Politician demands evidence of gang rapes during riots<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A senior politician from the ruling Golkar
\npolitical group has demanded activists who made allegations of
\ngang rapes during the May riots present evidence to the
\nauthorities to prove their case.<\/p>\n
"So far, we've only heard demands for the government to
\ninvestigate, but where is the proof? It appears that this case
\nhas been politicized by certain parties," Lukman Harun told
\nAntara.<\/p>\n
The persistent reports about gang rapes in the local and
\ninternational media have discredited the good name of the
\ngovernment, he said.<\/p>\n
"If they (the rapes) really happened, and the activists have
\nthe evidence, then they should come forward, so that the
\nperpetrators can be prosecuted. We need the evidence," he said.<\/p>\n
Police say they have drawn a blank in their attempt to
\ninvestigate claims of gang rapes during and after the mid-May
\nriots in Jakarta and elsewhere in Indonesia. They said not a
\nsingle victim had come forward to lodge a complaint.<\/p>\n
But a voluntary group helping the rape victims said it had
\nevidence that as many as 168 women, including young girls, were
\ngang-raped. Twenty of the victims have died, either murdered by
\ntheir assailants, or of their injuries.<\/p>\n
The National Commission on Human Rights has also endorsed the
\ngroup's claim, and blamed the government's lax security for
\nallowing these rapes to become so widespread.<\/p>\n
The government of President B.J. Habibie, under strong public
\npressure, admitted this month that the rapes took place and
\ncondemned them and other acts of sexual violence. Habibie has
\nsince established a committee to look into the rape claims.<\/p>\n
"I find it hard to accept the claims. How could they happen
\nright in the middle of a riot?" Lukman asked.<\/p>\n
He said psychologically it was hard for any person to muster a
\nsexual desire in the middle of a noisy crowd of people attacking
\nand looting shops.<\/p>\n
"We have to question those claims, particularly in the absence
\nof any proof," he said.<\/p>\n
The government should not simply accept the report. "The
\ngovernment should insist on evidence," he said. (emb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/politician-demands-evidence-of-gang-rapes-during-riots-1447893297",
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