Police urged to curb violence against children
Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan, North Sumatra
A local nongovernmental organization and law practitioner strongly urged the police to be proactive in enforcing the law to curb the increasing violence against children in North Sumatra.
The Center for Child Protection and Study (PKPA) said that the number of violent acts against children has been increasing over the last three years, partly because of an absence of law enforcement.
"Violent acts against children in families, and other crimes against children, are no longer internal matters in communities. Whoever is involved in violence against children must be brought to justice," PKPA activist Sulaiman Zuhdi Manik told The Jakarta Post here on Wednesday.
Sulaiman made the statement in line with International Children's Day which was celebrated in Indonesia.
He said that according to PKPA's data, the number of violent acts against children has increased to 300 in 2002, from 170 in 2001, and the figure was expected to increase drastically this year since 344 incidences have been recorded in the first six months of the year.
"The data shows that sexual abuse, including rape, is the most common offence. Out of 344 cases there have been 105 rape cases, 35 incest cases, 34 murder cases, 21 child trafficking cases and six paedophile cases," he said.
He cited that 214 cases occurred in the provincial capital of Medan and most of the victims were female. The crimes were committed by neighbors, friends and family members.
Sulaiman regretted that only ten percent of the cases were brought to court, saying it was proof that the police have yet to be serious in handling crimes against children.
He also said trafficking of women and children has long been an issue in the province, but so far local authorities have not curbed the syndicates behind the serious crime.
Law practitioner Marasamin Ritonga said the police should impose Law No. 23/2002 on child protection and take firm action over the issue of violence against children.
"The local administration should be proactive in campaigning for children's rights and harsh penalties for those violating the law," he said.
He also said that many children have been involved in crimes because of the instability of their family circumstances.
"Many street children commit crimes because they are from broken families and they do not go to school," he said, adding that in rural areas many children had to help their parents work because they had no money to go to school.
The law regulates that children have the right to live and to grow and to gain protection from all kinds of violence, discrimination, exploitation and injustice. It carries a maximum five-year jail sentence and Rp 100 million fine.
Chairman of the Commission V on social affairs at the provincial legislative council, Erwan Parlinda, said his commission was preparing a bylaw on child protection to enforce the law effectively in the province.
"Such a bylaw is needed in addition to the pro-child protection campaign, in the effort to improve parents' awareness," he said.
Chief of the detective and crime unit at the Medan Police Precinct Adj. Comr. Maruli Siahaan denied that the police were not serious in handling crimes involving violence against children.
"No additional measures have been taken because there has been no serious violence over the last two years," he said.