An ISR member writes:
“…..Neil Bantleman is being detained in a Jakarta prison along with an Indonesian teaching assistant, Ferdinant Tjiong. They have been held in prison for 10 days without being charged, held on what appears to be very little and highly questionable evidence. They face being detained without charge for many more weeks”….Read more
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ISR Discussion Boards 
Why any teacher in their right mind would go back and work at JIS is beyond most intelligent people’s understanding.
Anyone who chooses to put themselves, and their families at risk in this place, after seeing what can happen, needs their head read.
Expat families have a choice in education…many choices. Home schooling, mothers staying in the home country or simply saying No, to the company they work for.
You all have a choice too.
Its a bit like we say to the children, stay away from the trouble makers and don’t come crying for help when you get hurt. You’ve been warned.
This is Indonesia and they are not going to change for a bunch of school teachers…
You think these are the only ones that will be arrested? This is just the beginning. Don’t be so naive. There is no such thing as ” competent and honest”. Honestly, if it wasn’t so sad, it would be funny.
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Well “Fank” Rivera, concerning some of your “points”:
1.) “Recruiters do not have a vetting or background verification system to identify “bad apples.”
Yes they do, Frank, and it’s quite simple: require that all applicants be members of state/provincial/national licensing bodies in their respective home countries. You need criminal record check(s) in order to be members. Alternatively, recruiters could ask that applicants furnish criminal record checks that can be independently verified as part of the application procedure.
The problem with this is that recruiters for schools in developing countries quite often don’t want to employ certified and trained professional educators simply because they cost more. Such people command greater salaries, so it’s cheaper and easier to hire untrained and ill-experienced individuals. Quality people cost, and even if schools in developing countries could offer wages that would be top-ranked in that country, they would pale in comparison elsewhere. Actually, this phenomenon is not restricted to developing countries alone; South Korea, Japan and Taiwan also have widespread employment of untrained, uncertified and ultimately unscreened individuals in both the private and public education systems from primary school right up to post-secondary.
2.) “Male teachers are no different than young soldiers in overseas embassy security missions”. I am a male teacher, and you presume to tell me who and what I am, having never met me nor knowing nothing about me? Or course you can’t, which makes your sweeping generalisation laughable.
3.) As a career educator, I suggest that “as a career US Army officer” you should stick to commenting about the US Army rather than about something that you apparently know little about.
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MAE Suma Cum Laude and professor after retirement, Colombia, Ecuador and Chile.
Do I meet your criteria to comment?
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And if you were as half as qualified as you claimed to be you would have already known about the vetting required by every state in the U.S., thus rendering your statement moot.
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This is a very eloquent defence of JIS and the teachers, written by a representative from WordWorks – it also has some informative links that will help acquaint those interested with the FACTS.
Click to access letter_for_JIS_teachers.pdf
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Wow Frank – you really seem to know your stuff! You know, when you go overseas as military, you never see the world the way teachers who go live in a country do (and yes, they never see it the way Peace Corps volunteers do). But you seem to have lived in decent countries. I myself have lived in countries where locking people up at will, holding them at will, until SOMETHING can be beaten or coerced out of them, is common. Most of those countries don’t bug Westerners too much, but there is a built-in wellspring of emotions that are just waiting to be whipped up, especially when a school seems to represent the USA, as JIS does, and the country is predominantly Muslim, as Indonesia is. Politicians flock to this to make gravy and headlines. Do I believe the cleaners were sexually abusing this kid? Yes. Do I believe the admin were? NO – and the stories that child 1 and 2 are telling make no sense.
Google Martensville Saskatchewan child sex scandal, about “child abuse” that took place at a daycare, and you can see how something like this rolls along – and in Indonesia, they want it to keep rolling along…
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To Truth is Truth: Sorry, I meant to say that JIS caused the teachers to be deported. From what I have read it appears that work visas were based on fraudulent information. So who is guilty of fraud? Either the school or the teachers. And I believe the school has already stated that they made some errors. This is very serious. The teachers could have been imprisoned.
So the 22 teachers are all returning to JIS? Incredible. A great number of JIS staff are calling on people throughout the world to sign a petition to release the two men from jail and to contact their governments to put pressure on the Indonesian government.
Why would the 22 teachers return to a school that made ‘errors’ on official documents and caused their deportation? Why would any teacher want to work at a school that did not bother to get a license for its kindergarten? Why would any expat person working at JIS or in the country of Indonesia remain or return to JIS after the vacation? If any of you at JIS or in Indonesia truly believe that the two gentlemen are innocent, that the local police are incompetent and that the government is corrupt and that the parents are hysterical,…you need to voice your opinion by refusing to work at JIS or in Indonesia. It appears that you want governments of the world to make things better for the expats. That is not going to work. The expats in Indonesia have the power—you need to resign and refuse to work in that country. If those of you are so outraged by the injustices against Neil and Ferdi, and you continue to work there, you condone the system. You agree to it by working in their country under their laws.
If Neil and Ferdi are innocent, they are going through a horrible ordeal. But it has to play out at the local level first. Local police have to investigate.
If this is all based on corruption and hysterics it will be known. After the investigation is completed.
I have never heard of any case in the US or Canada where a prisoner was released to his or her home country because everyone at home loved the guy and thought he was great and knew he could never do what he was suspected of doing.
Come the beginning of the new school term at JIS, if I find out that all the Western teachers left the country due to their outrage of the system they believe to be so corrupt and the great injustices against Neil and Ferdi, I will have greater respect for your opinions. However, if all the Western teachers return to JIS, you are showing that you condone the actions of JIS, the local police and the government.
My gut feeling is that many JIS teachers love many things about living in Indonesia and they want to remain there. But they want outside governments to make Indonesia a better and safer place for them. They want special treatment. I really doubt the average Indonesian citizen gets special treatment in Indonesia. Why should the expats?
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Interesting point of view.
Consider this – if no teachers return to JIS, it destroys and closes the school. The kids suffer. The parents suffer. The expat community suffers.
What is interesting about this case (and should make any reasonable person question the allegations) is that the overwhelming number of parents who send their children to JIS believe the teachers and the school. Enrolments have not gone down one bit. Maybe by returning to JIS (even though many are scared) is a way of showing solidarity and courage, rather than running and hiding.
Your statements about the visa situation is a reasonable one. Maybe you should consider that the fact that teachers and the parent community do NOT blame the school, is that the bureaucratic process for the permits and the license were framed in such a way that it was virtually impossible to comply with the regulations. This is especially the case with the license. They are acting with compassion and understanding, unlike you.
Will refusing to return to, and work, in Indonesia help the 2 imprisoned teachers (or the 3–4 other teachers who have been refused permission to leave Indonesia)?
Probably not – there are clearly forces at work who are trying to shut JIS down. The inability of the school to open in August because its teachers refused to return would probably be seen as a victory against the corrupt, arrogant, foreigners – and perhaps as a sign that the teachers are not returning because, maybe, they too have something to hide.
Loving the guys has nothing to do with my actions – I do not know either of the 2 accused, and do not particularly like the elementary principal who has also been accused (but not yet jailed).
My actions are based on an objective and rational examination of the evidence, coupled with an objective examination of research into corruption in Indonesia. You do not seem interested in examining any of these things.
I would encourage you to look at sites such as http://www.transparency.org/country#IDN. I would also encourage you to read my earlier post where I try to outline exactly what the 2 teachers have been alleged to have done.
I can not see how any rational person can look at these things and write what you do – the fact that you do not address the facts of the case at all does not help your arguments at all.
Thankfully, most people who are being made aware of this case DO look at the facts as we know them and react with logic and compassion. As such, the numbers of people signing the petition is rising into the thousands. Thank goodness that these people far outnumber those who simply want to use this as an opportunity for pedantry and conspiracy theories.
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Mae-
I am going to offer another example of how you, once again, have made very poor assumptions. You statement is that JIS is a “…school that did not bother to get a license for its kindergarten…” and that anyone in the right mind would not want work at such a fraudulent school.
Here are the facts:
1. Many years ago JIS was given a life license to operate by I believe President Suharto.
2. Many years later JIS was informed by the Ministry of Education (MOE) that it would need to follow new government licensing policies and obtain elementary and secondary school licensees. JIS complied and all was good.
3. About three years ago (maybe four) the MOE created a new early childhood division and international schools were told they needed new licenses for that now too. This is no big shocker as what government doesn’t create more and more red tape to generate revenue?
4. JIS asked to make application for the new early childhood license. The MOE said they had not yet worked out licensing procedures and to not worry about it. JIS continued to renew the elementary and secondary licenses.
5. Meanwhile, Indonesian national who want to send their kids to JIS need to get a letter of permission from the MOE. There are numerous permission letters written by the MOE granting Indonesian kids permission to enroll in kindergarten at JIS despite be “unlicensed.”
6. Repeat #4 and #5 for two more years. JIS is told the procedures were still being created and not to worry about it. The MOE even brings administrators from other schools to JIS kindergarten as a model of a great school. They still grant Indonesian kids permission to attend JIS kindergarten.
7. As the onslaught against JIS begins, it is brought to light that JIS has no license for its kindergarten. The media runs with it as the story becomes more and more sensational.
8. In the next few weeks it is discovered 111 international schools also do not have licenses for the kindergarten. That is correct: 111 schools have unlicensed kindergartens.
9. The woman who led the MOE’s Early Childhood division is removed from her job.
10. JIS kindergarten is still open.
Those are the facts, Mae. I will add this one opinion: ignorance isn’t a sin, but advertising it is. No matter… I will let people come to their own conclusions.
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I wanted to add some evidence to support my position. This is from the Jakarta Globe on April 22, 2014:
“Many schools lack licenses
Although JIS has been singled out, many schools in Indonesia operate without permits, according to experts.
“Many of them are [unlicensed], not only in kindergartens or primary schools,” Indonesian Corruption Watch public services advocate Febri Hendri said on Tuesday. “In some provinces, we can even find universities without operating licenses. Most of the cases are of institutions that only have licenses for some of their learning groups, like in JIS, where they do have a license for the primary through high schools, but not for the kindergarten.”
He said the government was to blame in large part for the widespread lack of licenses.
“The government, in this case The Ministry of Education, is actually responsible for this,” He said. “The Ministry is supposed to supervise the legal affairs of these institutions. They should’ve opened an information system that enables people to check schools’ statuses and licenses.
“The lack of licenses… will harm the students and their families. I recall one case in Riau where university students failed to graduate even though they had finished their education just because the university didn’t have an operating license from the ministry.”
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Thanks for providing some factual evidence. I do not know whether Mae and Frank are just stirring the pot, or whether they actually believe what they are saying – however, all we can do is keep sharing accounts of what has actually taken place. In that way, people of reason and compassion will no doubt give their support.
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If they are such a great school and so professional like they said, why didn’t they just make the license? And the right working visas for the teachers?
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Here is a link for a petition to help Neil and Ferdi in this tragic situation. Help us shine a bright light on this injustice and help us bring Neil and Ferdi home.
http://www.change.org/en-CA/petitions/indonesian-president-house-of-representatives-national-police-mofa-moec-free-neil-bantleman-and-ferdinant-tjiong-bebaskan-neil-bantleman-dan-ferdinant-tjiong
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Deeply appreciate and CONGRATULATE YOU, for stepping forward and expressing your sincere thoughts and feelings about Neil and Ferdi. Thank you for being real, authentic and speaking the truth.
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Perhaps many international educators are reputable but the longer I am on the international circuit, the more I see people with drinking and unusual and inappropriate affinities for children who seem to enter teaching and the international arena.
Many because of jail, prison and the inability to obtain jobs in their respective countries, hide out in the international arena.
In fact, I personally know of a teacher recruited to teach in Kazakhstan who was in prison and is a teacher there. This person should not be trusted around children and the jail term is on the Internet from a reputable and British newspaper source.
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Well said, and I congratulate you for your sincerity and “testicular fortitude” to pen the below highlighted word. I personally “have been there” and can vouch for your words. Recruiters do not have a vetting or background verification system to identify “bad apples.”
“Perhaps many international educators are reputable but the longer I am on the international circuit, the more I see people with drinking and unusual and inappropriate affinities for children who seem to enter teaching and the international arena.”
“Many because of jail, prison and the inability to obtain jobs in their respective countries, hide out in the international arena.”
In fact: I personally know of a teacher recruited to teach in Kazakhstan who was in prison and is a teacher there. This person should not be trusted around children and the jail term is on the Internet from a reputable and British newspaper source.”
This is definitely in part recruiters failure in that particularly single male teachers habitually “infiltrate the system” to get away from prosecuting or job losses. Male teachers are no different than young soldiers in overseas embassy security missions! Red blooded, young men, full of piss and vinegar, lonely, horny, and w/respect to the ladies, looking for a piece of ass!! The ladies are at an advantage!! Been there!! ISR does not have a vetting or background verification system to identify “bad apples.”
As a career US Army officer, spent several years in three continent, and never heard of any sexual oriented problems from male or female school teachers. Probably because prostitution is legalized and the male of the species could “vent” their needs with real women, and not take advantage of innocent children.
Females had an advantage since they were not chaser but chasses, correct me if wrong! Remember Paradise!! Eve had the testicular fortitude to eat the apple!
Returning to the issues at hand. Remember the words of The Shadow!!” Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? ”The Shadow DO!!”
Me thinks we are creating a self-inflicted vortex by assuming a diversity of antigovernment position that will adversely affect a positive outcome. Who stands to lose? The innocent good teachers.
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Have you taken the time to read about this case?
You do not seem bothered one bit that 2 men are sitting in an Indonesian prison WITHOUT even being charged.
You say: “Remember the words of The Shadow!!” Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? ”The Shadow DO!!”
Read the facts of this case. Watch the video where his wife speaks and shows the alleged crime scene.
Only a complete fool would believe the allegations against these teachers – the fact you end your extraordinary post with the line that we stand to lose “the innocent good teachers” shows incredible irony, given these 2 men are clearly innocent.
As you seem reluctant to read about this case, here is what is alleged to have happened.
1. Mother 1 reports in late March that child raped by cleaners in school toilet.
2. 2 cleaners arrested and confess.
3. Mother 1 says other cleaners involved. 4 more cleaners arrested. 1 commits suicide in jail. We are now at mid-April.
4. Mother 1 says other parents have told her their child was also raped. No charges/reports are made.
5. In late May, there are reports from the child protection agency that another parent (turns out to be a friend of mother 1) reports that her child was also raped. No police investigation at this stage.
6. On June 5 (day before school ends and 2 and a half months after reporting of 1st case), an email is sent by Mother 2 (I think) which shows images of the 2 teachers in question and says they raped their child on up to 20 occasions. If you search JIS Communications in Youtube, you can watch a presentation from one of their lawyers (on July 24) where you can read the mother’s email.
7. Police begin to investigate these allegations. The teachers (plus others) not allowed to leave Indonesia for summer vacation.
8. Police raid the school during the evening, searching office space. Teachers’ homes also raided. Mother 1 and her little boy accompany the police on the 1st raid and reconstruct the crime. (think that one through for a moment).
9. Teachers spend many hours being questioned by police.
10. Around July 14, the 2 teachers are raised to the status of suspects and are imprisoned. They can be held for up to 60 days without being charged.
Let me now try and outline the allegation that Fank seems to be giving credibility.
It is alleged that:
Neil B and Ferdi took the child to Neil’s office (and on other occasions to the space above the offices) and used ropes and drugs to control the child. They then sodomised the child. All this while, the elementary school principal (who has not yet been detained) filmed the incidents. So the same child that was raped by the cleaners was also raped by the teachers, AND, the rape was videoed by the principal of the school. It is alleged that another child was also raped in this way (child of Mother 2, a friend of the initial victim).
The parents allege this happened on multiple occasions during school hours. Mother 2 even specifies the times, as she was a ‘helicopter parent’ who was often on campus. She also alleges that rapes of her son occurred AFTER the reporting and publicity surrounding the 1st assault.
Now here are some problems with these allegations – aside from the somewhat ludicrous nature of the allegations themselves.
1. Neil’s office is glass-walled and is in the administration area of the elementary school. Now we are all teachers here, so we know how busy those spaces are – especially at the times the mother alleges the assaults took place. Not a place a crime of this nature could possibly occur.
2. The space above the office area where assaults also allegedly occurred is the faculty lounge area – so during the school day (and quite close to lunch hour) we have to believe that a child was drugged, sodomised by 2 teachers (while being filmed by the principal) in the faculty lounge area, located above the administration offices.
3. Despite being allegedly drugged and raped, the child showed no signs of distress over the course of the many days when the attacks apparently took place. The mother reported nothing. The teachers noticed nothing. According to Mother 2’s own statements, she was seeing her child within 1 hour of the alleged drugging and attacks – yet said nothing until June 5.
4. The child apparently described his attacker’s body – he made mention of a skeleton tattoo on the man’s chest. Neil B has no tattoo on his chest. Neither does Ferdi.
5. The mother claims that the office area was renovated and changed to glass AFTER the allegations surfaced. Nice try, but in reality, the renovations occurred during the 2013 summer vacation. Something that is easily provable.
Please read articles about the case that are appearing in the international media. Please look at the JIS Communications Youtube page and watch some of the videos posted there. I am sure that if you do so, then you would never write the sort of comment Fank put here.
Thanks.
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I probably should have mentioned that Mother 1 is suing the school for around $US125million – she has not issued lawsuits against the employer of the cleaners (the large multi-national called ISS). This may provide some explanation as to her motivation.
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Noted Cameron and I respect your opinion, nevertheless WE, the collectivity of commentator and opinion errs, with respect need to understand that opinions are like rectal orifices – everybody has one, and although most radicals may disagree, we are being swept in a vortex of diverse opinions BASED ON OUR USA FORM OF EXISTENCE – LAWS , RIGHTS, ETC, that do not exist nor apply in most thirds world countries. And the more “we” continue voicing remarks and “OPINION’S the original “problem” has ballooned out of proportion.
For the sake of argument, can you categorically vouch for the alleged perpetrators?? Can you or anyone else, swear in a Court of Law that the local police is corrupt? Do you have personal proof of the innocence of the alleged perpetrators?
There are five readily identified groups of players – a)- The fuckees, b) the alleged fuckers, c) The parental accuser, d) The investigative arm of the police, e) Host country public opinion, and f) External world wide naysayers.
As they say very wisely in Latin America, “a mayor bulla, mayor el mierdero.” Exponentially the bigger the complainants, the large the shit pot.” Believe me, all the brouhahas, will be more negative than beneficial for the alleged perps.
One final question for you Cameron: Can you swear on a Holy Bible the perps are not guilty!!!
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Yes, I can. All I can do is say what I believe based on the FACTS that are known about the case, and the FACTS that are known about corruption within the police and bureaucracy of Indonesia. You do not want to address the facts at all. You do not put people in prison unless the FACTS of the case point conclusively to them being guilty of the charges. Well, not if you want to be considered a civilised society that values human rights. The FACTS of this case, conversely, suggest pretty clearly that the accused could not possibly be guilty of these charges. Again, re-read the allegations that I outlined in the earlier post.
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Thank you yes you are so right. Why would a respectable Canadian teacher go international. And you hit the nail on the nose, exactly to obtain disgusting behaviors with children without being caught in there own countries. Do you know how many child sex slaves there are in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand? Those country’s are the hub of it and the number one customer is these international workers from u.s Canada britian…allll over and they take advantage of the fact that they think they can’t be caught that there’s “special treatment” the FBI has been in search for this pedophile now for a while and in my opinion they found him. Neil is in fact guilty. So what the testimonies are different there kids they don’t remember sometimes and probably shoved that haunting memory deep in there heart to forget and you expect an exact testimony from them? I’m tired of people giving potty for such a man where is the potty for the real innocent ones, the kids who were violated, the little bodies who were violated and confused as to what was happening and now probably are left feeling ashamed when they shouldn’t where’s the voice for them?
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nat,
I’m glad you know so much about the poor kids who were violated. Did you know… that 10 minutes after one of the purported rapes, the poor little kid was seen on cctv sliding on a slide???? No?? I’m not sure about you, Nat… but I don’t think I’d be sliding on anything if someone did that to me, let alone a 5 year old kid.
Did you know, Nat, that the kid identified Neil as being brown haired and blue eyes (maybe I’ve the wrong colour here) but Neil in fact has NO hair and brown eyes (either way, it was opposite coloured eyes)… Did you know, Nat, that doctors could find know evidence of damage to the anus, seriously??????
So nat, you’ve no idea what you’re talking about.
This is yet another example of Indonesia’s legal system being corrupted.
So, Nat… I also feel for these kids, they’re victims of their greedy parents and now, victims of state judiciary incompetence. One day, these poor kids are going to speak up… and tell the truth. What will you say then?
You should be ashamed of yourself…. read the facts.
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This is something that can happen to anyone of us working overseas (note that the alleged videographer – the principal is a woman)…. the astonishing lack of evidence (as reported in several papers) the lack of explanation to Tracy Bantleman or Ferdi’s wife as to why they are being held makes this look even worse.
Please, Frank Rivera, I think all of us know to be careful. I know Neil, not well… but well enough as a former colleague, to know that he is careful. Neil would never harm a child he is one of the most competent, diligent and intelligent educators you could ever hope to meet.
But, you do make one point that is worthy… the reaction to the obvious stitch up could spark the police to ‘find’ even more evidence (ie to fabricate) in order to get a conviction.
My heart goes out to the families of these guys…
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I encourage anyone who wants to comment on this to become familiar with the case first. Mae, the “school” did not deport a “bunch of teachers” as you assert. In the ensuing hysterics and media frenzy 22 teachers were deported by immigration due to minor issues with their work permits. ALL the deported teachers are returning to JIS teach this year. Please read this article from the Sydney Morning Herald to get a better grip on what is happening in Jakarta.
http://www.smh.com.au/world/staff-at-prestigious-jakarta-school-shocked-by-allegations-of-paedophilia-made-by-parents-20140722-3cdfm.html
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This whole case is built on a farrago of lies – created by parents who see a way to get rich quick by suing the school (one lawsuit alone is for damages of $125M) and by local politicians and government officials who want to take a cheap shot against the bules (white foreigners).
Meanwhile, why is that ISS – the company that provided the contracted employees and is legally responsible for their selection, supervision, training and overall conduct -has avoided all consequences? It couldn’t be anything to do with the fact that this gigantic international group has as its main shareholder Goldman Sachs? No that’s impossible!)
And how many people believe the story that the one cleaner who refused to plead guilty was allowed, after eight hours of police “interrogation”, to go to the restroom in the police station alone and there find a bottle of bleach to drink and thus kill himself?
I’m glad that the “Law always prevails”…
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“This whole case is built on a farrago of lies – created by parents who see a way to get rich quick by suing the school (one lawsuit alone is for damages of $125M) and by local politicians and government officials who want to take a cheap shot against the bules (white foreigners).”
Great word- FARRAGO. Although a career soldier I “are” a university graduate, with a MAE in the Education discipline and also a graduate of the US Army Command and General Staff College and a National Security Manager from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.
“Farrago” – a confused mixture or “a mishmash of outmoded ideas”
synonyms: jumble, confusion, ragbag, patchwork, farrago, assortment, medley, miscellany, mixture, mélange, blend, mix, potpourri, conglomeration, bricolage, gallimaufry, salmagundi, hodgepodge, hash also “a mishmash of colors and patterns.”
I don’t think the Jakarta police and higher government officials will agree they are not committing farrago!!.I will bet they think, or may even have (heaven forbid) factual evidence that will stand in court. I will concede that “forces outside the jurisdiction of the police investigation may be frarragoting!
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The police claim to have 4 pieces of evidence (much reduced from the 18 after a midnight raid on the school with the child and his mother present). Although when asked to reveal what it is they refuse. In a recent polygraph test the police have recently stated that if the results support their case then they’ll use it, if it does not then they’ll rely on the other 4 pieces of evidence. But they won’t say what they are. There is no evidence. They can’t reveal anything because there isn’t anything.
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At least they did not try to falsify the lie detector test and say that the teacher failed it. However, the fact that the police are cherry picking evidence and ignoring anything that may exonerate the teachers is evidence of the corruption and incompetence that underlies this case. Further proof of this is the fact that the workers who worked around Bantleman’s glass walled office have NOT yet been interviewed by the police – any competent and honest police who has been told by a parent that their child was raped in a space would talk to every person who was near that space when the event allegedly took place. Sadly, the police in this case are neither competent nor honest.
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Your sick “there’s no evidence” they can’t reveal evidence due to the protection of these kids. Don’t you think if your child was violated at a school wouldn’t you be so outraged you would want to sue them for everything they have? You trusted this school to have safe and reliable staff but they failed you now your child is left feeling ashamed of something he shouldn’t the innocence is in the little ones hearts that has partially been stolen away. These men do not deserve an appeal they deserve it you are all speaking for this guy you don’t even know what if he is guilty and he is free? Does it take another crime maybe a local one to really see that oh yes he is indeed guilty then what? Another child has been violated and left with a haunting sorrow, a lack of trust in adults, a child feeling alone in all of this. These kids need protection and since your not I’m glad the Indonesians did since I believe the Canadian h
Justice system fails kids and there justice usually the sentence here if caught is three years! What is that? Where’s the justice? Keep them Indonesia this sick man needs to stay away from our country!
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Frank Rivera, Col US Army, Ret.7;45PM, 7/24/2014.
Agree w/”Mae” above,
Nature of the beast any where we go as International Teachers and it behooves, particularly the male variant to be EXTREMELY CARFUL.
W/respect to our colleague OZAR RAZO, disagree, unless he has a divine crystal ball that can exonerate the “accused.” Law always prevails! Let’s not make asses of ourselves in indignant stances that can BE NEGATIVE, such as “police in this case are utterly incompetent” by pissing off the powers to be in detriment of the alleged perpetrators.
“Donde hay humo, hay candela.” Where there is smoke, there is fire.
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Please read my reply to Mae. Look at the article and the video. JIS has spent the last 3 months trying NOT to piss off the powers that be. And sadly it has not worked. Hopefully, international pressure will see justice prevail.
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Unfortunate that police in Indonesia can put one in jail for 20 days plus another 20 after that without cause. No one here is innocent as in this nightmare all are guilty for 40 days. Many media have reported the incompetence of the police. Not my quote. Sometimes where there is smoke there is only a cigar. And even if it means nothing outside the USA we ought to remember that one is presumed innocent until PROVEN guilty.
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These wealthy and powerful locals without an ounce of common sense or education to their name are a danger and threat to all of us who go over seas to teach. In a world of laws they would be just another face in the crowd (Okay – a dumb face) but in their own country money makes right and they call the shots. We need to stand up as a group and call BS on this situation in Jakarta. Next thing you know the mother will claim SHE was raped by a teacher.
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Isn’t this the school that pedophile William Vahey worked at? And the same school that deported a bunch of teachers? This school has major problems and they have to be very careful. I am sure there are many victims that wished someone would have stopped Vahey. Let the local Jakarta police sort out the case. Nobody knows what happened because the evidence has not been released. This could be a situation like the McMartin case in California many years ago…mass hysteria involving little kids. Or maybe there is something to the allegations. After Vahey, they have to be very careful. At least Neil has a clean cell and food. Hopefully, his colleagues are visiting him.
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Although he was certainly a heinous pedophile there is no evidence that Vahey ever tampered with any students at Jakarta International School (JIS), so let’s get that disquieting allusion out of the way and stick to the available facts. The JIS case was sparked by the shocking revelations that contracted cleaning staff had conspired to abuse at least one six year old kindergarten student. This kid was definitely sexually abused by someone as he was found, by his mother initially and later confirmed by medical practitioners, to have a sexually transmissible disease. The child then told his parent and the consulting doctor about being abused by cleaning staff at the school. This was reported to police, who then addressed the issue to the school. Initially, no direct action was taken.
Subsequent to the revelation of these accusations in a press conference held by the child’s mother in order to pressure official police action, the police detained a number of the cleaning contractors, one of whom allegedly committed suicide in police custody. The almost natural hysteria raised in parents of children at the school then sparked a witch hunt to find any further possible victims and/or perpetrators. Other accusations of child sexual abuse have indeed since been raised by parents of students at JIS.
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/jakarta/second-victim-comes-forward-jis-sex-abuse-scandal/
The JIS revelations did uncover, however, were other hidden and unrelated cases of child sexual abuse in other places within Indonesia. Children by the dozen were abused by an apparently unashamed pedophile in Sukabumi in West Java. This focus of domestic perpetrators of pedophile activity caused an irate furore throughout the country. Scapegoats, particularly those of the non-native variety, need be sought in order to deflect from the unendurable disgust and national self-loathing which was generated by these crimes committed by Indonesians.
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/05/08/nearly-100-child-sexual-abuse-cases-year.html
These scapegoats, in the shape of international educators at JIS, have been demonised by the Indonesian press. The Indonesian immigration department conveniently discovered visa irregularities and threatened to deport some twenty JIS teachers. The police then objected to this as two of the people named as being about to be deported were to be deained to face allegations of abuse. These are the people at the centre of this case.
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/06/07/third-victim-accuses-jis-teacher-abuse.html
More interesting accounts can be found in the links below…
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/opinion/sexual-abuse-tragedy-international-school-exposes-ignorance/
http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2014/05/24/indonesia-confronts-child-sexual-abuse
http://online.wsj.com/articles/jakarta-international-school-sexual-abuse-investigation-widens-1405145862
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Read this article Mae. Watch the video. I am sure if you do, you will realise that letting “the local Jakarta police sort out the case” is a very bad idea. Yes, Vahey worked at the school – over a decade ago. He also worked at a number of other schools. The school did not deport the teachers – read the article and get access to the facts: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/world/staff-at-prestigious-jakarta-school-shocked-by-allegations-of-paedophilia-made-by-parents-20140722-3cdfm.html
As the teacher’s wife says, just look at the facts and show some compassion.
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Watch the video that shows where the alleged rapes apparently took place. Read the article. These teachers need more than visits and a clean cell – they need, and deserve, to be released and exonerated.
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A nightmare to say the least. Media reports that the police in this case are utterly incompetent. They have provided absolutely no proof regarding Neil or Ferdinant’s guilt.
As an international teacher who works in Jakarta at a school other than Neil’s, I can share that we are all frightened about what this may mean. I have never met Neil no anyone at the school but live in the same community. If this can happen to Neil, it can happen to us all.
If first Neil, then perhaps me (or you) next. Do all that you can to support Neil against a trumped up, false detainment.
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