Habibie condemns May rapes, conveys regret

JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie condemned yesterday the rape of dozens of women during and after the May riots in Jakarta and other cities, and promised greater protection for women.

Habibie met with women activists from the Movement for Anti Violence Against Women whom he said presented "clear and authentic" evidence of assaults against women in mid-May.

"After hearing their reports, ... I expressed my deepest regret at the violence which runs counter to the nation's cultural values.

"I promise the government will be proactive in giving protection and security to all layers of society, to prevent a repetition of this inhuman episode in the history of the nation," he said in a statement televised nationwide.

"On behalf of the government and the nation, I condemn the simultaneous acts of violence during the riots, including the violence perpetrated against women."

This was the first direct public condemnation by Habibie of the rapes and sexual abuse, which activists said systematically targeted women of Chinese descent.

The government has been criticized for its slow response to reports of the rapes. One volunteer group said it had evidence of 162 rape victims, including 20 who had subsequently died.

The National Commission on Human Rights has blamed the government for security lapses that allowed the assaults on women to become widespread. The commission demanded the government apologize for the neglect.

Habibie urged the public to report immediately to authorities any sign of an imminent act of violence against women. (prb/emb)