Violation of children rights rampant
BANDARLAMPUNG, Lampung: A UN consultant criticized on Saturday the government for rampant violations of the UN Convention on Children's Rights.
United Nations Children's Fund consultant Hadi Utomo told a discussion, held to promote the 1989 children rights convention, that one serious offense committed by the government was charging people money to obtain birth certificates for their children.
"Every child has the right to obtain a birth certificate, so applying for it must be free of charge," Hadi said.
He compared Indonesia with Thailand, where the state gives a child a birth certificate when he or she is just three days old.
He said that another rampant violation by law enforcers, police in particular, is the arrest of children who perpetrate minor crimes.
"Police should not jail children for light crimes. The imprisonment will adversely affect their mental health," Hadi said, adding that it was religious and community figures who should handle delinquent children. -- Antara
;JP;AMD; ANPAa..r.. Scene-Surabaya-robot Ellite to represent RI in robot contest JP/8/SCENE
RI to compete in robot contest
SURABAYA: Ellite, which was created by students of Surabaya Institute of Technology and the Polytechnic of Electricity, will represent Indonesia in the Asia-Pacific robot contest, which takes place in Tokyo in August.
Ellite beat 22 other candidates from across the country who vied for the ticket to Japan and the winner's award from the Ministry of National Education in the fourth national robot competition.
Thousands of university and high school students turned up to watch the contest, in which each robot had to score as many goals as possible in a ball game.
Ellite, which was named after its makers, narrowly beat Wimatek-2000 created by Widya Manggala University students 4-3 in the final on Saturday. -- Antara
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Party members involved in drugs to be fired
MAKASSAR: Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri said here on Saturday that she would fire party members who were found selling or consuming drugs.
"Whoever they are, party members who consume or distribute drugs will lose their party membership," Megawati said at a rally to mark the party's 29th anniversary in Makassar, South Sulawesi, over the weekend.
"We (party members) all must say no to narcotics and other kinds of drugs," she said.
Earlier, Megawati instructed all party executives and legislators across the country to take urine and blood tests to check whether or not they consumed drugs.
"These tests are also required for those who are about to take part in our training programs for party members," Megawati said.
She added that she had directed government officials to prioritize the antidrugs campaign. -- Antara
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Indonesian maid jailed in S'pore
SINGAPORE: An Indonesian maid was sentenced to 15 months in a Singapore jail for shaking a baby boy so hard that his skull fractured, it was reported Saturday.
Maria Fransiska Dewi, 23, admitted in District Court to shaking the 3-month-old baby at her employers' home, The Straits Times said.
The boy has recovered from the abuse he received on Dec. 5 and has suffered no permanent injury, Deputy Public Prosecutor Chan Wang Ho said Friday.
The boy's grandmother detected a reddish mark under his left eye, Chan told the court. A doctor at KK Women's and Children's Hospital found bleeding in both eyes, indicating "shaken baby syndrome", in addition to a skull fracture, Chan said.
Investigators learned the baby's cries had awakened the maid, prompting her actions. -- DPA