Fist lady gives award to mother of missing activist

JAKARTA (JP): First Lady Sinta Nuriyah Abdurrahman Wahid honored the courage and sacrifice of women victims of political intrigue on Friday as she presented an award to Toeti Koto, the mother of missing Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI- Perjuangan) activist Yani Afri.

"The award is also for Indonesian women who are playing an important role during the current economic crisis, helping to provide clothes, food and home for their families," Sinta said in a ceremony at Grand Hyatt Hotel here.

She hopes the award is also a recognition for women who actively campaign against violence, while men selfishly fight each other in the name of pride and religion.

She cited women in Ambon, Maluku working together without discrimination to help victims of the violence there.

"I hope many more women get awards for their struggles," Sinta said, praising the award organized by Jurnal Perempuan Foundation (YJP).

According to the foundation, Yani Afri went missing after a bloody attack on the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) headquarters on Jl. Diponegoro, Central Jakarta on July 27, 1996.

Yani, better known as Rian, worked as a public transportation driver and was 27 when he disappeared.

Since then, Toeti, 50, has been working with the Commission for Missing persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) to discover the fate of her youngest son.

Toeti, who earns a living from a small stall at her home in Cilincing, North Jakarta, along with other parents of missing persons have set up the Parents of Missing Person Union (IKOHI).

"I'm not sure if my son will return. But I'm struggling for justice so other people will not suffer like me," she said.

The government announced after the attack, that only five people died during the takeover of the headquarters, however, many believe that more were killed.

The bloody take over, which occurred after a government backed congress replaced Megawati Soekarnoputri with Surjadi, sparked mass riots in the Central Jakarta area.

Surjadi and other PDI activists are now being detained by the National Police for their alleged involvement in the bloody attack.

But the Foundation's claim that Yani disappeared due to the raid at the PDI headquarters contradicts previous reports which said that Yani and his friend Sonny disappeared after being released by the North Jakarta Military District.

They were allegedly interrogated about suspicions of involvement in a bomb plot targeting the Kelapa Gading Mall in North Jakarta during the election campaign period in 1997.

After being detained for one night at the military compound, the two were reportedly picked up by four unknown men outside the military facility. They have not been seen since.

According to Kontras at least 13 families still do not know the fate of their missing sons, daughters, husbands, brothers, sisters or fathers.

All the disappearances are suspected to be politically connected.

In addition to the award, the Foundation also launched during Friday's ceremony a book entitled State and Violence Against Women which was completed in cooperation with the Asia Foundation. The book features several female writers scripting the fate of women across the country. (jun)