Human Rights Minister Backs Program Sending Troubled Students to Military Barracks

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TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Minister of Human Rights Natalius Pigai has greenlighted West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi's plan to send troubled youths to military barracks, with one condition: no corporal punishment.

Pigai considers pinching and hitting as forms of corporal punishment, calling them old-fashioned. "Pinching the ear, hitting, or kicking in order to discipline us, that's called corporal punishment," Pigai said at the Ministry of Human Rights office in South Jakarta on Tuesday, May 6, 2025.

According to Pigai, physical punishment goes against human rights, thus must be avoided for the students who were sent to the military barracks.

Nevertheless, Pigai claims that Dedi Mulyadi's policy is void of physical punishment, believing that it's oriented towards discipline, mental development, and character building.

"Therefore, it does not violate human rights, and we support the decision by the West Java government," said the former commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission.

Pigai, however, did not provide a clear answer when asked about what kinds of supervision the ministry will provide for the program. The minister only mentioned that the government will monitor and provide suggestions for the implementation of this policy.

Dedi Mulyadi's plan for military-style character education for students has been underway since Thursday, May 1, 2025. Purwakarta and Bandung are the first two regions to implement this semi-military character development program involving the Indonesian National Armed Forces.

At least 69 students have been sent to the military barracks. Dedi Mulyadi stated that the criteria for children included in this semi-military education start from junior high school.

Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission Atnike Nova Sigiro responded to Dedi Mulyadi's plan to send troubled youths to military barracks. "It is not actually within the military authority to educate (students), as it's called civil education," Atnike said after an event at the Komnas HAM office in Menteng, Central Jakarta, on Friday, May 2, 2025.

Daniel Ahmad Fajri contributed to the writing of this article

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