Bakin under fire over statement on rapes

JAKARTA (JP): Scholars and observers strongly criticized the head of the State Intelligence Coordinating Board (Bakin) Lt. Gen. (ret) Moetojib yesterday for his remark that reports of gang rapes during the May riots had been exaggerated to undermine the government.

They said Moetojib had been "careless" in his statement and had apparently failed to learn from a similar blunder committed last week by his colleague, National Police chief Lt. Gen. Roesmanhadi.

They said separately yesterday that Moetojib should have exercised self-restraint and not made the comments, at least until the government-sponsored joint fact-finding team had completed its investigation into the violence.

The fact-finding team is led by Marzuki Darusman, deputy chairman of the highly respected National Commission on Human Rights.

Reacting to Moetojib's statement, Melly G. Tan from the Atma Jaya University sociology research center said: "I was appalled ... he should not have said such things. I strongly object to that."

"It's against all rules and ethics (for him to say that) since the fact-finding team is still investigating the matter," she said.

"Didn't Moetojib know the investigation team was set up by the government?" Melly said.

Melly added that Moetojib's statement could discourage those victims and witnesses who are almost ready to testify from going before a court.

Theologist Marianne Kattoppo, interviewed on the sidelines of a political discussion held by the Center for Strategic and International Studies here yesterday, was brief with her comment: "He should be ashamed."

Political scientist Smita Notosusanto from University of Indonesia said: "Pak Moetojib was not being realistic. He said the Armed Forces (ABRI) has yet to receive reports (from victims and witnesses) ... but who trusts the military these days?"

"It's possible the statement indicates the start of an attempt to prevent an investigation of the military's alleged role in the violence," she added.

On Monday Moetojib said the state intelligence board has yet to find any evidence that the rapes actually took place.

He also claimed that neither the joint fact-finding team, the police or the Armed Forces (ABRI) had found any substantial evidence to support claims that at least 168 women of Chinese descent were systematically raped during the unrest.

"Why hasn't a single one of the rape victims come forward to file a report?" he remarked.

Although the government has officially condemned the rapes, Moetojib joined the ranks of officials who have questioned and even lashed out at those who have continued efforts to uncover the truth.

Last week, National Police chief Lt. Gen. Roesmanhadi threatened to prosecute activists if they continued to press their claims without providing supporting evidence.

Yesterday, businessman Sofjan Wanandi said: "(Moetojib) should have urged the fact-finding team to complete its investigation more swiftly rather than come out with a statement of this nature.

"After the police chief, now it's the intelligence chief who had been too hasty to comment on the matter. If it is later discovered that the rapes did indeed take place they will look very stupid," said Sofjan, who is of Chinese descent.

Despite recent claims to the contrary, the National Commission on Human Rights has confirmed that many Chinese-Indonesian women were gang-raped during the riots of May 13 and 14 in Jakarta.

The Volunteers for Humanity led by Catholic Priest Ign. Sandyawan Sumardi was the first non-governmental organization to raise the alarm about what it alleged was the systematic rape of women of Chinese descent. (aan)