Ex-inmates testify to appalling jail conditions<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Several youths and women just released from
\ndetention testified yesterday to the appalling conditions in the
\nPondok Bambu detention center, where a 13-year old boy, who died
\non Monday, was serving time.<\/p>\n
A teenager said he tried to alert the guards to Lambertus Lele
\nKoban's deteriorating health on Saturday night but was ignored.<\/p>\n
Lambertus, who was serving a 10-year jail term for murder,
\ndied in hospital on Monday. An autopsy showed he died of a
\nrespiratory illness. His relatives believe the detention center's
\npoor conditions caused the illness and plan to sue the
\nauthorities.<\/p>\n
The teenagers and women who were convicted in court yesterday
\nfor their role in the July 27 riot spoke of Pondok Bambu's poor
\nconditions. They were detained for four months awaiting trial and
\nsentenced to four months prison yesterday, so were released.<\/p>\n
Ali Husein, 17, said that on Saturday night he and his cell
\nmates urged the guards to check Lambertus's condition. Lambertus
\nwas in the next cell. Ali said they were ignored.<\/p>\n
The Pondok Bambu center houses youth and women convicted or
\nbeing detained.<\/p>\n
Ali said the center did not provide beds so inmates had to
\nsleep on mats.<\/p>\n
\"Our parents provided us with a carpet, but Lambertus slept on
\na thin, rough woven mat,\" Ali said. The floor was damp and there
\nwas not enough ventilation, he said.<\/p>\n
There are 10 boys to a cell.<\/p>\n
Ali said the water smelt. \"We couldn't drink it. We drank from
\nbottled water provided by friends.\"<\/p>\n
A water-pump engine in his cell block was out of order and
\nguards would only bring in water for money, he said<\/p>\n
Elsye, 34, and Marta Hutagalung, 32, two women tried and
\nconvicted with Ali yesterday, also spoke of the poor water in
\nPondok Bambu.<\/p>\n
Many detainees got skin rashes because of the water, they
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"We only took baths when the water looked clean. This meant we
\nhad to let the dirt settle for sometime,\" Marta said.<\/p>\n
Lambertus' family's lawyers said they were not satisfied with
\nthe official explanation of Lambertus' death.<\/p>\n
Mulyadi of the OC Kaligis and Associate law office said he saw
\nLambertus 10 days ago and he was in good health.<\/p>\n
Lawyers are worried about the condition of Lambertus's two
\ncousins -- Clemens, 14, and Albertus, 13 -- who are also in
\nPondok Bambu for their role in the same murder. \"Clemence's
\nhealth is feeble,\" Mulyadi said.<\/p>\n
In a related development a National Development Planning Board
\nofficial promised yesterday to try to raise state funding for the
\nCipinang penitentiary to improve the conditions there, Antara
\nreported.<\/p>\n
Sutadi Djajakusuma, an aide to the board chairman, made an
\nunannounced visit to Cipinang.<\/p>\n
Cipinang Chief Warden Subari said the penitentiary was built
\nin 1918 and had never been renovated.<\/p>\n
\"The penitentiary does not have a dining room for inmates.
\nThey have to eat in the alleyways or in their cells,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Subari said the correctional facility only had a general
\nphysician, a dentist and three paramedics for 1,700 inmates.
\n(07\/05)<\/p>\n
Editorial -- Page 4<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ex-inmates-testify-to-appalling-jail-conditions-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }