Conflicting statements<\/p>\n
It is still fresh in the mind of all when President Habibie in
\nhis state address on Aug. 17 said in front of a plenary session
\nat the House of Representatives, attended also by foreign
\nrepresentatives and journalists, that "... the May riots were
\naggravated by sexual harassment against women of mostly ethnic
\nChinese descent ... all these irresponsible acts have streaked
\nthe face of our nation renowned for its high morals ... we curse
\nthese barbaric acts." (The Jakarta Post, Aug. 16, 1998).<\/p>\n
The President could not have relied on imaginary proof in
\nadmitting and condemning the rapes with the world as his
\naudience. What he has acknowledged should not be questioned, let
\nalone denied by officials from the government's lower echelons.<\/p>\n
The fact-finding team established later should not be charged
\nwith finding proof that the rapes took place, but should look for
\nthe perpetrators. That is why the team consists of the Police,
\nthe Armed Forces and the Attorney General's Office. The team had
\nhardly begun its task when our generals at the State Intelligence
\nCoordinating Body (BAKIN) and the Armed Forces Intelligence
\nAgency (BIA) publicly stated that there was no proof of rapes
\ntaking place during the May riots. The chief of police even
\nthreatened to take steps against activists whom he said had
\nspread false reports on the rapes. All this seemed to be directed
\nto bringing the fact-finding team toward a final "agreeable"
\nconclusion (a game in the New Order style). On Sept. 23, the
\ncountry's entire media reported that "Minister of Defense and
\nSecurity General Wiranto denies that the government has admitted
\nany rapes (took place during the May riots)".<\/p>\n
Apart from the rapes, such a statement from the Armed Forces
\nCommander, which comes in direct contradiction to the statement
\nby the President, has led people here and abroad to wonder who is
\nin fact the leader of the government in this country, the
\nPresident or the Minister of Defense and Security\/Commander of
\nthe Armed Forces? Are the mutual denials in the highest
\ngovernment circles one of the main reasons for the low confidence
\npeople here and abroad, especially would-be foreign investors,
\nhave in the government and the Armed Forces? They are certainly
\nwell informed through elements of our media such as The Jakarta
\nPost and TV broadcasts via satellite.<\/p>\n
THOMAS P. TANDANG<\/p>\n
Bogor, West Java<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/conflicting-statements-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }