Hasyim Widhiarto, Jakarta – The National Commission for Child Protection (Komnas PA) found Tuesday that several army officers abused four minors in Depok, West Java, for stealing a bicycle.
Komnas PA secretary-general Arist Merdeka Sirait said the commission received reports from parents of the children – Yono, 12; Yusuf Maulana, 11; Sulaiman, 10; and Taufik, 14, who live in Cilodong, Depok – on Tuesday morning.
"After interviewing the children, we found strong indications that the children had been abused in the incident," Arist said.
The reports said that early Sunday a number of the Army's Strategic Reserve Command (Kostrad) detachment officers in Cilodong attacked the four children for allegedly entered their housing complex and stealing a bicycle.
Taufik, victim, said the officers had, among other acts, beat his face and body. "There was more than one officer, but I do not remember how many," he said.
After confirming the reports, Arist took the parents to the Military Police in Cijantung, East Jakarta, to file their report. The parents then met several investigators for questioning while their children underwent medical examinations at hospital.
"The children are exhausted [after the medical examination], so the investigators have agreed to begin questioning them [Wednesday]," Arist said.
Yuyun, Yono's mother, said officers took her son from her house at around 3 a.m. and dragged him along the road. "They beat my son in front of me and took him away," she said. "I could not help crying."
After reportedly bullying the children in the evening, the officers then took the children to the Sukmajaya Police at 5 a.m. The police released the children two hours later, after army officers could not provide evidence to support their allegation.
Kostrad spokesman Let. Col. (Inf) Husni admitted the alleged involvement of "some Kostrad officers" in the case, saying that, as of Tuesday evening, three officers had been questioned by the military police. Husni, however, denied an allegation saying that the incident was intentional.
He also said that the incident had occurred after the officers caught the children entering the military complex without clear purpose. "We will also question the victims get the facts straight" he said.
Meanwhile, Aris said the officers could be charged with a 15-year sentence for violating the 2002 Child Protection Law. "This incident can be considered a serious abuse of human rights," he said.
Experts and activists have said violence against children, including physical abuse, harassment, sexual abuse, humiliation and negligence, is caused mostly by a lack of public awareness of what constitutes abuse, poverty, as well as overpopulation.
Many adults view certain forms of violence as helpful to discipline children.
Earlier this month, the Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry launched a national action plan to address violence against children.
The action plan underlines the need to promote and improve public awareness of violence against children, in cooperation with government agencies, NGOs, the public and the media.