Parents stand tall in fight for justice for Black Friday victims<\/p>\n
Though the anguish remains, the parents of slain Atma Jaya
\nUniversity student Bernardinus Realino Norma Irawan are standing
\nup and fighting for justice. Though that wasn't always the case.<\/p>\n
Sumarsih and Arief Priyadi still bare the scars of losing
\ntheir beloved son, then 20, when he joined a rally at his campus
\nin Central Jakarta on Nov. 13, 1998.<\/p>\n
The violent rally and the killing of 12 students from a number
\nof universities in Jakarta at the hands of the Indonesian
\nMilitary (TNI) is now known as Black Friday.<\/p>\n
Many people only recall the killings of four Trisakti
\nUniversity students in May 1998, which led to increased protests
\nand violence throughout Indonesia. Few remember the killings at
\nAtma Jaya University.<\/p>\n
Nobody has been charged in relation to the barbaric shootings.<\/p>\n
For years, Sumarsih, 51, avoided newspapers and television to
\nshelter herself from developments in the killings or the reform
\nmovement.<\/p>\n
Most of her spare time now is divided between church and
\nactivities for an association vigorously campaigning to bring the
\nperpetrators of all violence in 1998 to trial.<\/p>\n
\"We're consistent with our demands, bring the perpetrators of
\nthe state violence to court,\" she said.<\/p>\n
\"Bringing them to trial will not bring my son back but it
\nwill, at least, prevent the violence from repeating itself.\"<\/p>\n
The couple and daughter Irna never thought Wawan, as he was
\naffectionately known, would die in such a callous way at the
\nhands of unknown people.<\/p>\n
\"He was shot as he attempted to save his friend who had been
\nbeaten by military personnel,\" Sumarsih said.<\/p>\n
The family rejected token monetary support from the Ministry
\nof Social Affairs, asking it be donated to soldiers at Jakarta
\nMilitary Command.<\/p>\n
Sumarsih, who works at the office of the Golkar faction at the
\nHouse of Representatives, said her strength to stand up returned
\nafter a meeting between relatives of the Black Friday victims and
\nHouse members on July 9.<\/p>\n
She lost her temper and threw a rotten egg at one of the
\nlegislators.<\/p>\n
\"We met the legislators after a demonstration at the House.
\nThe legislator, I don't remember who he was, belittled the
\nincident, saying the shooting was just a minor crime,\" she
\nrecalled.<\/p>\n
It seems to be a weary and long road for both Sumarsih and
\nArief, an employee with the Center for Strategic and
\nInternational Studies (CSIS), in their fight for justice but they
\naware of the challenges.<\/p>\n
\"We're taking the risks, our time and energy for this
\nstruggle. We know that it's not easy,\" she said.<\/p>\n
--Emmy Fitri<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/parents-stand-tall-in-fight-for-justice-for-black-friday-victims-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }