Heavy Punishment Called For Alleged Pedophile

Denpasar, Jan 15 (ANTARA) - Eight non governmental organizations in Bali urged a district court in Singaraja to mete out the heaviest punishment for alleged pedophile . Jan Jacobus Vogel, a Dutch tourist, is facing trial in Singaraja on charge of raping young girls on the Lovina beach. The call by the Network of Concerns for Children Victims of Pedophilia (JPAKP) came after the the victims withdraw the charge against the suspect. The court should try the case and render heavy punishment for the suspect if found guilty for the interest of children in general, JPAKP coordinator Luh Putu Anggreni said here on Tuesday. JPAKP groups a number of NGOs including Lentera Anak Bali, Yayasan Sahabat Anak Bali, Bali Legal Aid Institute , Legal Aid Institute of the Association of Indonesian Women (APIK), and P2TP2A of Bali "We regret that the victim have dropped the charge as told by their parents. The parents did not know that pedophiles are always generous, philanthropist and charming but they like to rape children," Anggreni said. In Tuesday`s hearing at the Singaraja court, a number of parents of the victims withdrew their allegation already put by police on the dossiers against Jan Jacobus . Chairman of the National Commission for Children Protection Arist Merdeka Sirait expressed regret as the case was made an ordinary case of sexual abuse instead of pedophilia. Anggreni said there have been a number of cases of pedophilia involving foreign tourists in Bali with victims girls below 14 years in age mainly in tourist places such as Karangasem, Sanur, Kuta, and Buleleng. She cited in 2001, an Italian Mario Manara was sentenced to nine months` imprisonment for raping a young girl in the regency of Buleleng, and in 2004, an Australian Tony William Stuart Brown was punished in similar case with a 13 year jail term , but he committed suicide a day after hearing the verdict. Vogel, now standing trail in Singaraja, is also known to have often offered aid for the people of Banjar Kaliasem. Many of the people then feel indebted to Vogel that they refused to testify against him in court, Anggreni said.