Saturday, 4 July 1998

Depok, Kompas Online
State Minister of Women's Affairs Hj Tutty Alawiyah, affirmed that rapes had occurred during the 13-14 May riots. As an individual and representative of the government, she condemned these incidents of rape. She also said that the efforts to give a feeling of security to the victims are far more important than making an issue of proof.

State Minister for Women's Affairs gave this affirmation during a discussion with psychologists of the University of Indonesia who are working in a Crisis Center, and other representatives of the community, among them people of Chinese descent of the Indonesian New Brethren Association (Persabi) on Friday (3/7) on the UI Depok campus.

Questioned by the press after the meeting, the minister added that reports from volunteer teams and institutes such as the UI psychology faculty who had given counseling and aid to the victims, were sufficient proof. She had also taken up contact with other NGOs such as Kalyanamitra and Women's Solidarity to obtain input.

Suddenly

When again asked to explain her previous statement about needing proof there had been victims, the Minister said that the question came suddenly, while her side had not yet gathered information. She is very much aware that rape represents an extremely sensitive issue.

The minister said that she too felt that pain. She stressed that as an individual and minister she condemned the rape of women which occurred simultaneously with the riots of mid May in Jakarta and environs. She requested that the perpetrators be sought and punished as heavily as possible.

Asked why the government through the president had not immediately expressed condemnation of the riots, arson and rapes of 13-14 May, and apologized as wished for by many circles, Tutty replied that on grounds of humanenness the president also condemned those occurrences. But she explained that she was the first to do so as government representative in the field of women's affairs.

She asked the public to appreciate the efforts of the government. She expressed uncertainty as to whom the apologies should be addressed. She thought the condemnation was adequate, and asked those who had gone to Hongkong, Perth or Singapore to return to Indonesia, their homeland.

Gap

Tutty admitted to a gap between the society and the government which had not been amenable to bridging currently, namely lack of confidence in the government. This has resulted in the government still not having found evidence about the rapes.

Nevertheless, the mnister said, she would not desist because of that gap. She continues to have meetings with psychologists and community groups, to gather as much information as possible.

Asked about further efforts, Tutty said she had established cooperation with volunteer psychologists, religious persons and legal experts, to aid the rape victims. She will also visit the victims without publicity.

In Singapore

In a meeting in public, the Minister of Women's Role personally heard the statement of Mrs Maemunah, who, crying quietly, told of meeting terrified people who did not dare return to Indonesia, when she was in the Singapore Airport.

Maemunah said that she did not easily accept rumors, but that the rapes really did happen. She said she felt to be of Chinese descent only after the May incidents. She became even more sleepless when the people she had met, later send her photographs through e-mail.

UI psychologist and concurrently assistant dean I of the psychology faculty, Yati Utoyo Lubis, reminded that the post traumatic stress disorder is experienced not only by the victims of rape, but also by those close to them, who witnessed, and are related to the victims, and will suffer the condition for years to come.

She said among other things that research indicates that not more than 20 percent of the victims are willing to report.

Crisis Center coordinator Kristi Poerwandari who has met two rape victims, said that a long time is needed before the victims will be able to talk with people they do not know.

UI psychology faculty dean Prof Dr Sarlito Wirawan said that the apologies by the government, urged by many sides, are not that important as that was a political matter.

In its statement of 1 July signed by the general chairperson and secretary general, the Indonesian Women's Congress (Kowani) demands that the government find the perpetrators and the masterminds behind the riots and take them to court, and guarantee that every Indonesian citizen should feel safe in the homeland.(*)