Nahdliyin support brothel closures in East Java

Surabaya, NU Online
The nahdliyin (NU followers) in Surabaya, have supported the East Java provincial government plan to shut down red light districts in the Indonesia's second-largest city.<>

Warjito, one of the Nahdliyin living Simorejo Surabaya said that the presence of the red light districts was not good, especially for children in addition to making the reputation of Surabaya tainted.

The The Governor of East Java, Soekarwo, has vowed to shut down Dolly and Surabaya's six other red light districts by 2014, promising an ''unlimited'' budget and an innovative mix of financial incentives with retraining and religious instruction.

''If they quit prostitution, we will give them 3 million rupiah ($333) to start a new life,'' Indra Istianto, head of the East Java government's social affairs department said, adding that ''if they take the money, they will have to go back to their home town and use it to start a new business. It's enough to start a warung [small food stall] or kiosk.'' For pimps, the payout is 5 million rupiah.

The government is offering sex workers money management classes and cooking and sewing lessons, among other training programs and there are also monthly Koran reading classes.

Meanwhile, the Surabaya city administration’s plan to close down the Klakah Rejo red light district in the western suburbs has raised concerns among social activists who have been working closely with sex workers in the area.

As part of the city’s plan to close the Klakah Rejo district, each of the 215 workers in the area will receive Rp 3 million ($281) in aid and a further Rp 1.45 million to cover living expenses for one month.

The Ministry of Social Affairs has targeted 21 red light districts in East Java for closure by this year: 11 in Banyuwangi, seven in Malang and three in Surabaya.

Editing by Sudarto Murtaufiq