Child Scavengers

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30368, 18 February 1964, Page 13

Child Scavengers

Beggars crowding the streets of Semarang, the third largest city in Indonesia and a big port, scavenge the gutters for edible refuse, and at night hunt in packs in the market squares and around food stalls. Many are children five and six years old sent out to forage for their parents, who slump in doorways and shaded alleys too weak to move. Most are half naked, clad only in ragged shorts or sarongs and all are barefooted. Last week armed police had to be called out to prevent a riot when the Semarang Red Cross centre distributed free clothing given by more affluent citizens. Mr Soejono said that so far this year the Semarang authorities had resettled 8000 farmer beggars in villages less affected by the famine than the ones they had deserted. Dense Population

Central Java has a population of 20 million people (670 to a square kilometre), which is increasing at the rate of 2.3 per cent each year. Since Indonesia gained its independence in 1949 the central' Government has planned extensive migration schemes to relieve pressure on central Java by shifting families to scantily-populated south Sumatra. Mr Soejono said the provincial Government’s idea was to stabilise the present papulation by resettling half a million people a year, or about 1500 a day. A shortage of shipping had blocked plans to move 50,000 people to south Sumatra. Bounty For Tails The rat plague began in April, 1963, and has continued unabated. In an effort to check it the authorities offered bounties ranging from 151 b to 1551 b of rice for certain numbers of rat tails.

Between April and December, rice bounties were paid for 3.5 million rats killed by the farmers. The plague does not seem to have lessened and many farmers have abandoned

their fields rather than continue the exhausting and hopeless battle, staying up night after night with a lantern in one hand and a club in the other trying to stem the raiding hordes. Plague Feared As the rat plague progressed the drought began to take effect and the farmers’ plight steadily worsened. With the rains now three months overdue the food position for 600,000 people is desperate. The health director. Dr. Martohusodo. fears an outbreak of bubonic plague. The last outbreak of bubonic plague in south central Java occurred during World War 11. when people died at the rate of 20 a day for months.