The Bogor Legal Aid Institute (LBH Bogor Raya) has recommended that the case involving the alleged physical abuse and forced servitude of 16 domestic workers by the wife of a retired police general be taken over by the National Police, rather than the Bogor Police, so that the investigation could be handled "professionally and transparently".
LBH Bogor Raya representative Sugeng Teguh Santoso said that 15 domestic workers had been physically abused and kept confined by Mutiara Situmorang, while the remaining worker acted as her enforcer and the workers' supervisor.
He said the Bogor Police should not treat the last worker the same as the 15 other maids.
"We want the police to be professional and not take sides, but it seems that the Bogor Police chief has acted as the spokesperson for Mutiara and announced that no evidence of physical abuse had been found," he said on Friday.
"Also, the police chief publicized the explanation of [Mutiara's] enforcer, when it should have been kept confidential by the investigators.
Therefore, we ask that this case be handled by the National Police to ensure transparency and professionalism," added Sugeng, who is also the acting legal representative of one of the victims, Yuliana Leiwer.
Among the 15 workers, seven are reportedly underage. LBH Bogor Raya explained that they should have been accompanied by a family member, a legal representative or a psychologist during questioning by the Bogor Police to ensure that admissible statements were made.
Bogor Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Bahtiar Ujang Purnama said the police had questioned 21 witnesses, but were having difficulties because two of the abused workers were mute.
Bahtiar also said that because some of the victims showed no physical evidence of abuse, a forensics examination should be required to confirm the allegations.
In a press conference on Thursday, a spokesman for the Situmorang family denied the allegations that the wife of retired police general Monang Situmorang abused the workers and kept them confined to the house.
"They were free to buy food outside the house and take out the trash when needed," said Situmorang family spokesman Victor Nadapdap in a press conference.
In response to the case, the Women's Institute Foundation has urged the House of Representatives to pass the bill on domestic workers' rights.
The demand was made because the bill, which has been included in the National Legislation Program since 2010, has not yet been deliberated.
The foundation said the recent discovery of abuse in Bogor showed that the government had not met its obligation to protect domestic workers.
The foundation also urged the National Police to continue investigating the Bogor abuse case and allegations of human trafficking in the case.
"In the period between 2007 and 2011, there were 726 cases of severe mistreatment of housemaids in Indonesia, including 536 unpaid salaries," said chairperson of the foundation, Rotuah Valentina Sagala.
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