Papua – Child exploitation has once again come to light, this time through the alleged exploitation of children by an Armed Criminal Group (KKB) taking advantage of the graduation moment for schoolchildren in Central Papua.
The incident befell a School Principal in Dogiyai, Dogiyai Regency, Central Papua Province, who was reportedly coerced by students to participate in a procession carrying the Morning Star flag, a symbol of Papuan nationhood.
The controversial event occurred on Monday (5/6/2024), where dozens of students from SMA Negeri 2 Dogiyai celebrated their graduation by parading their school principal, Mr. Fredy Yobee, along the highway. The act drew attention as some students had defaced their uniforms with motifs of the Morning Star flag, indicating their joy at graduating.
According to clarification from the Principal of SMA Negeri 2 Dogiyai, Fredy Yobee, the incident occurred without the school’s knowledge and was solely the action of graduating students, beyond the school’s control.
“The school also rejected the activity, but was forced by students who were happy about their graduation,” he said.
The Chief of Dogiyai Police, Kompol Sarraju, stated that until now, the police have been unable to obtain statements from the twelfth-grade students involved in the procession.
This indicates that the perpetrators or actors behind this child exploitation have not been clearly identified.
This case raises concerns about child exploitation by irresponsible parties, who exploit important moments like school graduations to carry out their actions.
Local authorities and relevant agencies are urged to take decisive action to prevent similar incidents in the future and provide better protection for Papuan children.