kikipeepers asked
Chained to post in a mosque - tough cure for addicts By Marianne Kearney STRAITS TIMES INDONESIA BUREAU JAKARTA - Drug addicts in a crowded Jakarta kampung are being submitted to one of the toughest drying-out regimes around. They are being chained to a post in a mosque for weeks on end. But the unconventional cure has helped dozens over the past few years as the number of drug abusers in the country has exploded. Nineteen-year-old Arif does not know how long he has been staying at the Nurul Alam Mosque. 'Long time, I don't know how long,' he mumbled. He does not remember much because three years of using shabu, the street name of crystal methamphetamine, has taken its toll, said a group of boys near the mosque. Nor does Arif have much choice in how long he will stay. He was shackled with chains to a post after his parents brought him to this alternative rehabilitation centre several months ago. He shares the floor and the post with another addict, who was sleeping soundly. Several other addicts and a few men who are reportedly 'crazy' lie scattered on the floor, shackled either to posts or the verandah wall. It may appear to be a tough cure for drug addicts but 24-year-old Obi is a smiling testament to its success. After eight years of addiction to heroin, he was dragged here by his family in June, handed over to Ustadz Ridwan, the religious teacher who runs the mosque, and tied to a post. 'At first, I was really angry and craving it,' said Obi, who now has a healthy complexion and a solid build which belies his eight-year addiction. 'But after three days, it disappeared,' he said of his craving. Nevertheless, he spent another 40 days shackled to a post. He was allowed to get up only when he needed to go to the bathroom. His day started at 4 am when all the addicts began morning prayers. 'We learn how to strengthen our inner resources with prayer,' he says. 'It's good here, really good and Ustadz
187 answers · 0 comments
Answer this yourself in the app
See how this splits by age, gender, and region in the app.
