Park owner to sue over abuse charges

Park owner to sue over abuse charges

JAKARTA (JP): Frans Manansang, who owns the Taman Safari park
near Bogor, West Java, has threatened to sue his former employees
for saying the park employed and abused child labor.

"We have lodged a complaint with the Bogor police over Robby
Tjahjadi's (a former employee) statement which has not only
tarnished the park but also my name," Frans Manansang said
yesterday in an interview with ANteve.

Manansang said he would sue Robby and his wife, Vivi, for
libel.

Robby and Vivi have escaped the park and went to Semarang,
where they recently reported child exploitation at the park to
Muladi of the National Commission on Human Rights.

Vivi, 21, met Muladi yesterday before telling reporters how
she was often beaten up, locked up for days and once electrocuted
for misbehavior. She said she joined the park's animal acrobatics
show when she was eleven, and that Robby used to work there as a
reptiles keeper.

Vivi said that many of her young friends had been treated
inhumanely and supported her plan to escape and seek help. She
alleged earlier that child workers were punished if they
attempted to escape the park.

"My friends have said they are willing to testify about how
the park management treated me," she said. "I begged Muladi to
protect me."

Robby said he was seeking the Commission's help because park
management had reported him to the Cisarua police station for
kidnapping Vivi and running away from the park.

Park management has twice refuted their allegations. A public
relations officer initially denied that the park hired children.
But management later conceded it employed children, but said it
treated them well and let them leave the park if they wished. It
also said it gave them English, maths and Mandarin lessons.

Muladi, also rector of the Semarang-based Diponegoro
University, said he had not heard from park management and
therefore would not comment on Vivi's story. He said he would
maintain the principle of innocent until proven guilty.

Muladi and three other Commission members -- Koesparmono
Irsan, Djoko Soegijanto and Clementino Dos Reis Amaral -- plan to
visit the park Tuesday to meet its management.

"We will investigate and seek a direct interview with the
park's managers," Muladi said. "We're taking this case seriously,
partly because the Attorney General's Office and the National
Police headquarters have expressed support for an immediate
investigation."

Muladi has asked the National Police to protect Vivi, Robby
and other staff of former staff who are potential witnesses.

The park reportedly employs 600 people, including 100 children
who work with animals as the park's attraction. (swe/har)