THE tragic news came from Makassar: Basse, 37, died of starvation along with her 7-month-old unborn child. The death of this mother of four was followed by that of Bahir, her 5-year-old son. This is a poverty-stricken family. They have no regular income, they are unable to afford the most basic needs and they are forgotten by a bureaucracy which should be responsible for the welfare of people like them.

The Basse tragedy has opened our eyes to th