'No officials apologized for riots'<\/p>\n
The May 1998 riots that led to the downfall of president Soeharto
\nhave never been fully investigated, despite reports that
\nthousands of people were killed and dozens of women, mostly
\nChinese-Indonesians, raped. The Jakarta Post spoke with several
\nresidents about the issue.<\/p>\n
Dorothy Sinambela, 32, is a mother of two and a member of a
\nnon-governmental organization working for social development. She
\nlives in East Jakarta:<\/p>\n
The leaders of this nation should clarify what happened during
\nthe May 1998 tragedy, because it is maybe the bleakest period in
\nthis nation's history. Everyone watched as thousands of people
\nwere killed and harassed, but no one took responsibility.<\/p>\n
There should be a place or a forum that can serve as a
\ncatharsis for everyone who has repressed their anger and pain for
\nthe last six years. After all, the tragedy was a collective
\nexperience for the nation, not just the victims.<\/p>\n
Najya, 27, is a graduate student at a private university in
\nWest Jakarta. She lives in Kebayoran Lama, South Jakarta:<\/p>\n
I urge the government to take legal action against those who
\nwere responsible for security (during the riots).<\/p>\n
I have never heard any of those high-ranking officials or
\nofficers who were supposed to protect the people apologize for
\ntheir failure to prevent the rioting, arson and killing of
\npeople.<\/p>\n
No one can deny that those days of violence will remain in
\npeople's minds no matter how hard we try to forget them,
\nespecially because the tragedy, ironically, brought us to the era
\nof reform.<\/p>\n
If the presidential candidates are smart enough to see what is
\ngoing on in the nation, they can win by campaigning for an
\ninvestigation into the bloody tragedy, which would be followed by
\na reconciliation among the people.<\/p>\n
--The Jakarta Post<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/no-officials-apologized-for-riots-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }