Fixing misperceptions about the mass rapes

By Saparinah Sadli

JAKARTA (JP): Reactions in the mass media casting doubt on the truth of mass rapes during the May riots have taken the discussion to a level that is bound to have a negative social impact. The opinions suggest a systematic effort and vested political interest behind the widespread media coverage of the rapes, targeted at tarnishing the image of Indonesia abroad. Comments of this kind are dangerous as they tend to shy away from the horrifying reality of rape itself.

Countering them requires our joint efforts to heal the wounds hurting a nation that has otherwise highly respected the principle of social justice. Given the grave implications this could have on our already vulnerable society, immediate action by the government is a must.

Social observer Eddy Noor -- quoted in Antara news agency reporter Sri Muryono's article Did the Mass Rapes Really Happen in Republika daily on Aug. 2 -- said he found the mass rape reports hard to believe because they were illogical. He suggested the stories could be slanted accounts spread by activists of non- governmental organizations, who were not brave enough to produce victims or report to the police.

His skepticism is founded on two prevailing stereotypes, namely the supposed impossibility of men to achieve erection and have sexual intercourse in front of others, and that rape is induced by sexual drives. It seems Noor is neither a student of history nor of relevant theory on human behavior.

His views, which are unfortunately shared by others, reflect a conventional way of thinking in terms of stereotypes. These do not represent the latest developments in understanding just what creates hatred and how people can be motivated to act in an otherwise seemingly irrational manner.

There are numerous examples of mass rape, such as those which occurred in China (the so-called "Rape of Nanking" in 1937), Pakistan and more recently in Bosnia and Rwanda, which happened in public and in the absence of apparent overriding "sexual drive" on the part of the perpetrators. Noor should explain why Indonesia is different, particularly in the face of a past history of violence against ethnic minorities.

There is also ample evidence of the power of hate and prejudice in motivating human behavior. Equally important is the evidence of the ability to instill such prejudice through conditioning or brainwashing.

The latest theory, based on psychological behaviorism, tells us that with sufficient effort, virtually anyone can be trained to act on the will imposed by another.

In short, people can be conditioned to believe that mass rapes against a particular group or community is acceptable behavior, even to the point of having no feelings of guilt or remorse after the act.

Noor and others' skepticism is based on the conventional usage of proof as evidence, something absolutely obsolete in the modern world of handling cases of mass rape.

International authorities dealing with war crimes in Bosnia and Rwanda explicitly allow victims to bear witness anonymously to protect their own safety. Such protection is critical in the case of Indonesia, where victims have been directly threatened with further harm if they "go public" with their stories.

The testimony accumulated so far by various NGOs, along with the evidence presented by doctors who treated victims, should be sufficient for agreement that the crimes have occurred.

With this in mind, we must put a stop to further debate and controversy on whether mass rapes are conceivable, as well as whether they occurred in conjunction with the May riots. To not do so will inevitably have a damaging effect on all parties and may well induce international intervention.

We should not lose sight of the fact that our own Law No. 7/84 included ratification of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Toward Women. If we do not take a clear and credible stand on this issue, a visit by the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women might not be out of the question.

We, the members of Civil Society on Violence Against Women, urge the authorities to bring immediate clarity on the issue of mass rapes and shift the debate from one of authenticating the events themselves to finding those responsible.

We need clear and conclusive answers to the following questions:

1. Why was there not a single security officer in the various localities of riots?

2. If security had been present, would the mass rapes have been possible?

3. Why is it that when Jakarta was "burning", the otherwise quite effective fire-fighting service was nowhere to be seen, and;

4. Just who was responsible for the mass rapes which represent the use of those abhorrent mechanisms, similar to ones used in Bosnia and Rwanda, that select a woman's body as the target of attack?

As a nation, Indonesia has been severely hit and physical (economic) and psychological wounds are deep. We now need to join forces to pursue an optimal recovery from the impact of the May riots. Articles like Sri Muryono's do nothing to contribute to this effort.

Minister of Defense and Security Gen. Wiranto, who is also chief of the Armed Forces, made a commitment in a meeting with our organization on July 31. We urge him to confirm the commitment of the Armed Forces to guarantee the security of each and every member of society, whomever he or she may be.

Dr. Saparinah Sadli is from the Civil Society on Violence Against Women. She is also a member of the National Commission on Human Rights. This article is based on an open letter to Gen. Wiranto.