The May Riots in Indonesia

[CHUNG Yoon-Ngan <chungyn@mozart.collective.com.au>]

RIOTS RAPES LED TO DEATHS,
SAYS HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP

A Prominent Indonesian human rights organisation claimed yesterday 
(14/7/1998) that 20 women and children had died after being raped 
during the May riots in the capital, Jakarta, and other cities.
 
Volunteers of Humanity secretary Sandyawan Sumardi, a Roman Catholic 
priest, said he had spoken to 12 rape victims and dozens of witnesses.

"Our organisation has received 162 reports of rape," he said.

Nine of the victims were left in burning buildings after being raped. 
Some committed suicide and orthers died in hospital.

Volunteers of Humanity spokeman Anton Prajasto said evidence showed 
that the rapes followed a pattern, suggesting they were organised and 
premeditated. Most victims were ethnic Chinese.

One student said she was abducted at a bus stop and raped by four men. 
She saw a green uniform and asked her abductors if they were officers. 
One said they had to teach her a lesson because she was Chinese.

Another young woman had a lucky escape after her taxi was stopped by a
mob. She was dragged from the cab and stripped. She was saved by a 
man who pushed through the crowd and gave her Muslim clothes to wear.

In the midst of a riot, a group of men stopped a city bus and forced 
out all the non-Chinese women. They chose the beautiful women among 
the Chinese and raped them inside the bus.

A 10-year-old girl returned from school to find her family's shop and 
home had been burnt. As she searched for her parents, she was seized 
by two men and raped in front of her neighbours.

A man told the Indonesian Human Rights Commission how his wife's 
attackers had mutilated her genitals with a razor blade after raping 
her. She killed herself by drinking pesticide a few days later.

According to victims and witnesses, the physical traits of the assaitants 
resembled those of security forces.  
 
Volunteers of Humanity is made up of prominent people from non-government 
organisations and religious groups, including Abdurrahman Wahid, leader 
of Indonesia's biggest Muslim group.

About 1200 people died during the riots in Jakarta and other cities, 
which mainly targeted ethnic Chinese who often are resented for their 
perceived wealth.

Reported by an Australian Newspaper on 15th July 1998.