I absolutely agree with Steven Woodhouse from UNICEF and Coordinating
Minister for People's Welfare and Poverty Eradication Basri
Hasanuddin's worry and fear about "losing a generation of children in
Indonesia today". And expanding into this "unfolding tragic story" is
the fact of the fierce and rapid escalation of drug addiction,
HIV/AIDS and hepatitis which is claiming the lives of so many of our
young Indonesian boys and girls today.

More and more of our "young children" who cannot afford to go to
school, who drop out of school for economic reasons, and those who
must live within the families' poverty are turning to drugs for
reasons of "escape, from the poverty and sorrow of their lives". Many
young girls and boys are being forced into the business of
prostitution because of their families' poverty, and having little
choice as how to help their family earn enough money for food, shelter
and clothing.

Each day now we see, and admit, more "drug addicts" into Yayasan
Harapan Permata Hati Kita. We verify more drug addicts are becoming
infected with HIV/AIDS and hepatitis each time we "blood test" these
young addicts. We hear stories of more and more young people turning
to drugs for recreation and escape from the pressures and stresses of
their everyday lives.

Poverty always creates more addicts, plus addiction coproduces many
drug dealers, much more crime and violence. Today, addicts are
spreading the HIV/AIDS and hepatitis viruses at alarming rates
throughout Indonesia.

We forecast losing a million plus young people to addiction, HIV/AIDS
and hepatitis over the first coming years of the new millennium.

Mr. Woodhouse and minister Hasanuddin are heartfully correct, "we must
do something now to save the children of Indonesia". A united effort
must be undertaken to battle poverty, addiction, HIV/AIDS and
hepatitis. We have little time to waste if we sincerely do not wish to
lose a generation of our young people, or have a generation of lost
children roaming the streets of Indonesia.

David and Joyce Djaelani Gordon