High hopes place on new commission for women's rights

JAKARTA (JP): High hopes were placed on the new National Commission on Violence Against Women as speakers at a dialog on Thursday reported abuse by spouses and employers and prolonged trauma under military operations.

Suraiya Kamaruzzaman, who works with victims of military operations in Aceh, North Sumatra, hoped the commission would "provide a support system to all women's organizations working with cases of violence."

The executive director of the Flower Aceh organization also hoped the commission would "provide protection for activists working with victims of violence".

Another activist requesting anonymity said the most was being made of the opportunity under the "transitional government" to expose human rights violations. "We fear that a new government might not enable this kind of exposure," she said.

Suraiya, who had led many in the packed audience to tears with several examples of her suffering under the military's operations in Aceh from 1989 to 1998, urged the commission to "exert strong pressure" to enable "the reinterpretation of laws that do not protect women".

Commission member Nursyahbani Katjasungkana also highlighted the need to review interpretations of religious teachings, which she said had been abused by men to justify mistreatment against wives.

One of the speakers, Ade Latifa, presented a study on domestic violence in which 128 of 171 cases studied involved beating -- one of 19 types of physical violence that husbands used against their wives.

A participant from Irian Jaya in the national dialog said she was thankful for the commission's establishment.

"I hope that similar abuses in Irian Jaya can be disclosed," she said. A representative of the Communication Forum for Loro Sae Women, also spoke of abuses against East Timorese, including wives of detainees suspected of being guerrilla leaders.

President B.J. Habibie issued a decree on the commission's establishment on Oct. 9. Its structure was outlined on Thursday at the dialog.

National Commission for Human Rights member and psychologist Saparinah Sadli was named as the organization's chairwoman. Sociologist Kamala Chandrakirana, a member of the Society Against Violence, was identified as secretary-general. The commission's deputies are Kuraisin Sumhadi, Rita Serena Kolibonso and Myra Diarsi.

The commission also issued a statement on Thursday saying: "Sexual assaults toward women have emerged along with the increase of violence and has its roots in the failure of the political, economic and social system to manage conflict."

Reading the statement, Rita said that taboos and stereotypes of women "silence women over the violence they experience, while gender biases make the female victim accused of being guilty of her own fate".

"Up to now, the public has continued to feel disappointed and has considered the state and security forces unable to prevent the spread of various forms of violence in society." (anr)