Children's Day highlights dark side of city

Children's Day highlights dark side of city

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Aceh/Semarang/Medan

As the traffic lights at Cempaka Putih overpass in Central
Jakarta turn red, six-year-old Taufiq and his three friends hurry
toward cars and motorcycles, begging for money while their
mothers watch from a distance.

The suffocating heat hardly seems to worry them as they
approach drivers and passengers, hoping for as little as Rp 100
(0.05 U.S. cents) from each.

"It's okay, I'm not worried about the burning heat. I'm used
to it. All I'm worried about is how I can make at least Rp 20,000
(US$2.2) today," Taufiq said on Wednesday.

Taufiq said, when luck was on his side, he could make between
Rp 20,000 and Rp 30,000 a day.

One of Taufiq's friends, Arman, has worked and slept on the
same "territory" since 1999. Just like Taufiq, Arman earns
around Rp 20,000 a day as he has to share his "territory" with
other boys.

Taufiq and his friends depict a dark side to the city.

"We have to admit that as many parents are still vague on
children's rights, there are many related problems here,
including child abuse," said Seto Mulyadi, chairman of the
National Commission for Child Protection (Komnas Anak).

Seto, who is also a child psychologist, said many parents
neglected their children's rights due to their poor educational
and financial backgrounds.

"Children of low-income families usually have to help earn
some money for their families. And, by doing so, their right to
an education is often neglected by their parents," Seto told The
Jakarta Post.

Worse still, Seto said, was that many parents, who were
depressed by the quality of their life, often vented their anger
out on their children, which could lead to physical abuse. Komnas
Anak recorded 425 cases of child abuse in 2001.

The Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital (RSCM) in Central
Jakarta handled around 285 child abuses in 2003, up from 276 in
2002 and 210 in 2001.

The harsh reality faced by poor children in the capital can
also be seen in other cities across the country.

In Aceh, according to data from the office of social affairs,
51,000 children are living in refugee camps.

However, Komnas Anak data shows that more than 800,000
children are living in substandard conditions there. Many suffer
from depression and malnutrition, which, in the worst cases,
leads to poor health and finally, death.

In Semarang, Central Java 29,581 students are forced to leave
school annually as their parents are unable to pay their tuition
fees.

In Medan, North Sumatra, according to data from the City
Social Workers Group, at least 355 children aged between 14 years
and 18 years are sexually exploited.

Seto said that it was high time the government and the
community worked hand-in-hand to resolve children's problems.

President Megawati Soekarnoputri, along with 6,000 children,
will attend a National Children's Day celebration at Ancol
Fantasy Park on Friday.

"We also need to familiarize people with Law No. 23/2002 on
child protection, so that parents understand and respect
children's rights," Seto told the Post

He urged the community to take children's problems more
seriously, as they represented the country's future.

"When it comes to children, we need to work extra hard to
ensure their rights are respected," said Seto.