By Mong Palatino
Indonesians are shocked and angered by reports that children accused of petty crimes have been arrested and beaten by the police.
In Soe City in eastern Indonesia, a 16-year-old boy was arrested and charged with stealing and selling eight pink adeniums from a private garden. In the Central Sulawesi capital of Palu, a 15-year-old boy identified as only A.A.L. was beaten by the police and faced a possible five-year jail sentence after he was accused of stealing a pair of used sandals owned by a policeman. In Bali, a teenager was convicted for stealing a wallet containing 1,000 rupiah (11 cents). In Cilacap, Central Java, two men were charged with stealing 15 banana bunches. Deli Suhandi, a 14-year-old boy accused of stealing a phone card worth 10,000 rupiah ($1.12) that he found lying in the street, could face a seven-year prison term.
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