MPR Ask People to Stop Exploitation of Children

Jakarta (Antara) - Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Sidarto Danusubroto has asked various parties to stop exploitation of children in the country. "We call on the people to stop exploitation of children," the MPR Chairman said in a written statement made available to Antara here on Sunday. The MPR also calls for heavy punishment for those behind children exploitation. He cited as an example the abuse case of Iqbal. Besides that victims of abuse should also be rehabilitated. Sidarto said the Love Children Movement organization met the MPR leaders on Thursday, calling for rehabilitation of children who became victims of exploitation. The maltreatment case involving Iqbal has encouraged non-governmental organizations, academicians, students and women activists to spontaneously form the Love Children Movement. The movement is of the view that the Iqbal case is the peak of children's abuses in Indonesia. "Therefore, we call on people to save Iqbal. Children who face fate the same as Iqbal's should be safeguarded," Love Children Movement's activist Nani said. The Love Children Movement is taking the Iqbal case as a momentum to urge the government to take concrete steps in protecting children. "Children protection should not be ignored," she said. (*)