AUTHORITIES INVESTIGATE ALLEGED ABUSE AT ORPHANAGE

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Feb 26 (Antara)- The police and Indonesian National Commission for Child Protection (KPAI) are jointly investigating the alleged abuse of orphans reportedly locked up and mistreated, which resulted in an infant death at an orphanage in Tangerang, Banten.          On Tuesday, the KPAI officials evacuated 32 orphans from The Samuel's Home run under the "Yayasan Kasih Sayang Bunda" foundation in Sector 6, Block GC, Gading Serpong, Tangerang, Banten.          On the previous day, the KPAI and officers from the Jakarta Regional Police also evacuated 12 other orphans following a tip-off from the public regarding the alleged lock up and abuse. The 12 children from The Samuel's Home were all 'Balita' or children below five years of age.          "We are evacuating them, including the two who are suffering from high fever. We are taking them to the hospital," KPAI Chairman Arist Merdeka Sirait stated on Monday.          Arist explained that he asked the owners of the foundation about the medical treatment being given to the two ailing orphans. The foundation owners admitted that they had taken the children to the hospital, but they were only given Febrifuge.