Suspected fatal bullying cases in Indonesia highlight growing violence issue in schools
Eight-year-old Khris Topel Butarbutar died on May 26, allegedly after being beaten by older students at SDN 12 Buluh Rampai State Elementary School in Indragiri Hulu Regency, Riau.
According to his father, Gimson Butarbutar, the second grader began complaining of a fever and stomach pain on May 20, a day after he returned home early from school because his bicycle tyres had been deflated by older students.
'He didn't initially tell me what was making him sick, but when I spoke to his friends, they said he had been beaten by four older students about a week earlier,' Gimson said on Sunday (June 8), as quoted by Kompas.
'When I asked Khris about it, he confirmed it. He said he had been bullied for some time because of his religion and ethnicity,' he added.
According to Gimson, Khris was admitted to the hospital shortly afterward, where he suffered seizures and began bleeding from his mouth and ears. His condition continued to deteriorate until he eventually passed away.
Gimson has reported five of Khris's fellow students, aged between 11 and 13, to the Riau Police on suspicion of assault. Last week, the Riau Police reported that they have questioned 22 witnesses in connection with the incident.
An autopsy was conducted on Khris's body, revealing bruises on his stomach and left thigh consistent with blunt force trauma.
However, the police stated that Khris's cause of death was a systemic infection resulting from a ruptured appendix. It remains unclear whether the ruptured appendix was caused by the alleged assault.
Less than a week after Khris's death, 15-year-old Muhammad Raja Afnan, a student at SDN Maccini Sawah State Elementary School in Makassar, South Sulawesi, also died after allegedly being assaulted by three of his friends.
The sixth grader passed away on May 30, following a five-day hospital stay across three different facilities, after initially complaining of chest pain. His family said he had multiple bruises on his body and burn marks resembling cigarette burns.
Initially, Raja claimed his injuries were caused by falling while playing soccer, but he later revealed that he was allegedly assaulted by two elementary students at his school, as well as a junior high school student.
The family has reported the case to the Makassar police, and authorities are currently investigating the incident.
Data from the Network for Education Watch Indonesia (JPPI) shows a rising trend in reports of bullying in educational institutions over recent years.
Last year, JPPI recorded a total of 573 bullying cases in schools and Islamic boarding schools nationwide, more than double the 285 cases reported the previous year.
Meanwhile, the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) reported that in 2024, approximately 21,000 children fell victim to violence, a 34 per cent increase from the previous year.
Among these cases, 17 percent occurred within educational institutions, with 9 per cent involving bullying by peers.
According to a 2018 survey by the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), 41 per cent of Indonesian students reported being victims of bullying at least several times a month.
This rate is nearly double the average bullying rate of 23 per cent reported across Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member countries.
In 2023, the government issued an anti-bullying regulation in response to the rising trend of violence in schools.
Among its provisions, the regulation mandates that all educational institutions establish Violence Prevention and Handling Teams (TPPKs) to protect students.
However, observers have noted that implementation remains lax, with many teachers lacking the necessary training to recogniSe early signs of bullying and to effectively carry out prevention efforts. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
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