Students vow to fight drug abuse on their campuss
Students vow to fight drug abuse on their campuss
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Hundreds of university students from Greater Jakarta have vowed
to fight drugs at their respective campuses.
The declaration was read out during a commemoration for
National Awakening Day last Friday at the campus of state Syarif
Hidayatullah Islamic University (UIN) in Ciputat, Tangerang
regency.
The students expressed concern about drug use in the country,
which often affected younger people.
"We are very concerned that the young generation, teenagers
and even children, has become the victim of drug abuse," said the
president of the UIN student executive body, Faisal Anwar, while
reading out the declaration.
Faisal demanded that the courts hand out tough sentences for
anyone involved in drug trafficking.
During the event, which also was held to mark the anniversary
of UIN, representatives of the Jakarta Narcotics Board, the
Private University Association and the City Education Agency
signed a memorandum of understanding agreeing to fight drugs on
school campuses.
The event was attended by UIN Rector Azyumardi Azra, Jakarta
Narcotics Board chairman Fauzi Bowo and City Education Agency
head Margani.
Fauzi, who is also the deputy governor of Jakarta, stressed
that fighting drugs required all elements of society.
"They (the criminals) have unlimited funds and sophisticated
international networks. Therefore, we must join hands to fight
drugs," Fauzi was quoted as saying by Antara news agency.
Azyumardi also stressed the need to hand down stiff penalties,
including the death sentence, for drug traffickers.
There are an estimated 10,000 injecting drug users in Jakarta,
mostly young people, including university students. These drug
users face higher risks of contracting HIV/AIDS through the
sharing of needles.
According to an official report, as of Dec. 31, 2004, there
were 2,505 people living with HIV/AIDS in the capital, or 45
percent of the officially reported 5,540 cases of HIV/AIDS
nationwide. These are official figures, and the true number of
people living with HIV/AIDS in the country is thought to be much
higher.