High hopes place on new commission for women's rights

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)