social Institute (ISJ). The
children plan to hold a press conference today before returning
to their home towns.

Four 13-year-old vendors from Mataram were curiously looking
for the skycrapers they had often seen on television.

"But where are the buildings?" one of them asked.

Jurfi, Zurkan, Samsul and Lalu were surprised to learn there
were so many street children in Jakarta.

"Imagine, who could believe that hundreds of children live
like us in Jakarta," Zurkan said.

Zurfi said he learnt to speak English by watching programs on
his neighbor's TV set. "I love Hitachi!," he said proudly, adding
that they sometimes play dominoes together and bid Rp 50 (US$
0.02) each round. "We play fair, not like Eddy (Tansil)," Samsul
said.

Most of the children, ranging from seven to 14 years old,
called themselves survivors because they had become financially
and socially independent since they were less than six years old.

Thirteen-year-old Mansyur, a street kid from Jakarta, lost his
left leg after he slipped from the top of a train carriage.

The institute offices in each province paid for the children's
transportation and board. Each of them still had to pay Rp 2,000
for other needs. They were supervised by social workers who
provided them with 39 tents.

A special large tent exhibited the children's paintings and
handicrafts made from trash. A small stage with a complete sound
system was set in the middle of the campground where children
performed street-life drama and singing.

The event encouraged the children to express their sorrows,
happiness, conflicts and dreams through open dialog and speeches.

"All parents and authorities need to realize these kids are
not dangerous; they need older people to educate and care for
them," head of the institute's public relations, Anton Pradjasto
said.

The street children were ignorant of their age, education
needs and family but they had innate survival instinct, said
Anton.

Thirty Jakarta and 11 Semarang street kids, some who had fake
tattoos on their bodies and arms, said their highest education
was elementary school.

"We can read, so we don't need higher education to survive,"
one of them said. He demanded authorities be more lenient in
treating them.

Seven-year-old Heri said he survived by singing in the
streets, begging or polishing shoes.

"I don't know where my parents are, I think my father is
dead."

Referring to a 1988 municipality decree No. 11, which bans
singing, hawking and begging in public areas, Anton said the
government should tolerate the children's effort to survive.

"These children can earn between Rp 2,000 and Rp 5,000 a day,
which is a source of their pride," he said. (10)