The National Commission for Child Protection on Tuesday condemned the alleged beating of four minors by Army soldiers.
“It is not only against children’s rights, but also is against human rights as [the soldiers] are state officials and have an obligation to protect the country,” Arist Merdeka Sirait, the secretary general of the commission, known as Komnas Anak. “It is very saddening and it is a gross violation of human rights.”
Arist said the five Army soldiers involved in the alleged beating had been detained by the Military Police.
He said the four boys, the oldest among them 14 years old, were traumatized by the incident.
“However, they went back to school on Monday after we treated them,” he said.
The alleged beating took place in Cilodong, Depok, two weeks ago. Arist said the four boys were physically assaulted by five members of the Army’s Strategic Reserve Command (Kostrad) at night while they were returning to their homes after playing video games.
“They stopped the children and forced them to admit to things that they had not done. They also hit the children with clubs and forced them to undress,” he said.
Arist said the boys were forced to admit that they had been stealing bicycles in a housing complex in Cilodong. He said there had been an incident of a bicycle being stolen in the complex.
“Even if the children stole the bicycle, it does not mean that it should have been settled that way,” he said, adding that the children had not been involved in any thefts.
Arist said it was unfortunate that the soldiers, because of their status as servicemen, could not be charged with violating the Law on Child Protection regarding assault, which carries a minimum prison sentence of five years.
The servicemen will instead be dealt with by a military tribunal, where they could get off with a lesser sanction.
“However, the Military Police have promised to take this case seriously as the servicemen have admitted to their offense,” Arist said.
He said the case would go before a military tribunal after the soldiers had been held for 20 days pending the preparation of their case files.
“It is not only against children’s rights, but also is against human rights as [the soldiers] are state officials and have an obligation to protect the country,” Arist Merdeka Sirait, the secretary general of the commission, known as Komnas Anak. “It is very saddening and it is a gross violation of human rights.”
Arist said the five Army soldiers involved in the alleged beating had been detained by the Military Police.
He said the four boys, the oldest among them 14 years old, were traumatized by the incident.
“However, they went back to school on Monday after we treated them,” he said.
The alleged beating took place in Cilodong, Depok, two weeks ago. Arist said the four boys were physically assaulted by five members of the Army’s Strategic Reserve Command (Kostrad) at night while they were returning to their homes after playing video games.
“They stopped the children and forced them to admit to things that they had not done. They also hit the children with clubs and forced them to undress,” he said.
Arist said the boys were forced to admit that they had been stealing bicycles in a housing complex in Cilodong. He said there had been an incident of a bicycle being stolen in the complex.
“Even if the children stole the bicycle, it does not mean that it should have been settled that way,” he said, adding that the children had not been involved in any thefts.
Arist said it was unfortunate that the soldiers, because of their status as servicemen, could not be charged with violating the Law on Child Protection regarding assault, which carries a minimum prison sentence of five years.
The servicemen will instead be dealt with by a military tribunal, where they could get off with a lesser sanction.
“However, the Military Police have promised to take this case seriously as the servicemen have admitted to their offense,” Arist said.
He said the case would go before a military tribunal after the soldiers had been held for 20 days pending the preparation of their case files.
