Facts About The Langkat Regent's Prison-like Cage: Unlicensed Since 2012, Employed In Oil Palm Estates Without Paying

The prison-like cage at the residence of the Regent of Langkat is off. Published Wind War Plan/SPECIAL DOC

JAKARTA - The National Police formed a joint team related to the disclosure of a prison-like cage belonging to the Regent of Langkat, North Sumatra, the issuance of the Prerangin Angin Plan. The prison building that has existed since 2012 is not licensed.

"After being traced, the building was built in 2012 on the initiative of the Regent and has not been registered and does not have a permit as regulated in the law," said Karo Penmas, Police Public Relations Division, Brigadier General Ahmad Ramadhan, to reporters, Tuesday, January 25.

Based on the results of the initial investigation, he said the building resembling a detention room is located on a 1 hectare land, there is a building measuring 6 x 6 meters which is divided into two rooms with a capacity of approximately 30 people.

Meanwhile, the inter-rooms are limited by iron bars like a cell building.

The joint team, continued Brigadier General Ramadhan, conducted a search by asking the building guards for information.

Based on information from the building guard, he said, it was found that the place was for people who were addicted to drugs. In addition, there is also for juvenile delinquency coaching.

"The occupants were handed over to his family. The family handed it over to the manager for guidance. They are drug addicts and juvenile delinquents," he said.

In the handover, he continued, the family submitted a statement letter for coaching at the coaching center at the residence of the Langkat Regent.

According to Ramadhan, the number of inmates who were originally 48 people, then the results of the checks left 30 people. Some have been sent home and picked up by their families.

Some of the people who were trapped by the Langkat Regent, who was not active during the issuance of the Warin Angin Plan, were employed at the Regent's palm oil factory with the intention of providing the inmates with skills after being released from training. he said.

Regarding the alleged slavery, Ramadhan said that the North Sumatra Police were still investigating. However, those who underwent training in the room were brought by their parents themselves and the submission was accompanied by a statement letter.

There is also work in oil palm plantations which is referred to as slavery and violates human rights, as part of the guidance for inmates undergoing rehabilitation.

"However, what is it (slavery, ed), we see in the process, we can't jump to conclusions yet," he said.

As is known, Migrant Care found a private prison behind the residence of the Regent of Langkat Terbit Warin Angin. There are 40 workers detained in the iron bars.

According to Migrant Care's findings, the workers allegedly did not receive good treatment, such as not getting proper food, not getting the appropriate salary or even not being paid, as well as ill-treatment and torture for the prisoners of oil palm workers.