Traveler seeks funds for book

Traveler seeks funds for book

By Ahmad Junaidi

JAKARTA (JP): A 55-year-old paralyzed man, who traveled around
the country in the late 1980s, is seeking donations to finance
the publication of his travel book.

Suwarno of Surakarta, Central Java, went to the Central
Jakarta's mayoralty office over the weekend, hoping to meet the
mayor to discuss the possibility of a donation.

But Suwarno failed to meet the mayor as an official told him
the mayor was not in his office at the time.

The retired soldier told The Jakarta Post that a publisher in
Surakarta said publishing about 5,000 copies of his 200-page book
would cost Rp 15 million (US$6,250).

"Contributions I collected from high-ranking officials
throughout the country have reached Rp 7.5 million. But I still
need another Rp 7.5 million," he said.

Suwarno said the book would be about his two-and-a-half year
journey around the country in his self-designed wheelchair. The
journey started on Dec. 19, 1989.

The book would also contain photos of beautiful and meaningful
places in various provinces throughout the country, he said.

Suwarno, the father of two children, who is married to a
Betawi woman of Ciledug, said his journey involved meeting
several ministers in Jakarta before continuing his travel to
other provinces.

He said regional leaders and local residents were very
hospitable. "There was almost no sad story during my journey," he
said. "But I did have to change 12 pairs of tires on my
wheelchair on my two-and-a-half-year trip."

Suwarno, who has been paralyzed since he was shot in the
stomach and backbone in 1953, said he never grew tired of
traveling throughout the country in his wheelchair and found the
journey exciting.

The retired corporal of the Army's transportation department
said the incident took place in Kuningan, West Java, when he and
other soldiers were deployed to get rid of the DI/TII Islamic
separatist rebels.

He underwent two operations at the Gatot Subroto Army Hospital
to remove the bullet from his backbone which paralyzed him for
the rest of his life.

"When my children grew up, I started thinking about traveling.
I also got a green light from my wife, Halimah. She allowed me to
make my dream to travel come true even though in the beginning
she was worried about me," he said.

Sawarno also dreams of meeting President Soeharto.

"I sent a letter to the state secretariat last year. But so
far I have not received a reply," he said.

But he will be patient waiting for a response. In the
meantime, he is busy seeking donations for the publication of his
book.

Readers interested in donating to Suwarno can contact him at
Jl. Nangka I/43, Kampung Kerten, in Surakarta, Central Java.