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Rights commissions suspect women, children rights violations in police handling of Jambi land dispute
“During the arrests, the members’ wives and children were also brought to the office [of a private company involved in the land dispute] and had to watch their husbands or fathers being tortured. They are traumatized, scared and worried about the condition of their children [who were later separated from the parents],” Adriana Venny from Komnas Perempuan said.
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Hundreds of members of the Batanghari Independent Union (SMB) protest against the arrest of one of their members at Batanghari Police precinct in Jambi last year. (Tribunnews/Abdullah Usman)
T
he National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), the National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) and the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) have monitored the arrests of 59 members of the Batanghari Independent Union (SMB) in Jambi, citing concerns of violence against women and children.
The commissioners from the three institutions visited the Jambi Police headquarters last week to check whether the arrests of the SMB members had followed correct procedures.
Adriana Venny from Komnas Perempuan said the organization had monitored the case from Aug. 20 to 24, in which the commissioners interviewed alleged victims and witnesses and had found an indication that torture had been used the Mobile Brigade unit of the police force during the two waves of arrests.
“During the arrests, the members’ wives and children were also brought to the office [of a private company involved in the land dispute] and had to watch their husbands or fathers being tortured. They are traumatized, scared and worried about the condition of their children [who were later separated from the parents],” Adriana said.
She said her institution had found indications of economic, social and cultural rights violations, violations of eviction protocols and violations of civil and political rights.
Komnas Perempuan has asked the Jambi Police to investigate officers who had allegedly violated Law No. 5/1998 on the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
“We’re asking for the regional administration to implement Presidential Regulation No. 18/2014 on women and children protection during social conflicts,” she went on.
