I was truly saddened to see news reports of people giving money to the beggars getting fined and getting apprehended.
I never thought that the local government would enact such a law, I am aware of the problems of beggars and the homeless roaming about in Jakarta and I do agree that a serious measure is needed to ensure that many of them do not come to Jakarta or those that exploit our kindness are punished. But to be punished for being kind itself is truly and utterly appaling.
First off, this law is breaching our rights to discern and determine the type of help that we would like to give to those who are in need.
Secondly, it is crippling the thought process of our next generation on being kind towards one another regardless of their social pedigrees by generalizing that all street beggars are not to be helped, preaching kindness is hard enough as it is but by enacting this law we are saying to the young that if you see a hungry person (alas by our own judgement he or she is truly hungry) you must not give them anything, you must leave them to rot on the streets.
Third, the problem of escalation, the number of the poor would not get any lower any time soon hence the number of the poor would almost definitely increase. Whilst we inhibit their source of income by enacting this law which would also affect street vendors, newspaper selling boys/girls, they have to find another route of getting money enough to eat the easiest solution to them being uneducated and socially inept would only to turn into a life of crime, even if they get caught they would enjoy at least having a roof over their head when arrested what would they have to lose.
It is a sad day for humanity when an act of kindness in its most basic form by giving to one and another is being rewarded with a punishment.
One of the alternative to this law is to appeal to the public to channel their kindness through social foundation, this has to be a marketing campaign done much like any social or election campaigns to instill the thought of helping on a larger scale rather than diminishing the right to help beggars with a hands on approach.
The other alternative is setting up a free hotline for people to report sightings of beggars with irregularities (those that seems to be able bodied) and "gepengs" (especially violent ones), street sellers on the highways etc...
That way our rights are not violated but rather people are educated to do the right thing
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Monday, August 31, 2009
Detainment 2 years without Charges?????
I was shocked when I read The Jakarta Post Headline "Alleged trrorists should be detained for 2 years" Tuesday, 01 September 2009
Detaining someone without charges is a serious breach of basic human rights, it also breaches the basis of our legal system which the "azas praduga tak bersalah" or presume innocent until proven guilty and contradictive to the fostering of a democracy. Even a seven day detainment without charges is already a stretching of that basis, let alone two years.
Is the government trying to emulate Bush Jr.'s policies?? Most of us didn't like his policies which was basically an overreaction to the 9/11 bombings. Are we going to have our own Guantanamo bay to hold people for two years without any charges? Why are we copying a policy which is basically similar to the Salem witch hunt where people were burned first before it was realized that they weren't witches?
Another bewildering policy is to detain people, who preached hatred, now where was this notion when certain people were bashing certain sects of a religion live on air? Or when people were bashing gays? Or bashing artists whose dances are arousing? And on the other end of the spectrum would someone be detained for vocally voicing their opinions in an oratory down Bunderan HI?
It would be sad day for our newly found democracy if that were to happen, mainly because by doing and implementing the above policies we are stooping to their levels and tactics of kidnapping someone and brainwashing them for terrorists acts, And those policies were brought on by fears which is exactly what they want us to do.
Terrorism wants us to falter in our beliefs in a free society, to have equal footings and grounds on many fronts. They want us to change the basis of our laws of "praduga Tak Bersalah" but most of all they want to diminish our beliefs in a democracy.
Hence, although I agree that the military should be involved their capacity should only be restricted to aiding the Police in apprehending dangerous and well armed suspects as the Police may not be fully equipped to deal with bomb wearing, Ak-47 wielding and bazooka carrying terrorists. Because if we give the military more power than that we would be right back to the New Order era which is another win for terrorism as it means our democracy is replaced with either a military junta or like the New Order we couldn't be free to voice our opinions.
Detaining someone without charges is a serious breach of basic human rights, it also breaches the basis of our legal system which the "azas praduga tak bersalah" or presume innocent until proven guilty and contradictive to the fostering of a democracy. Even a seven day detainment without charges is already a stretching of that basis, let alone two years.
Is the government trying to emulate Bush Jr.'s policies?? Most of us didn't like his policies which was basically an overreaction to the 9/11 bombings. Are we going to have our own Guantanamo bay to hold people for two years without any charges? Why are we copying a policy which is basically similar to the Salem witch hunt where people were burned first before it was realized that they weren't witches?
Another bewildering policy is to detain people, who preached hatred, now where was this notion when certain people were bashing certain sects of a religion live on air? Or when people were bashing gays? Or bashing artists whose dances are arousing? And on the other end of the spectrum would someone be detained for vocally voicing their opinions in an oratory down Bunderan HI?
It would be sad day for our newly found democracy if that were to happen, mainly because by doing and implementing the above policies we are stooping to their levels and tactics of kidnapping someone and brainwashing them for terrorists acts, And those policies were brought on by fears which is exactly what they want us to do.
Terrorism wants us to falter in our beliefs in a free society, to have equal footings and grounds on many fronts. They want us to change the basis of our laws of "praduga Tak Bersalah" but most of all they want to diminish our beliefs in a democracy.
Hence, although I agree that the military should be involved their capacity should only be restricted to aiding the Police in apprehending dangerous and well armed suspects as the Police may not be fully equipped to deal with bomb wearing, Ak-47 wielding and bazooka carrying terrorists. Because if we give the military more power than that we would be right back to the New Order era which is another win for terrorism as it means our democracy is replaced with either a military junta or like the New Order we couldn't be free to voice our opinions.
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