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embers of group representing victims of terror attacks rallied Monday at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta to demand government help in funding their medical treatment.

Wahyu Adiartono, chairman of the Association for Victims of Terrorist Bombings in Indonesia (Askobi), said 30 percent or 200 people from the association’s 686 members came from low-income families and had suffered permanent injuries from a string of bombings between 2002 and 2009.

“They can’t afford proper medical care because the charitable institutions sponsoring their treatment cut off the funding once they leave hospital,” Wahyu said.

At Monday’s rally, bomb victims demanded the government deal with their plight in addition to hunting down terror suspects.

They also held a theatrical performance and handed out flowers and ribbons to commuters.
The peaceful rally was aimed in part at introducing the fledgling association as a forum for
bomb survivors to gather and share their experiences.

The association represents victims of the 2002 and 2005 Bali bombings, the 2003 Australian Embassy and JW Marriot attacks, and the 2009 Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriot bombings.

Askobi is an umbrella group made up of foundations such as Isana Dewata (for victims of the Bali bombings), Lima Delapan (for victims of the second JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton blasts) and Forum Kuningan (for victims of the Australian Embassy attack). Sixty of the group’s members are foreign nationals.

The official launch of Askobi, which was founded last Oct. 10 in Bali, will be held Feb. 27 and 28 at the Borobudur Hotel, Central Jakarta.

Wahyu said the organization would attempt to raise funds independently to aid those facing difficulty in receiving proper medical treatment.

Mulyono, the association’s deputy chairman and a survivor of the Australian Embassy attack, said the psychological scars had proven overwhelming for many survivors.

“I’m still working on controlling my emotions,” he pointed out.

“I used to be patient, but after the bombing I become ill-tempered.”

Mulyono suffers from a permanent physical disability after his jaw was badly crushed in the bombing.

“I underwent medical treatment for one-and-a-half years in Singapore and Australia, where doctors replaced my jaw,” he said.

Even after the intensive treatment was over, he went on, he still had to spend Rp 500,000 (US$52) a month on checkups.

Another bomb victim, Febby Firmansyah, whose left hand is disabled, said he was currently seeking donations to undergo surgery.

Febby was injured in the first JW Marriot bombing in 2003. He added he had received burns to 42 percent of his body during the incident.

“I spent four months at Pertamina Hospital [in South Jakarta],” he said.

“It was only in 2007 that I stopped going for medical checkups.”