Eviction leaves street children traumatized
Eviction leaves street children traumatized
Leo Wahyudi S, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Many street children in the city have been left traumatized by
their experiences of forced eviction imposed by the city
administration, National Commission for Children Protection
chairman Seto Mulyadi said here on Monday.
The violent and traumatic experiences will have a negative
impact on the development of the children. Children, as the best
imitators, might also commit violence, he said.
"It would cause disturbing memories through their whole life,"
Seto told The Jakarta Post after attending the observance of
National Children's Day here.
He criticized the city administration for evicting those
considered to have violated public order, especially squatters,
without considering the impact it would have on the children.
In case an eviction was unavoidable, Seto suggested that the
city administration cooperate with the National Commission of
Child Protection or other organizations in an effort to ensure
children are not exposed to violence.
"Children should be evacuated first prior to the eviction,"
Seto said.
Having witnessed raids and evictions numerous times, Dina
Siregar, a street child in Jatinegara, East Jakarta, told the
Post how scared she was every time she saw a group of city public
order officers.
"I am scared to death when I see them," she said. Many of her
friends who were arrested during the raid were taken to the
social rehabilitation center.
Another street child, Sari, 9, witnessed the forced eviction
of her family from her house in Grogol, West Jakarta. After the
incident, the third grader of elementary school quit school and
became a street musician, along with her elder sister. The two
now live in a halfway house on Jl. Iskandar Muda, South Jakarta,
while their four younger siblings now live with their father, a
scavenger and their mother, a beggar, in Serpong, Tangerang.
She also told of her fear of public order officers.
The Indonesian Forum for Child Promotion and Development (FK-
PPAI) estimated that this year, the number of street children in
the 12 major cities nationwide will increase by up to 300 percent
or around 150,000 children, compared to three years ago.
According to the Indonesian Child Welfare Foundation, there
are about 100 halfway houses in the city, which accommodate more
or less 16,000 street children.
Seto further urged the local government to provide more
halfway homes for deprived children.
However, halfway homes are not enough without empowering the
children, according to Anak Nusantara Foundation coordinator
Finsa Mahendra.
"They need a more humane approach as most of them have been
humiliated and feel they are outcasts," Finsa said.
Otherwise, they will opt to go back to the streets instead of
staying in a halfway house.