Tuesday 17 April 2012

A battered little body

I found it hard to talk about an issue that has been bothering me for sometime. Although it doesnt involve me directly, the information that I'm about to talk about is compelling and does affect real people. I once knew a little boy, whose name I dont wish disclose, who used to attend a local school here in Madang. The boy is bright, very energetic and full of life, like any other 8 or 9 year old would be, accept he would turn up to school with a frown on his face. Always a sad look in his eyes and close to tears each time. The school was his only source of comfort, a place to get away and dream dreams of what the future would hold for him. That is what all schools should be for, shaping the future of our young Papua New Guineans! Lets say that boys name was Peter.


I learnt about this little boy through a friend of mine and became concerned about his plight, why? He was at the time a victim of child abuse, whether he still is in that situation remains unknown at this present time. A friend of mine, would tell me that Peter would turn up to school, almost everyday with severe bruises, whipp marks on his arms and legs, as if inflicted by a coconut broom and still bore the scares from previous beatings. I became concerned, anyone would, I felt helpless, though, and asked myself, if I would be intruding in the private matters of a individual family unit. Was it in my place to say anything do anything?


Papua New Guineans have developed ignorant attitudes, that matters of this nature are considered private and are dealt with in the home. But, what does that say about our traditional values? Our traditional values have taught us that life is built around family, respect, togetherness and harmony with respect for one's self and others. Respect for elders and love and care for children.
Ignorance and wreckless attitudes have gone far beyond logic and compassion. Much like a quarrell between a husband and a wife that could turn into a full scale violent exchange is not viewed as domestic violence but a private matter by many, even to this day. The tok pisin (Pidgin English) comment that many onlookers would say in that situation would be 'Samtin blo tupela', translation, its non of your business. So how far has that brought PNG in terms of initiating efforts to promote advocasy about Child Abuse and Domestic Violence.



I knew what to do, I knew how to help this child, but I wasnt sure on how I should go about it. My friend continued to tell me about Peter, soon the stories became frequent from once every two weeks to once a week. Peter was recieving beatings for not feeding the cat or dog on time. Peter was recieving beatings for spilling the milk on the floor and not cleaning up the mess properly. Peter was recieving beatings for not doing his chores. The chores were not simple ones but labourous tasks which perhaps required the strength of an adult.

I decided to ring someone in Port Moresby and report the matter to a very senior officer in the PNG Social Welfare and Community Development Office. I began to tell him about Peter's stories. The officer took note, and then contacted the social welfare office in Madang. The officer said had now assigned the task to two people to follow the case.
I was somewhat reassured. I still had my doubts. I had done my duty, in the hope that the matter would be, at least looked into. The officer also explained that for cases such as Peter's, Papua New Guinea didnt as yet have a Welfare system that could cater for children in abusive homes. There wasnt a foster-care home for children to go to seek shelter, love, care and compassion. My heart sank so deeply, I went numb.

All this fight, all this effort, just to be told there was no hope. No clear cut decision on this case. No future. Even if Peter was taken out of this situation, the officer explained, Welfare would have to find other relatives to take him in, what was the guarantee that he would not face the same treatment. It was a tricky situation.

I then turned to the school, based on the advise that the welfare officer had given me, to advise the school that, it was the first point of contact for Peter and that the school is entrusted with the childs care during the day. The officer also advised me of the rights of the child stipulated under the Lukautim Pikinini Act.  The school, at first didnt want to be involved, I recall the words were,  'They are parents who pay school fees, its none of our business'. Their attitudes changed dramatically when they saw Peter  come to school in a bad way one day.

Months past and Peter still came to school with bruise marks and stories that now he was being whipped with a cord all the while being tied to a post. For reasons that were not known. He even bears the scares of a metal butter knife which was thrown at him by his step mother one morning before school.
Peter had been silenced. You see Peter was a adopted by his biological mothers sister, and went to school with his step sister and brother. His older step sister would report back to their parents if Peter told anyone at school about his situation at home. He had been adopted into a family that could support him financially.  The welfare officer also mentioned that most adopted children face abuse and are singled out by their families, left to do the chores in the house, enslaved by the people who should love them. The officer said it was a common occurance that adopted children suffer many levels of abuse.


The day came when I recieved a call from Peter's friend that Peter had turned up to school with a deep gash to his head and blood dripping down onto his uniform. His arms were full of fresh bruises red, purple and black in colour. His legs were in the same way covered with bruises from being beaten with something hard. He walked into school slowly,  nursing his himself gently, trying to cradle his badly beaten arms as best he knew how. Peter's head hung low with misery, confusion, rejection, regret and anger. How was a boy at that age to feel?

What I was dreading the most had happened. Peter had come to school badly beaten, abused and not even a shred of dignity could be found in his eyes that day, he no doubt questioned his very existence that morning. He may have asked himself why he still alive? 

The parents, not even ashamed to hide what they had done to this poor boy, sent him to school that day. All the kids at school saw how Peter was that day and no doubt went home to tell their parents about it after school.


The Principal, decided to take Peter to a private doctor in town and get him treated. The school held onto the doctors report and then asked the parents to report to the school about the incident.

Meanwhile, that day I immediatly drove down to the Welfare Office to ask for assistance, only to be told that the officer placed on this case, had just got out of hospital and was recovering from something. The other officer was out of town and the officers that were talking to me couldnt be bothered. They said to me, "we dont have a vehicle to go and see the child at the mentioned location'.

This was unbelievable, even though I had already mentioned several times that I had come in a vehicle and was willing to provide transport. Their reply; 'There is no one to man the office and even if we leave the office, this case is managed by someone else and had they handed it to us, we would be in a better position to do something.' 'We need clearance from our director first.' Is what they said.

That day I blurted out all the cussing I could possibly think of. Mind you, I'm not one who does.
I'm thinking why even have a welfare office if no one is prepared to help. Why all this attitude and ignorance! A child needs help!

Back at the school Peter's parents recieved a wake up call from the school's Principle. The Principle was also bold enough to say that they would bring the matter to the family court. Good on you principle for being so bold, if only there were more people in authority ready to act!

I dont know where Peter is, my friend told me that he was moved to Port Moresby and his step bother and sister now go to different schools.

How else are we going to protect our children in PNG, if even under LPA, children suffer! Do we create community watch dogs with parents, friends? Do we change attitudes?



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