Infants tied up inside a nursery in Indonesia.. What is the story behind these scenes? | news

Video clips leaked from inside the “Little Arisha” nursery in the city of Yogyakarta, on the island of Java in central Indonesia, sparked a widespread wave of anger, after revealing shocking conditions of infants with their hands and legs tied.

The spread of these scenes came after a police raid on the center last week, where the footage showed children, some of them wearing nothing but diapers, in conditions that were described as shocking and sparked widespread condemnation.

Police in Indonesia said that dozens of children were subjected to ill-treatment inside a child care center in the city of Yogyakarta, on the island of Java, in a case that reopened the file of oversight of nurseries in the country.

The police stated that at least 53 children, out of 103 registered at the “Little Arisha” center, are believed to have been subjected to physical abuse or neglect, noting that the majority of the victims are under two years of age.

She reported that during the raid, she found small rooms not exceeding three meters in area, each containing about 20 children, in light of indications of ill-treatment, including the children being tied up or showing injuries.

The father of one of the affected children recounted, saying: “Our children were tied up and beaten, and our child was hospitalized three or six times, and his development has become delayed even now, and after more than a year he is still unable to walk.”

The head of the Yogyakarta Police Criminal Investigation Unit, Rizki Adrian, explained that about 30 people, including workers and supervisors of the center, were subject to investigation, while 13 of them were arrested and accused of committing violations related to child protection, including abuse and neglect.

The authorities confirmed that the center did not have an official license to practice the activity, and it had been closed since the raid was carried out, without an official response from its management regarding the accusations.

In this context, the Yogyakarta government called for the affected children to be subjected to comprehensive medical and psychological examinations, while providing psychological support services to their families, in an attempt to contain the effects of the trauma.

The police also indicated that investigations are still ongoing, with the possibility of an increase in the number of victims, stressing their commitment to continuing legal procedures in a professional and transparent manner, to ensure that those responsible are held accountable and that children are protected.

The clips caused a widespread wave of anger across social media platforms in Indonesia, amid mounting calls to hold those responsible for the incident accountable, tighten oversight of child care homes, and take strict measures to ensure that such violations are not repeated in the future.

Activists and local media circulated the video clips widely, with angry comments demanding the opening of a comprehensive and transparent investigation, and taking strict measures against anyone proven to be involved in mistreatment or neglect within the center.

On the other hand, human rights activists called for dealing with the issue as a warning bell about the reality of child care centers in the country, stressing the need to review licensing mechanisms and periodic follow-up, and to strengthen government oversight of these institutions to ensure that children are protected from any potential violations.

Others also stressed the importance of providing long-term psychological support to affected children and their families, considering that the repercussions of the incident are not limited to the legal aspect only, but extend to social and psychological effects that may last for a long time.