West Java Police Will Process OCI Taman Safarichoid Case If There Are Reports From Victims

A group of wild animals are gathering visitors in the 'Feline Feeding' program at TSI Cisarua, Bogor Regency, West Java. (ANTARA PHOTO-HO-Humas TSI-2018)

JAKARTA - The West Java Regional Police (West Java Police) will process a case of alleged exploitation practices experienced by former ORiental Circuit Indonesia or SCIer Taman Safari, if there is an official report regarding this issue.

Dirreskrimum Polda West Java, Surawan said that until now there has been no complaint regarding the case.

"So far we have not received a report, nor from the victim, so we have not handled anything," said Surawan after attending an audience of former OCI employees with Commission III of the DPR at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Monday, April 21.

Regarding picking up the ball to process the case, Surawan said the West Java Regional Police would wait for a report from the victim to follow up. "We have to report first from the victims," he continued.

Surawan said his party would try to contact the victims. He invited the victims of the CCI circus to make a new report regarding the alleged exploitation of this to the West Java Police.

"Let's try to contact the victims later, if we really want to report we will receive the report. But this problem has been a long time, it has expired. It's okay (report, ed) if you want to report it, please wait for the report," he said.

Surawan admitted that he had not received special attention from the West Java Regional Police leadership to investigate this case. "(Because) There are no reports we have not been able to carry out an investigation," he said.

Regarding today's hearing, Surawan revealed that the leadership of Commission III of the DPR has invited the victims to resolve problems in a family manner with the OCI management in accordance with the recommendations of Komnas HAM.

"Earlier, the leadership said that yes, please the parties to meet first, finish it familyly and in accordance with Komnas HAM recommendations. That's the point," he said.

It is known that Commission III of the DPR RI received a former Indonesian Oriental Circuit (OCI) employee at the DPR Building today. The Commission for the legal sector of the DPR RI facilitated an audience between employees who reported violence with the OCI and the West Java Police.

During the hearing, former OCI circus player Vivi Nurhidayah admitted to running away but was caught again until he was beaten. The beating was carried out by a circus manager named Frans Manangsang.

"We all run away from the circus so we really hide from them as much as possible so we don't get caught, I ran away in 86 when my sister was beaten and my sister ran away and was beaten. The circus was the one who did it, Mr. Frans Manangsang," said Fifi.

Vivi and his colleagues reported to Commission III of the House of Representatives to get justice after 30 years after the case was investigated. Vivi said he and the other victims had been waiting for this hearing for a long time.

"We once wanted to meet Pak Jansen's son (one of the founders of OCI), Ester's name was we wanted a family reunion at that time but we didn't respond well," said Vivi.

For information, this case was investigated by Komnas HAM in 1997. After that, Komnas HAM gave a recommendation to the CCI to seek the origin of the parents of the circus players to ensure the education of the underage players.

Previously, Vivi and a number of former SCI players, Ida and Butet, visited the Ministry of Human Rights office on Jalan Rasuna Said, Kuningan, South Jakarta (Jaksel) on Tuesday, April 15. Their arrival was for an audience with the Deputy Minister of Human Rights and sought justice due to allegations of being victims of exploitation and torture while working at OCI.

To the Deputy Minister of Human Rights Mugiyanto, a number of former OCI players shared their suffering. Ida said that she was brought by the Indonesian Oriental Circuits since she was five years old from her parents in 1976. He was then taken to an animal tourist spot in the Cisarua area, Bogor, West Java to be trained as a circus player.

Ida admitted that she was tortured and beaten when she was wrong in training. Even in 1989 while performing an acrobatic show, Ida fell and finally suffered a fracture.

"So in the middle of training, they often like it or not. So they just make fun of them. It's like being beaten. If something goes wrong, they will be hit a little," said Ida at the Ministry of Human Rights office on Tuesday, April 15, then.