Always with them
The Indonesian economy is growing. But so, unfortunately, is poverty
WHEN two scavengers died last week under a landslide at Jakarta's main rubbish dump, the extensive television coverage that resulted provided a too-rare glimpse into the plight of some of Indonesia's poorest people. And their ranks are swelling. After declining for six years the number of poor people has increased sharply. Some 39m, 18% of the population of 220m, are now officially poor, according to data just released by the government's statistics bureau, 4m more than in 2005.
AFP
This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline "Always with them"
From the September 16th 2006 edition
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