The May riots: Remembering the terror<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro and Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A group of human rights activists and victims have published a
\nbook aimed at remembering the victims and recalling the terror
\nthat stalked Jakarta during the 1998 May riots, one of the most
\ntraumatic of the long list of events that have colored
\nIndonesia's history since independence.<\/p>\n
The group hopes that the book will rekindle the interest of
\nthe country's law enforcement agencies in the events given that
\nso little headway has been made in investigating what happened,
\neven after almost seven years.<\/p>\n
\"In the past four months, we have met with hundreds of
\nwitnesses, who described the real situation on the ground during
\nthe three days of unprecedented riots in the greater Jakarta area
\nin May 1998.<\/p>\n
\"Based on their testimony, we have come to the conclusion that
\nthe riots were well-organized,\" said an activist from the
\nIndonesian Association for the Advocacy and Defense of Human
\nRights (APHI), Raymond Simanjorang.<\/p>\n
The May riots, which led to the fall of former authoritarian
\npresident Soeharto, resulted in the deaths of more than 1,000 people
\nand some 60 women, mostly ethnic Chinese, were gang raped or
\nsubjected to other forms of sexual violence, according to a
\nreport from the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM).
\nMany buildings in various commercial centers in the capital and
\nsurrounding areas were set on fire and looted.<\/p>\n
But no one has been brought to book so far in connection with
\nthe pogrom.<\/p>\n
In the book, titled Reka Ulang Kerusuhan Mei 1998 (A
\nReconstruction of the 1998 May Riots), the group identifies the
\nvarious places that were targeted by mobs during the
\ndisturbances in Central, South, West, East and North Jakarta, and
\nsome parts of Tangerang, Bekasi and Depok.<\/p>\n
The book, which was launched in conjunction with the
\nanniversary of the riots, also describes how the mob violence
\n\"was instigated by groups of unidentified men.\"<\/p>\n
Hundreds of witnesses also testified that \"the groups of
\nunidentified men were transported in trucks. They carried
\njerricans filled with gasoline and instigated the mobs to loot
\nstores, locking in the owners and burning them alive.\"<\/p>\n
The book also highlights the almost total absence of the
\nsecurity forces on the ground when the disturbances were taking
\nplace.<\/p>\n
Documenting what happened during the riots and putting it down
\non paper proved to be difficult, said Raymond, who explained that
\nmany victims, especially those of ethnic Chinese descent, were
\nreluctant to talk about what had happened to them.<\/p>\n
Raymond said that one chapter in the book was dedicated to the
\nterror experienced by the ethnic Chinese residents of the Mitra
\nBahari apartments in Pluit, North Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"Why can this country not find one single person who can be
\nheld to account for the violence?,\" Raymond asked.<\/p>\n
The book is the second of a planned trilogy. The first book,
\ntitled Sebuah dokumentasi sejarah: menatap wajah korban
\n(Historical Documentation: Seeing the Victims' Faces) was
\nlaunched earlier last month.<\/p>\n
The group is now in the process of finalizing the third book,
\ntitled Kerusuhan May 1998: Kejahatan terhadap kemanusiaan (The
\nMay 1998 Riots: A Crime against Humanity).<\/p>\n
Lawyer and rights activist Albert Hasibuan urged the
\ngovernment to fully investigate the riots to prevent any
\nrepetition in the future.<\/p>\n
\"We must ascertain who was responsible for the anarchy. No
\nmatter what verdict the ad hoc tribunal may hand down, someone
\nmust be tried for these crimes,\" stressed Albert, a former member
\nof Komnas HAM who was involved in preparing an earlier report for
\nthen president B.J. Habibie.<\/p>\n
\"The May riots resulted in massive destruction. They caused
\nmaterial damage, physical damage and also moral damage. Dozens of
\npeople of ethnic Chinese descent were forced to flee the country
\nfollowing the anarchy,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Albert added that vested political interests were the biggest
\nchallenge facing a civilian administration in attempting to
\nuncover the truth behind the riots.<\/p>",
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