RI citizens to stand up against poverty

Jakarta, NU Online
Organizers expect one million Indonesians to stand up and speak out against poverty on Wednesday, demanding the government expedite efforts to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The one-day event will be held in a number of recreational areas, shopping centers and public places in 24 cities across the country.<>

People can also show their support by sending a text message to 9700.

"We are happy to see the good response, including from activists, private firms and local administrations to organize the Stand Up events," the United Nations' MDGs representative for Asia and the Pacific, Erna Witoelar said on Tuesday.

"We hope to reach a record one million people standing up and speaking out against poverty in Indonesia."

Millions of people around the world are expected to take part in the event.

In Asia, Stand Up events will also be held in China, Singapore, South Korea, Nepal, Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

About 23.5 million people across the world joined Stand Up events last year and made it into the Guinness Book of World Records.

But only 50,000 Indonesians participated last year.

Erna said that a "sea of people" was expected to attend a music concert to mark the Speak Up event in Taman Impian Jaya Ancol, the country's largest recreation site, in Jakarta.

The concert, organized by developer PT Pembangunan Jaya Ancol will feature Inul Daratista and Slank, one of Indonesia's most popular bands.

"The governors of East Nusa Tenggara and West Nusa Tenggara will directly head the Stand Up events in their respective province," Erna said.

The two provinces are among the poorest in the country.

Initiated at the UN Millennium Summit in 2000, the MDGs were adopted by heads of state and government, including Indonesia, who pledged to meet all the goals by 2015.

The goals include halving the number of people suffering from poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education, eliminating gender disparities, reducing the child mortality rate by two-third and the maternal mortality by three-quarters, halting and reversing the incidence HIV/AIDS, malaria and other major diseases, and halving the number of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water.

Erna said that Indonesian government had made some progresses in reducing poverty through the raskin rice for the poor program and Askeskin program, which provides health insurance for poor people.

"But the government needs to improve coordination so the program reaches the target," she said.

She also said that the country's maternal mortality rate remained high.

The government earlier said that as of 2004, the maternal mortality rate was 307 per 100,000 live births, down from from 390 per 100,000 live births in 1994.

The MDGs target is 102 per 100,000 live births by 2015.

Erna, who is also former state minister for the environment, expressed concern over the poor achievements in sustainable development targets set in the MDGs.

"The reality is that public access to clean water and sanitation is still poor in Indonesia," she said.

Meanwhile, Public Services International (PSI) said that only 18 percent of Indonesian people in urban and village areas have access to the piping water.

"Worse still, only three million people enjoy a sanitary sewerage system," FX Supiarso, Indonesia Project Coordinator of PSI said in a statement.

Hundreds of workers unions from the public service sector, including those of PDAM and local tap water companies and state electricity firm PT PLN will hold Stand Up events on Wednesday. (tjp/dar)