Child Protection Ministry Responds to Plan of Ex ISIS Return

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Deputy of Child Protection of the Women Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA) Ministry, Nahar, said that his side will coordinate with related parties that examine former Indonesian supporters of Islamic State (ISIS) in Syria.

Nahar made the statement in response to the government’s plan to return the children home to Indonesia. The ministry, he added, will give them protection if the children do not have a problem on legal, politics, citizenships, and international relations based on the examination result.

“That will be a state obligation and sure there is a standard operating procedure, one of them concerning child victims of terrorism network,” said Nahar to Tempo on Wednesday, July 10.

Nahar explained the country will grant assurance to fulfill their rights as long as the children are categorized in the fifteen lists of those who need special protection as stipulated in Article 59 (2) of Law No. 35/2014 concerning child protection.

“If they don’t know anything [about the condition], that their parents brought them there and they don’t relate to terrorist acts, they will be considered a victim,” Nahar explained.

When asked about the number of Indonesian children who are living in limbo in Syria, Nahar claimed that he did not receive the exact data yet. “It’s still being investigated, the number up and down, the official data will be released by the Foreign Affairs Ministry. I cannot tell the number as I’ve informed verbally,” he concluded.

AHMAD FAIZ IBNU SANI

Read also: Govt No Need to Worry over Returning Ex-ISIS Supporters: Observer